Hornady ELD/A-Tip seating stem compatible die?

[thexman]

I am wondering to use Hornady Seating Stem for ELD/A-Tip bullet, do I have to get a Hornady Custom Grade/Match die for that?

It says on Hornady website, the stem does not compatible with dies from other Manufactures. So is Hornady's die the only choice to use their seating stem?

Thanks.

 

[acourvil]

The VLD stem for Redding dies works fine.

 

[jbuck88]

Not what you were asking. But I've used the seating stem that came with my redding micrometer seating die and it doesn't contact the tip or leave marks on bullets.

 

[Steel head]

The 7mm Forster seater played well with eldm and a tips.
6.5 Forster similarly did well with eldm’s.
338 Forster does well with ELDm and a tips.

 

[thexman]

The VLD stem for Redding dies works fine.

Thank you.

It seems harder to find the vld stems than hornady seating die now

 

[thexman]

The 7mm Forster seater played well with eldm and a tips.
6.5 Forster similarly did well with eldm’s.
338 Forster does well with ELDm and a tips.

Are you saying Forster seating die will work with Hornady seating stem?

 

[Steel head]

Are you saying Forster seating die will work with Hornady seating stem?

Factory Forster stem.

Put Hornandy parts in my Forster seater’s?

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Thank you.

It seems harder to find the vld stems than hornady seating die now

What cartridge do you want to load? Some Redding dies come with VLD stems.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I had to use a bullet and valve grinding paste to get my Forsters to work with ELD type bullets. Take apart the die. Put a sacrificial bullet in the drill's chuck. Put on valve grinding paste. Spin it. Takes a little time. But I've done it thrice and it worked each time.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

You dont have to use the Hornady seating stem for Hornady bullets. Use whatever seating stem matches your die.

 

[thexman]

What cartridge do you want to load? Some Redding dies come with VLD stems.

I got the 308win,6.5creedmoor and 6 dasher Type S match bushing die sets. Each die set has the Competiton Seating Die.

 

[Rockdoc173]

I use Whidden dies for my ATip 110gr-shooting 6CM. When you order the dies on the website you have three options, 1) you can use their basic stem (which is machined based on certain bullets), select from one of their bullet specific stems (not necessary if the bullet you want is used in the basic stem), or have a custom one made. I've done all three. They do a great job of keeping up with current bullet options on the market. Quick note free of charge: I still have a Hornady sizing die that I use with 6.5 CM and every time I go from that one back to the Whidden die it's like going from a Kia into an Aston. If you must stick with the Hornady sizing die, trash the sizing button/stem and run them over a mandrel. The mandrel and die will run you like $80 or something (like the one I got from LE Wilson) and it produces a much smother operation than pulling the brass over the button. But, no, Hornady is not the only maker of ATip seating stem. Though I'm not sure how many non-Hornady mfgs stems will fit Hornady dies. Just get a better die, it's w o r t h it

 

[Buckeye Chuck]

I have the RCBS compition die for 30-06 and load 168 ELDs and it works fine no marks on the bullet or deforming the tip.

 

[thexman]

I use Whidden dies for my ATip 110gr-shooting 6CM. When you order the dies on the website you have three options, 1) you can use their basic stem (which is machined based on certain bullets), select from one of their bullet specific stems (not necessary if the bullet you want is used in the basic stem), or have a custom one made. I've done all three. They do a great job of keeping up with current bullet options on the market. Quick note free of charge: I still have a Hornady sizing die that I use with 6.5 CM and every time I go from that one back to the Whidden die it's like going from a Kia into an Aston. If you must stick with the Hornady sizing die, trash the sizing button/stem and run them over a mandrel. The mandrel and die will run you like $80 or something (like the one I got from LE Wilson) and it produces a much smother operation than pulling the brass over the button. But, no, Hornady is not the only maker of ATip seating stem. Though I'm not sure how many non-Hornady mfgs stems will fit Hornady dies. Just get a better die, it's w o r t h it

Thanks for the alternative option. I will check out Whidden dies.

The problem for me is I got the Hornady stems first, then I got my Redding and LE Wilson seating dies, then I realize the Hornady stem does not fit into either Redding or LE Wilson's. So I am trying to see if Hornady's seating die is the only die it compatible with its own stem. If that's the case, I probably will sell the Hornady stems.

 

[Rockdoc173]

Does the Redding/Wilson stems not work with the ATips? I'm 99% sure they'll do just fine with the ELDMs, but if you're not sure about the ATips just seat a bullet. If the tips come out blunted then you need to do something else, if not you're off to the races. Don't change dies for the sake of a stem though, that's like trading in the car you like because another car has nicer wipers.