I made an adapter to use the Hornady micrometer bullet seating stem on the Lee dead length seater. It works great and can be changed from 1 die to another.
Redding Dies an Upgrade?
- Thread starter General RE LEE
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I believe that if you are going from a standard Hornady die set to the standard Redding 2 die set there wouldn't much of an upgrade. I have both and can't really see the difference. Now if you are going from Hornady to an upper end Redding die set ( Comp, S- bushing etc) then there would certainly be an upgrade. Forster dies are also great. JMO
I have used RCBS FL & N sizing dies for years. I mostly used neck sizing die. Alot of that was I used belted may cases. It stop the case separation at the base of the case.
I have changed to Redding bushing dies now. At times it's been hard to get what I wanted or order and waited.
The bigger costs turn into bushing. I see the bumping of the shoulder only a few thousand instead of a full sizing of the case.
So far knowing what my thickness is on the necks of the cases. So I am sizing and reloading in one step so far. The other reason to go to bushing dies was. I am taking a 280AI case and changing it to 6mm/280AI case. it take me 4 steps in the sizing die to get it to the caliber I after.
I haven't needed a mandrel yet. I have gotten the bushing that does the sizing to create the correct neck tension. So the job so far is done in one time with the sizing die. I have mandrels, but I am thinking I don't need them.
The other is I cut all my necks for thickness, so I have a set thickness that I work off of or from. I feel that could make a differents in what you end up with in sizing the cases. Depending on your necks thickness from case to case will change your tension. So you may want to put a little more though into it.
So probably It woud be wise to have a set up for mandrels to final the neck tension, if you don't cut your necks to a spec thickness. I know that people use mandrels to push the uneven neck thichness to the outside of the case. I don't agree with their thinking, because it's not doing what I feel they are thinking they are getting done. The case is still uneven.
If the case neck is out-of-round inside or outside the neck. When it's fired in the chamber that out of round shows up no matter what, pushing your bullet one way or the other in the alinement going into the lands of the barrel.
I have changed to Redding bushing dies now. At times it's been hard to get what I wanted or order and waited.
The bigger costs turn into bushing. I see the bumping of the shoulder only a few thousand instead of a full sizing of the case.
So far knowing what my thickness is on the necks of the cases. So I am sizing and reloading in one step so far. The other reason to go to bushing dies was. I am taking a 280AI case and changing it to 6mm/280AI case. it take me 4 steps in the sizing die to get it to the caliber I after.
I haven't needed a mandrel yet. I have gotten the bushing that does the sizing to create the correct neck tension. So the job so far is done in one time with the sizing die. I have mandrels, but I am thinking I don't need them.
The other is I cut all my necks for thickness, so I have a set thickness that I work off of or from. I feel that could make a differents in what you end up with in sizing the cases. Depending on your necks thickness from case to case will change your tension. So you may want to put a little more though into it.
So probably It woud be wise to have a set up for mandrels to final the neck tension, if you don't cut your necks to a spec thickness. I know that people use mandrels to push the uneven neck thichness to the outside of the case. I don't agree with their thinking, because it's not doing what I feel they are thinking they are getting done. The case is still uneven.
If the case neck is out-of-round inside or outside the neck. When it's fired in the chamber that out of round shows up no matter what, pushing your bullet one way or the other in the alinement going into the lands of the barrel.
General RE LEE
Well-Known Member
Thanks for feed back on the pic. I sent this rifle back to Bergara and they did a rebarrel maybe they did some work on chamber as well?
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
For comparisons sake, these rings werecaused by a die needing polishing and not by a chamber:
Upper part way through polishing, lower is what the die did originally. There were multiple spots in the die that were tight, one near the base and one near the shoulder at least, maybe more in between.
Upper part way through polishing, lower is what the die did originally. There were multiple spots in the die that were tight, one near the base and one near the shoulder at least, maybe more in between.
Hmmmm, interesting.
RUFFIAN R - NY
Well-Known Member
Over the past some 60 years of reloading, have used many a different brand die-dies and yes some are much better than others it's the QUALITY thats put into the product that makes a difference and the Company that is manufacturing the dies. One gets what he pays for !. Have had many a custom die made -same time my chamber was being cut, my die was being cut a little $$$$ but worth it.
Good luck with your picking the next die set. I like the FL bushing dies, cause the brass is all a little different and buy my brass by the 3 to 500 pcs at time now. all the same lot. Don't need as many different bushings now.
Years back played the cut the neck's not just do the high spots if necessary work just as good. Bench rest well that's another animal. ( There one uses the same brass over and over like an old pair of shoes )
Again good luck with your picking the next die set. SHOOT OFTEN & STRAIGHT !!!
Good luck with your picking the next die set. I like the FL bushing dies, cause the brass is all a little different and buy my brass by the 3 to 500 pcs at time now. all the same lot. Don't need as many different bushings now.
Years back played the cut the neck's not just do the high spots if necessary work just as good. Bench rest well that's another animal. ( There one uses the same brass over and over like an old pair of shoes )
Again good luck with your picking the next die set. SHOOT OFTEN & STRAIGHT !!!
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Tell me more! Have to turn it on a lathe or is it less involved?
Contacted Lee asking if they plan to add a micrometer to their seating die. Got a snippy reply saying mic seater is patented & they don't wanna pay royalties; beside it's not needed anyhow.
Would be glad to use one across multiple Lee seating dies.
Quite Texan what brand of dies?
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
That particular one was a Redding.
I have had Hornady dies "chatter" some when sizing, seeing one as bad as this die was made me realize they probably have something similar going on inside, but I haven't used them again to remember which ones the are. I use a lot of Hornady dies though, more than any other single brand, so odds were stacked against them. I probably have 3 dozen Hornady die sets, sometimes multiples in certain calibers to leave sizing dies set for different rifles.
Thant's depressing!
I own several redding die sets and have not seen that on mine but still depressing that a so-called top notch company could let something like your die slip through quality control.
I own several redding die sets and have not seen that on mine but still depressing that a so-called top notch company could let something like your die slip through quality control.
That pic shows some lines from what would appear to be the die but the rings are from the chamber as others have said.
I've used every imaginable die out there and they all will scratch at some point. If the scratch isn't corrected right away it's going to fill with brass and get worse. The manufacturer doesn't seem to matter. That includes RCBS, Hornady, Redding, Forster, Whidden, SAC, etc.
As soon as I see a mark on a case I chuck the die in the lathe and clean it well and polish it. I realize that most folks don't have access to a lathe but the same thing can be done with a wooden dowel in a drill and bore mop with Flitz. If you send back a die for scratch marks that's what the manufacturer is going to do anyway.
I've used every imaginable die out there and they all will scratch at some point. If the scratch isn't corrected right away it's going to fill with brass and get worse. The manufacturer doesn't seem to matter. That includes RCBS, Hornady, Redding, Forster, Whidden, SAC, etc.
As soon as I see a mark on a case I chuck the die in the lathe and clean it well and polish it. I realize that most folks don't have access to a lathe but the same thing can be done with a wooden dowel in a drill and bore mop with Flitz. If you send back a die for scratch marks that's what the manufacturer is going to do anyway.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
Things happen, I could have called and made a snit of it but honestly it was easier to just polish it up and move on.
tylsmith33
Active Member
When I first get my dies I usually polish lightly with Flitz on a cutip through entire die body, I then clean thoroughly with a contact cleaner and soft rag, haven't had any issues with cheaper Lee, hornady, or rcbs dies. I also clean my dies after each use.
