300 PRC Die Question

[Cold_Bore_88]

Gents,

I am a very lazy reloader. I want it done right and quick. I don’t worry about cost. I want to “cam” as few times as possible. Once to resize and once to seat. I don’t want to mess with decapper dies, mandrels, bushings, etc.

My question is, who makes the “best” reloading die set these days? I am looking at Whidden and Forster so far. They seem to be the most consistent in terms of reviews. I would prefer not to mess with bushings but can be convinced.

I haven’t bought dies in a few years now. Anyone making something new and better?

 

[Hawk in WY]

I am happy with Forster particularly in my Co-Ax.

Send them a fired case and they will ream the sizing die to fit your chamber.

Newer and more expensive dies are available but how much better can they be?

Good luck

 

[Supersubes]

Hornedy match sizer. Well designed decapping rod and expander ball. Very good internal finish, properly dimensioned, and priced right. If youre using a co-ax press, you wont be able to use the seater. You can use a standard Hornady seater though.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Newer and maybe better:

SAC Die

I’m staying with Forster.

 

[Cold_Bore_88]

Newer and maybe better:

SAC Die

I’m staying with Forster.

I actually emailed Mark Gordon this morning to see if they did a 300 PRC. I couldn’t easily find one on the website.

 

[Cold_Bore_88]

Edit: nvm. I am an idiot.

 

[Rocketmandb]

I use Whidden for sizing, LE Wilson under an arbor press for seating. I wouldn't even give away the Hornady sizing die I got when that was all that was available. Maybe I should set it up at like 500 yards for target practice...

 

[Supersubes]

I use Whidden for sizing, LE Wilson under an arbor press for seating. I wouldn't even give away the Hornady sizing die I got when that was all that was available. Maybe I should set it up at like 500 yards for target practice...

I feel the same way about Redding.

 

[spife7980]

I’ve had both hornady and Redding that work like crap and some that work splendidly. Forster also used to be my default recommendation but I’ve had to send those back also now.

It’s almost like when you buy any die you should expect to have to return it 50% of the time in the last two years.

 

[Cold_Bore_88]

I use Whidden for sizing, LE Wilson under an arbor press for seating. I wouldn't even give away the Hornady sizing die I got when that was all that was available. Maybe I should set it up at like 500 yards for target practice...

I am leaning towards Whidden. Their expander ball/mandrel seems like a good design that most have success with. I may just get their seater too.

 

[Rocketmandb]

I am leaning towards Whidden. Their expander ball/mandrel seems like a good design that most have success with. I may just get their seater too.

Not that I want you to spend more money, but...

The single most valuable addition to my reloading process was using an arbor press (with a force gauge) and LE Wilson Seaters.

What this allows you to do is measure the seating forces when seating each bullet. There is a direct correlation between seating force consistency and SD. So, by measuring, you can introduce steps to improve consistency, and potentially remove some that don't. Additionally, you can mark those rounds that go way out of bounds for some reason and use them as barrel warmers/foulers - though once you get a good process down (and use good brass), these should go way down in number.

Another benefit is for seating depth development. The arbor press is compact and portable. You can take it to the range and make adjustments on the spot.

The press is the only incremental cost. The dies are similar in cost to other seating dies.

K&M Arbor Press Standard Force Pack

This rugged press is used with in line bullet seating and neck sizing dies and can be used at your home loading bench or at the range. The K&M Arbor...

www.midwayusa.com

Bullet Seaters

 

[Cold_Bore_88]

Not that I want you to spend more money, but...

The single most valuable addition to my reloading process was using an arbor press (with a force gauge) and LE Wilson Seaters.

What this allows you to do is measure the seating forces when seating each bullet. There is a direct correlation between seating force consistency and SD. So, by measuring, you can introduce steps to improve consistency, and potentially remove some that don't. Additionally, you can mark those rounds that go way out of bounds for some reason and use them as barrel warmers/foulers - though once you get a good process down (and use good brass), these should go way down in number.

Another benefit is for seating depth development. The arbor press is compact and portable. You can take it to the range and make adjustments on the spot.

The press is the only incremental cost. The dies are similar in cost to other seating dies.

K&M Arbor Press Standard Force Pack

This rugged press is used with in line bullet seating and neck sizing dies and can be used at your home loading bench or at the range. The K&M Arbor...

www.midwayusa.com

Bullet Seaters

I have often considered this but never dove in. I may look end up going this route.

Do you find the distance to the lands correlates with the pressure? For example: do you find 2 cartridge with the same seating pressure have different OAL?

 

[Rocketmandb]

I have often considered this but never dove in. I may look end up going this route.

Do you find the distance to the lands correlates with the pressure? For example: do you find 2 cartridge with the same seating pressure have different OAL?

The seating force (force of friction) is related to the coefficient of friction times the surface area times the force exhibited against that surface. The surface area increases as you seat deeper (to a point) because you're increasing the amount of bearing surface. In practice, this never is top of mind. It's all about consistency, and I've found that to be driven by maintaining a consistent coefficient of friction (I apply graphite neck lube to do this), and applying consistent force (this is from the brass - combination of annealing and consistent post-sizing neck size).

The consistent neck size thing can come from neck turning (and I HATE neck turning) or by starting with highly consistent brass (e.g. Lapua) followed by using a mandrel.

The thing is, all of this is moot if you don't have a way to measure, and that's why the arbor press/LE Wilson dies are so important.

 

[Bradv86]

L.E. Wilson 300 PRC FL Bushing Sizing Die - Interior finish is absolutely excellent. Maybe there will be some hate, but I fail to see how any die more expensive is going to turn out any better results for the sizing operation.

Determine the proper bushing for the neck tension you want. Since you don't want to do more than one operation then you are done. I prefer to run a mandrel after this, but if you want to skip it then that is your call.

 

[bax]

L.E. Wilson 300 PRC FL Bushing Sizing Die - Interior finish is absolutely excellent. Maybe there will be some hate, but I fail to see how any die more expensive is going to turn out any better results for the sizing operation.

Determine the proper bushing for the neck tension you want. Since you don't want to do more than one operation then you are done. I prefer to run a mandrel after this, but if you want to skip it then that is your call.

I use the Wilson full length die with button to ID .303, mandrel to ID .305, and seat with Wilson seater.

I anneal every time so neck tension is very consistent.

 

[Demthios]

I actually emailed Mark Gordon this morning to see if they did a 300 PRC. I couldn’t easily find one on the website.

I'm in a similar position right now looking for 300 PRC dies, just getting into the hobby so don't want to many steps to complicate things. Was hoping SAC had 300PRC dies so please let me know when you hear back.

 

[Cold_Bore_88]

I'm in a similar position right now looking for 300 PRC dies, just getting into the hobby so don't want to many steps to complicate things. Was hoping SAC had 300PRC dies so please let me know when you hear back.

8-12 weeks before available. I ended up snagging the last click adjust die Whidden had.

 

[Demthios]

8-12 weeks before available. I ended up snagging the last click adjust die Whidden had.

Thanks, hmm makes me wonder if I should wait to pick it up or not. I need to get 6.5CM dies too so might just start with those.

 

[bax]

Gents,

I am a very lazy reloader. I want it done right and quick. I don’t worry about cost. I want to “cam” as few times as possible. Once to resize and once to seat. I don’t want to mess with decapper dies, mandrels, bushings, etc.

My question is, who makes the “best” reloading die set these days? I am looking at Whidden and Forster so far. They seem to be the most consistent in terms of reviews. I would prefer not to mess with bushings but can be convinced.

I haven’t bought dies in a few years now. Anyone making something new and better?

Consider doing sizing on a Dillon. I have a 550B. In the past, I set up a toolhead with a full length 308 button die and a mandrel. I could full-length size and deprime, re-prime and mandrel for each pull of the handle. With proper lube, precision was adequate.

About the mandrel: the full length die made the neck smaller but during seating I could feel bumps and rings inside the neck. Annealing plus the mandrel smooths them out and makes neck tension consistent.

I would suggest anneal, spray lube, size-deprime-reprime-mandrel on the dillon, and tumble to remove the lube. Then either trim to length and seat or go straight to seat bullets. The only common operation that you skip is clean primer, many people do not see the need for that step.

If you are shooting small groups at long distance this process may not deliver adequate precision in two areas: shoulder bump and priming.

I remember a guy at a bench rest match trying to prove that a Dillon made ammo just as good as our Wilson + arbor press stuff - this was a long time ago. It didn't (Wilson + arbor press was still better) but Hide guys are, for the most part, not shooting benchrest guns. I think that you can't be any lazier than this and still get good precision.

I still seat bullets using Wilson seaters and an arbor press.

 

[Lawnboi]

Not that I want you to spend more money, but...

The single most valuable addition to my reloading process was using an arbor press (with a force gauge) and LE Wilson Seaters.

What this allows you to do is measure the seating forces when seating each bullet. There is a direct correlation between seating force consistency and SD. So, by measuring, you can introduce steps to improve consistency, and potentially remove some that don't. Additionally, you can mark those rounds that go way out of bounds for some reason and use them as barrel warmers/foulers - though once you get a good process down (and use good brass), these should go way down in number.

Another benefit is for seating depth development. The arbor press is compact and portable. You can take it to the range and make adjustments on the spot.

The press is the only incremental cost. The dies are similar in cost to other seating dies.

K&M Arbor Press Standard Force Pack

This rugged press is used with in line bullet seating and neck sizing dies and can be used at your home loading bench or at the range. The K&M Arbor...

www.midwayusa.com

Bullet Seaters

Totally agree, my arbor press immediately tells me if what I did prior is consistent or not.

 

[Jcaplinger199]

I use the Wilson full length die with button to ID .303, mandrel to ID .305, and seat with Wilson seater.

I anneal every time so neck tension is very consistent.

What .305 mandrel are you using? The Wilson 30 expander mandrel states it’s .3075

 

[Jcaplinger199]

Hornedy match sizer. Well designed decapping rod and expander ball. Very good internal finish, properly dimensioned, and priced right. If youre using a co-ax press, you wont be able to use the seater. You can use a standard Hornady seater though.

Thinking about getting Hornady match bushing sizer and Forster micrometer seater to use in my co-ax

 

[Supersubes]

Thinking about getting Hornady match bushing sizer and Forster micrometer seater to use in my co-ax

That should work fine.

 

[bax]

What .305 mandrel are you using? The Wilson 30 expander mandrel states it’s .3075

21st century. I get .305 +- .001 usually better than ,001.

 

[kthomas]

8-12 weeks before available. I ended up snagging the last click adjust die Whidden had.

I love my click adjustable FL sizers from Whidden.

Good choice.