rcbs dies for reloading berger vld bullets question

[harleybug]

Ive got a set of rcbs dies im planning on using to reload 180 grain bergers in my 7 mag and ive read that your not supposed to use these dies for vld bullets. Is this true have any of u guys used rcbs dies to reload vld bullets and do they work just fine or are they really that innacurate. Also what dies do u recommend. Ive read about redding and it seems that u have to buy the vld stem seperate from the micrommiter dies. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[FearNoWind]

It's a seating stem issue. I don't know whether RCBS standard dies come equipped with a seating stem to handle scenar bullets. But unless you use the proper stem you're not going to get consistent seating results.
I use Wilson dies for the purpose you describe.

 

[Gene]

I use only Redding dies. Remove the RCBS seating stem and place the bullet tip in it until it bottoms. Does the tip (properly called meplat) touch bottom of the cavity? It should not do so. If it does, call RCBS. Redding does make replacement seating stems for their dies to correct this problem.

 

[harleybug]

My other problem is redding micromiter dies say not for compressed loads wich when i use retumbo in my 7 mag berger calls for 103 percent fill so can u still use the micromitee dies.

 

[FearNoWind]

IMO, unless you're sorting bullets the Redding micrometer seating dies are no more accurate than an ordinary good quality seating die without the micrometer. The only advantage I've found using micrometer dies is that I can come closer to resetting a previous seating depth in a shorter period of time; but still have to do some fine tuning. Also, that the factory variance in bullets isn't improved by the micrometer seating die - if you want true repeatable seating results you need to sort bullets.
I would assume that the Redding advice not to use their micrometer seating die on compressed loads may have something to do with the fact that, even with sorted bullets, the amount of pressure on the bullet against the powder cannot be measured perfectly and will ultimaetly affect the seating depth variable. But that's just my own theory ....

 

[kcebcj]

Ive got a set of rcbs dies im planning on using to reload 180 grain bergers in my 7 mag and ive read that your not supposed to use these dies for vld bullets. Is this true have any of u guys used rcbs dies to reload vld bullets and do they work just fine or are they really that innacurate. Also what dies do u recommend. Ive read about redding and it seems that u have to buy the vld stem seperate from the micrommiter dies. Any advice is appreciated.

You can get custom seating stems for the RCBS Dies. I use them and have stems for the 210 and 215gr Bergers. Just give RCBS a call and order them. Seems like they were about 15 bucks apiece and took 3 weeks or so.

 

[red dawg]

I have used rcbs dies on 140 vld berger for 10 + years and used on 168 berger for 2 years now and maybe I'm lucky, or patient but as Fear No Wind said it might take a little tuning, but I have consistent bullet seating

 

[inglysh]

Does the same apply for hornady dies as well? curious, I noticed there was not consistency to the seating height when it came to these bullets- I had to measure every single one (so I suspect that it does apply).

 

[MudRunner2005]

Does the same apply for hornady dies as well? curious, I noticed there was not consistency to the seating height when it came to these bullets- I had to measure every single one (so I suspect that it does apply).

Measuring to the tip of the bullet (all brands of bullets) will never be an accurate way to measure your cartridge length. The only true way to get an accurate measurement is to measure cartridge base to the ogive of the bullet using a comparator tool.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/34...lete-set-with-14-inserts?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Re: Seating VLD type bullets - Really long pointed bullets tend to bottom out in a conventional seater stem rather than being seated by the stem grabbing the full circumference of the bullet. Just remove the stem from your seater die and place a bullet in the stem to see how they engage each other. The point of the bullet should not bottom out in the stem. Sometimes you can make a simple modification to the stem to cure this if it happens.

Re: Seating with compressed loads - One of the reasons that compressed loads are a bad idea is because it has an adverse influence on OAL consistency. Each time you force a bullet onto a powder column it resists the seating pressure differently depending on the amount of compression. IME compressed loading never results in consistent OAL when measured off the ojive. Try it and you will see. Additionally, compressed loads cause a constant up-push on the bullet base. I have read that, over time, a bullet can be pushed up slightly by a compressed powder charge depending on compression and neck tension. While I have never conducted any tests to verify this, it certainly seems plausible.
I doubt that using compressed charges does any damage to your seating die. Redding may be able to shed some light on this but I'm skeptical.

 

[BigSwede]

I have seated 140 vld's in 270wsm in the standard rcbs seating die without any issues. Shoots 2's and 3's very consistently sometimes 1's but that's on rare best days. It's a factory tikka.

 

[Rack]

Sometimes you can make a simple modification to the stem to cure this if it happens.
Varmint Hunter can you explain how to do this ? Just curious. Thanks in advance.

 

[barefooter56]

My other problem is redding micromiter dies say not for compressed loads wich when i use retumbo in my 7 mag berger calls for 103 percent fill so can u still use the micromitee dies.

harleybug,
That 103% fill ratio is based on a MAGAZINE LENGTH loaded round. If you follow the instructions on our website under the INFORMATION tab on the home page in TECH TALK in the drop down in Erics article "VLDS, making them shoot". The load compression MAY not be an issue depending on what seating depth your rifle likes. Issue with Redding VLD seating stems in their Competition dies is that they MAY split when seating a bullet in a highly compressed load.

 

[howard3]

I recently ordered a custom VLD seater from RCBS for my 7mm STW shooting 180 Bergers. You contact them, then send 3 sample bullets, and for about $32 including shipping they send you the custom seater and your 3 bullets. Took about 3 weeks.