Reloading Dies

[astrohound24]

I know this subject has been beat to death most likely, but I have some reloading gear at my lab I work at and need to get some .308 dies. I plan to work on only my fired brass from my 700 Police. I am used to loading pistol ammunition and back in 2012 I reloaded some .308, but never to the extent of really figuring out what I was doing. I was safe about it, but probably nowhere near to making any difference in performance. I hear that the Lee Collet dies are good and maybe Redding or Forester for seating dies. Anyways fixing to order some stuff so I can get it going. I like to reload and find it fun to do, at least it has been reloading 9mm. Thanks everyone! Waiting on rings to get here and finally get this rifle put together!

Greg M

 

[Guns&WhiteWater]

I know this subject has been beat to death most likely, but I have some reloading gear at my lab I work at and need to get some .308 dies. I plan to work on only my fired brass from my 700 Police. I am used to loading pistol ammunition and back in 2012 I reloaded some .308, but never to the extent of really figuring out what I was doing. I was safe about it, but probably nowhere near to making any difference in performance. I hear that the Lee Collet dies are good and maybe Redding or Forester for seating dies. Anyways fixing to order some stuff so I can get it going. I like to reload and find it fun to do, at least it has been reloading 9mm. Thanks everyone! Waiting on rings to get here and finally get this rifle put together!

Greg M

Lee collet dies are good, I have one for the 308. I prefer custom honed full length Forster dies these days to go along with their seater dies though. Only a few bucks extra.

 

[astrohound24]

Lee collet dies are good, I have one for the 308. I prefer custom honed full length Forster dies these days to go along with their seater dies though. Only a few bucks extra.

I can pretty well tell from searching the forums that the Forester and Redding dies are really liked here. Thanks for the info.

Greg

 

[gunsnjeeps]

I can't talk about the bushing dies except from reading about them. For all of my rifles I use what is now sold as the two die Premium Series from Redding. Full length resizing die and competition seating die. I have not used the VLD stem but probably should try one. (Odd last sentence didn't post.)

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Rumor has it that Redding copied Forester's dies with minor tweaks. Before my time.

 

[spife7980]

What press do you have? Probbaly wont make a difference but if its a co-ax I dont think you can use the lee collet on it. So just make sure before buying.

I like forster and redding, full length sizer and a micrometer seater will make for easy work.

 

[Guns&WhiteWater]

What press do you have? Probbaly wont make a difference but if its a co-ax I dont think you can use the lee collet on it. So just make sure before buying.

I like forster and redding, full length sizer and a micrometer seater will make for easy work.

The Lee collet dies work in my Co-ax.

 

[Steel head]

Lee collet
Redding body die
Forster micrometer seating die.

I use that combination for 3 cartridges now.

 

[spife7980]

The Lee collet dies work in my Co-ax.

No shit? Guess you cant believe everything you read on the internet after all lol

You get a full stroke or does it sort of bottom out halfway through?

 

[Steel head]

No shit? Guess you cant believe everything you read on the internet after all lol

Guess what professor spife?

They work in my Lee classic turret as well!
Shocker huh?

 

[spife7980]

Guess what professor spife?

They work in my Lee classic turret as well!
Shocker huh?

Sort of... now I have to spend money on the collet crap to try them for myself! Ugh.

 

[rulellis]

Lee Collets work in my Co-Ax as well. You can set it to cam over if you want, it adjusts just as in any other press I have used.

That said, I like the collets, but I find neck tension is a bit inconsistent, I like Forster full length dies better. I like the non-bushing. Thinking about switching to removing the expander and going with a Mandrel based on a Satterlee Podcast I recently listened to.

 

[Steel head]

Sort of... now I have to spend money on the collet crap to try them for myself! Ugh.

At least they’re cheap!

 

[C.R. Adams]

imo, the best value is the Forster Benchrest dies. no, you don't have the mic adjustment, but you don't have the extra cost. other than that, all is the same as the micrometer set. and then get a redding S die

 

[astrohound24]

Ok don’t laugh but I only have a Lee Hand Press. I will need to get some type of single stage press mounted in the lab.
Greg

 

[sam4886]

I really like my Lee turret press compared to a single stage.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

I've recently been switching over to RCBS Match Master dies after having used Forster, Whidden, and Redding. So far, I prefer the RCBS over any of those.

 

[Billl223]

If your fired brass is all from same manufacturer, I recommend the Redding Bushing die. I use both the Redding and Forster micro seating dies. For my old eyes, the Redding is easier to see. A mentioned earlier, I like a turret press which can handle 3 different cartridges. If only loading .308 it might not be worth it.

 

[sam4886]

I've been eyeballing the Lyman brass smith turret too. I've got the Lee turret that auto indexes, which is nice,, but the Lyman looks really sturdy.

 

[Steel head]

I really like my Lee turret press compared to a single stage.

 

[sam4886]

Is it illegal interbreeding if I reload creedmoor instead of 260 on mine?

 

[Steel head]

Is it illegal interbreeding if I reload creedmoor instead of 260 on mine?

 

[Pvt.Donut]

I haven't seen them mentioned yet but wanted to throw out LE Wilson as another top option for a bushing FL die.

 

[wpgk58]

My favorite set up is:
Redding Type S Full Length Neck Bushing die.
I one step can full length size and set the neck tension precisely.
Redding Competition Seating die.
Has internal sleeve to stabilize case and the result is runout always under .001' usually around .0005"
I also have some Whidden dies and they are also very good. The Whidden Seating die has huge numbers engraved so very easy to see and set.

 

[swagner2000]

I've been eyeballing the Lyman brass smith turret too. I've got the Lee turret that auto indexes, which is nice,, but the Lyman looks really sturdy.

I bought the Lyman last year. While it is certainly heavy, there was more play than I like in the ram while pressing down on the handle. I switched back to the RCBS Rock Chucker I was using, which has an absolutely solid ram stroke with no play.

While it’s convenient to have the extra dies on the turret, I installed the Hornady Lock and Load die bushings on the Chucker which makes swapping out the dies effortless. There is a conversion kit that fits the Rock Chucker

 

[BigJimFish]

I know this subject has been beat to death most likely, but I have some reloading gear at my lab I work at and need to get some .308 dies. I plan to work on only my fired brass from my 700 Police. I am used to loading pistol ammunition and back in 2012 I reloaded some .308, but never to the extent of really figuring out what I was doing. I was safe about it, but probably nowhere near to making any difference in performance. I hear that the Lee Collet dies are good and maybe Redding or Forester for seating dies. Anyways fixing to order some stuff so I can get it going. I like to reload and find it fun to do, at least it has been reloading 9mm. Thanks everyone! Waiting on rings to get here and finally get this rifle put together!

Greg M

I just reviewed the new RCBS MatchMaster dies. I'm sold on them. The sizing die is really no different than my Redding type S but the seating die is much more convenient and comfortable to use with the same quality results. I'll be going with MatchMasters from now on.

As for the press, I am using a Hornady because I love the lock and load bushing system and their progressive press that I do all my pistol stuff on but I'm not totally sold on it as my single stage. It has no primer catch (I actually deprime on my hornady progressive) and dosen't have the best reputation when it comes to concentrically. I think the forester Co-Ax is probably the best stationary single stage. What I would really like is a single stage that would be easy to take to the range and clamp on like Harrels sportsman but perhaps with lock and load bushings. I may buy the sportsman at some point even without the bushings.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

I just reviewed the new RCBS MatchMaster dies. I'm sold on them. The sizing die is really no different than my Redding type S but the seating die is much more convenient and comfortable to use with the same quality results. I'll be going with MatchMasters from now on.

As for the press, I am using a Hornady because I love the lock and load bushing system and their progressive press that I do all my pistol stuff on but I'm not totally sold on it as my single stage. It has no primer catch (I actually deprime on my hornady progressive) and dosen't have the best reputation when it comes to concentrically. I think the forester Co-Ax is probably the best stationary single stage. What I would really like is a single stage that would be easy to take to the range and clamp on like Harrels sportsman but perhaps with lock and load bushings. I may buy the sportsman at some point even without the bushings.

Take a look at the Summit press. You can pull out the threaded bushing in the Summit and use Hornady LnL bushings with an adapter, if I am not mistaken.

 

[spife7980]

Take a look at the Summit press. You can pull out the threaded bushing in the Summit and use Hornady LnL bushings with an adapter, if I am not mistaken.

You can do that on a rock chucker too.
Maybe a redding boss too, not sure. But I know the chucker has that threaded insert you can pull out and put in the hornady bushing in its place.

Hornady Lock-N-Load Press Die Conversion Bushing Kit

The Hornady Lock-N-Load Press and Die Conversion Bushing Kit is a great accessory for your reloading press. Simply insert the Lock-N-Load conversion...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

You can do that on a rock chcuker too

You can indeed, but I think the Summit is closer to the CoAx than the Rock Chucker.

 

[zaprosper]

I've recently been switching over to RCBS Match Master dies after having used Forster, Whidden, and Redding. So far, I prefer the RCBS over any of those.

What specifically do you like over the other dies? Is it the sizer die, or the seater die? The open port on the seating die looks like a nice feature

 

[zaprosper]

Lee Collets work in my Co-Ax as well. You can set it to cam over if you want, it adjusts just as in any other press I have used.

That said, I like the collets, but I find neck tension is a bit inconsistent, I like Forster full length dies better. I like the non-bushing. Thinking about switching to removing the expander and going with a Mandrel based on a Satterlee Podcast I recently listened to.

Was that the episode of Modern Day sniper with Scott as the guest, or is he on another podcast?

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

What specifically do you like over the other dies? Is it the sizer die, or the seater die? The open port on the seating die looks like a nice feature

The port on the seater, the overall feel is better than my Whiddens (where the seater die would sometimes misbehave), and lower cost (for very comparable quality) than Redding.

 

[rulellis]

Yes that was modern day sniper, episode 0014.

 

[astrohound24]

I just reviewed the new RCBS MatchMaster dies. I'm sold on them. The sizing die is really no different than my Redding type S but the seating die is much more convenient and comfortable to use with the same quality results. I'll be going with MatchMasters from now on.

As for the press, I am using a Hornady because I love the lock and load bushing system and their progressive press that I do all my pistol stuff on but I'm not totally sold on it as my single stage. It has no primer catch (I actually deprime on my hornady progressive) and dosen't have the best reputation when it comes to concentrically. I think the forester Co-Ax is probably the best stationary single stage. What I would really like is a single stage that would be easy to take to the range and clamp on like Harrels sportsman but perhaps with lock and load bushings. I may buy the sportsman at some point even without the bushings.

I like these and really thinking about going with them. As for a press I am totally up in the air, but you guys have given me some good info to work with. Thanks so much.