Im trying to get some dies for my 300 win mag and im not sure which ones to get, are the competition dies worth the 100 bucks or can i just use the lee? any ideas, now im not the best shot yet and im just starting the 300 reloading so any ideas?
Recomendations for .300wm dies?>
- Thread starter isu600rr
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geargrinder
Well-Known Member
Lee Deluxe Die set.
You get FL sizer, Collet neck sizer, and seater. Best dies around for the money.
If you want to spend more get the Lee Deluxe Die set and a Redding Competition Micrometer seater.
You get FL sizer, Collet neck sizer, and seater. Best dies around for the money.
If you want to spend more get the Lee Deluxe Die set and a Redding Competition Micrometer seater.
LRHWAL
Well-Known Member
If I were to do it all again...
Lee Collett sizer
Forster Seater
Redding Body Die
That's pretty much where I ended up.
Lee Collett sizer
Forster Seater
Redding Body Die
That's pretty much where I ended up.
boomtube
Well-Known Member
" are the competition dies worth the 100 bucks or can i just use the lee?"
No. Certainly not at your level of experience. They would be a total waste because "common" dies are, in fact, quite good. And Lee's are as good as any CONVENTIONAL dies.
MAYBE, in 5-10 years, you will want to check out what Mr. LRHWAL suggests or, maybe, you will simply choose to stick with your originals! Very few shooters ever obtain enough accuracy or skill to use those excellant sophisticaled dies to any noticeable advantage in a .300 mag.
No. Certainly not at your level of experience. They would be a total waste because "common" dies are, in fact, quite good. And Lee's are as good as any CONVENTIONAL dies.
MAYBE, in 5-10 years, you will want to check out what Mr. LRHWAL suggests or, maybe, you will simply choose to stick with your originals! Very few shooters ever obtain enough accuracy or skill to use those excellant sophisticaled dies to any noticeable advantage in a .300 mag.
johnnyk
Well-Known Member
isu600rr,
I certainly would not put that much in to them. I use Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension Dies and I get .3's out of my stock Savage 112BVSS with 180gn NBT's and 180gn SMK's. JohnnyK.
I certainly would not put that much in to them. I use Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension Dies and I get .3's out of my stock Savage 112BVSS with 180gn NBT's and 180gn SMK's. JohnnyK.
woods
Well-Known Member
x2
For the seater, you can substitute a Redding Competition or even the RCBS Competition seater (I like 'em but not many do).
If you want to crimp, add the Lee Factory Crimp Die which is cheap and foolproof.
LRHWAL
Well-Known Member
"For the seater, you can substitute a Redding Competition ..."
Yes, that's what I use and it is awesome. I have Forsters in other calibers. The Forster can be had without the micrometer top, but it is still an "in-line" type design and that version it is lest spendy. As I recall around $38-40.
Yes, that's what I use and it is awesome. I have Forsters in other calibers. The Forster can be had without the micrometer top, but it is still an "in-line" type design and that version it is lest spendy. As I recall around $38-40.
You could start with Lee, I still use the collet neck sizer. If you just neck size sooner or later you will need to bump the shoulder back, then you can get the Redding body die. I seat with a Redding Precision Seater and it is faster to get the distance to the lands than a normal seating die. You will like the Redding products they are very well made, the Lee collet neck sizer took me a little time to get my neck tension where I wanted it, but it works and it is easy on the brass. There also is a ton of good intel here.
LRHWAL
Well-Known Member
Boomtube, I agree that at certain levels of experience certain tools and gadgets are overkill. Some remain overkill forever I think.
I'm still at the learning level too (as we all will be forever). That said, I feel I need the best ammo to learn from shooting. I must know why a shot went where it wasn't intended to as best I can. I don't want to wonder about the ammo.
I also hate to spend good money more than once on tools to do the same thing (although that still seems to catch me from time to time with poor quality and bad choices as I point out below).
Anyway, I recall some very useful posts from you regarding setting up of dies and choice of dies to minimise runout. You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I did a search and found the thread regarding your use of Lee Colletts (modified or "as is"), Lyman M dies etc. I can't speak for you, but it seems that you actually prefer the Collett dies and body dies as well. So I hear you (and agree) regarding value and what's necessary at a certain level, but I doubt what you recommend is your first choice at your level and I'm not sure your post makes that distinction. I'm not doubting that you answered the question as it was asked; you certainly did, but 5 years is a long time if you intend to seriously get into shooting.
Runout with regular dies is a real problem - and one I'm experiencing again now using them in a few chamberings (luckily for short range shooting).
So my advice, ISU, is do the maths and decide if you are in shooting with your 300 WM for the long haul and then decide whether you want to save $40 or $50 that I suspect you'll wish you spent later.
The fact that you are on a "Long Range" forum and your username makes me think you will take this seriously enough for the slightly more upper end equipment.
I recently bought a Lee (2X in fact) sets, a Deluxe and the one with the Taper Crimp and the full sizer in 375 H&H (whatever that's called as a set). Both were fairly unsatisfactory and the Collett set (? Deluxe I think) with the dead length seater is in my opinion a total failure. Maybe they are better in other chamberings, but the seater die body is too short for the 375 IMHO. I'm not simply knocking Lee as I use them in various calibers, but by the time I'm done here I will wish that I kept the Forsters I had originally as all the buying and selling (assuming I can do this once I explain why I'm selling a brand new die set) will cost me more. As I'm in South Africa the Lee guarantee is a lot harder to try to call up and with shipping, customs duty, return shipping etc. I'll be down anyway.
I'm still at the learning level too (as we all will be forever). That said, I feel I need the best ammo to learn from shooting. I must know why a shot went where it wasn't intended to as best I can. I don't want to wonder about the ammo.
I also hate to spend good money more than once on tools to do the same thing (although that still seems to catch me from time to time with poor quality and bad choices as I point out below).
Anyway, I recall some very useful posts from you regarding setting up of dies and choice of dies to minimise runout. You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I did a search and found the thread regarding your use of Lee Colletts (modified or "as is"), Lyman M dies etc. I can't speak for you, but it seems that you actually prefer the Collett dies and body dies as well. So I hear you (and agree) regarding value and what's necessary at a certain level, but I doubt what you recommend is your first choice at your level and I'm not sure your post makes that distinction. I'm not doubting that you answered the question as it was asked; you certainly did, but 5 years is a long time if you intend to seriously get into shooting.
Runout with regular dies is a real problem - and one I'm experiencing again now using them in a few chamberings (luckily for short range shooting).
So my advice, ISU, is do the maths and decide if you are in shooting with your 300 WM for the long haul and then decide whether you want to save $40 or $50 that I suspect you'll wish you spent later.
The fact that you are on a "Long Range" forum and your username makes me think you will take this seriously enough for the slightly more upper end equipment.
I recently bought a Lee (2X in fact) sets, a Deluxe and the one with the Taper Crimp and the full sizer in 375 H&H (whatever that's called as a set). Both were fairly unsatisfactory and the Collett set (? Deluxe I think) with the dead length seater is in my opinion a total failure. Maybe they are better in other chamberings, but the seater die body is too short for the 375 IMHO. I'm not simply knocking Lee as I use them in various calibers, but by the time I'm done here I will wish that I kept the Forsters I had originally as all the buying and selling (assuming I can do this once I explain why I'm selling a brand new die set) will cost me more. As I'm in South Africa the Lee guarantee is a lot harder to try to call up and with shipping, customs duty, return shipping etc. I'll be down anyway.
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