which dies?

[p5200]

http://www.natchezshooterssupply.com/Cat...prodID=FP004221

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00070U04102

which would you pick? Thanks!

 

[Suasponte]

Re: which dies?

I would go for Natchez! No Micrometer. I have one and never use it. save the $$$, my 2 cents.

Terry

 

[Clark]

Re: which dies?

I have A) some of the micrometer Forster seater dies with sliding sleeve, B) lots of the plain sliding sleeve Forster dies, and C) some of the old Bonanza dies that did not have a sliding sleeve.

I now have Forster die sets in 223, 260, 6mmBR, 257 Roberts Ackley Improved, 7mmRemMag, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 8x57mm, 338 Win Mag and I don't know what else.

The micrometer feature doesn't do anything for me.

I may get some Forster 243 dies.
I will probably get the benchrest seater with the sliding sleeve, but no micrometer:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00070004171

I could build a 243 and build a 7mmMag both by October and shoot a mule deer and an elk with them. I have the reamers, and I have drawn the tags. It could happen. But I am getting ready to go salmon fishing. So tired.

 

[BobinNC]

Re: which dies?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: p5200</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.natchezshooterssupply.com/Cat...prodID=FP004221

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00070U04102

which would you pick? Thanks!

</div></div>

Is this a trick question? One set is 25-06 the other set is 223.

In any event, I don't buy full die sets any more, rather I like to mix and match.

In the common calibers they are available, I like the RCBS X FL die, but not the bullet seater it comes with.

So I'd buy something like this:

Midway RCBS X FL die 223

In my view the X die really works as advertised, and reduces the need for trimming; if you follow the product instructions, that is.

Then I add one of the these, a dedicated Neck Die:

Redding Neck die

I found the standard Neck die works well for the type of shooting I do, benchresters however, like the bushing dies, but you can make good ammo with the standard one's.

I like a dedicated neck die for bolt gun loads. I use it about 4 times more than my FL die. But you do need a FL die, and I use mine only to FL size, as I hate adjusting for partial sizing and back again. But I'm lazy....

Lastly, you need a bullet seater, like this:

Forster Benchrest seater die

And the boys above are right, you don't need a micrometer seater, the Forster benchrest seater die is among the best.

It will run you a few bucks more doing it my way, but this way you can get want you want, and not just what the maker puts in the box.

Bob

 

[p5200]

Re: which dies?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Clark</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have A) some of the micrometer Forster seater dies with sliding sleeve, B) lots of the plain sliding sleeve Forster dies, and C) some of the old Bonanza dies that did not have a sliding sleeve.

I now have Forster die sets in 223, 260, 6mmBR, 257 Roberts Ackley Improved, 7mmRemMag, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 8x57mm, 338 Win Mag and I don't know what else.

The micrometer feature doesn't do anything for me.

I may get some Forster 243 dies.
I will probably get the benchrest seater with the sliding sleeve, but no micrometer:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00070004171

I could build a 243 and build a 7mmMag both by October and shoot a mule deer and an elk with them. I have the reamers, and I have drawn the tags. It could happen. But I am getting ready to go salmon fishing. So tired.

</div></div> The Dies I'm using now for my .223 are the same type that's in your link so, that's what I will order for my Tikka t3 25-06. The box my press came in says Forster Coax/ Bonanza on it so I don't know if that makes a difference on which type of Forster dies I can use or not? You sound like a buisy man and I appreciate your info. Hope you enjoy your fishing trip and maybe you'll draw a tag too!

 

[Clark]

Re: which dies?

I am back from fishing. Can't blame lack of sleep now. I blame age... and trouble getting the wife to clean the fish.

The thread on dies is 7/8-14 and fits on almost any threaded press. This is the kind of dies that Forster, Redding, RCBS, Lee, Hornady, Jones, Lyman, etc. make.

Wilson dies are not threaded. They go in an arbor press or get hit with a mallet.

The co-ax press is not threaded, but threaded dies with Forster "Cross Bolt Die Lock Ring" will slide and out of the co-ax press.
http://www.forsterproducts.com/catalog.asp?prodid=627330


I buy them by the bag:
http://www.dnrsports.com/catalog/product/20a2b6536652280b668555912dd218c8

 

[vman]

Re: which dies?

Curious as to why the comments about the micrometer not being needed... I understand that once its setup it generally tends to stay that way, but any other reason besides this?

 

[p5200]

Re: which dies?

I kind of wondered if the micrometer adj. might be helpful in fine tuning the seating depths and, with repeatability if switching back and forth between different bullets? Thanks!

 

[gcoulsey]

Re: which dies?

As for repeatability.. They 'help' get close to your target depth, but I always find with my redding comp seaters, you have to check measure and fine tune the last .010" when you have used different depths or taken the die out/back in the press.

Giles.

 

[Clark]

Re: which dies?

I don't use micrometer seating depth features, because how I set the seating depth is as follows:
1) Set the seating depth so the cartridge is as long a possible and still fit in the magazine. Does it reach the lands? If no, proceed to step 2, if yes, proceed to step 3.
2) Seat the bullet 0.1" into the case mouth. Does it reach the lands? If no, that is the seating depth, if yes, proceed.
3) Find the threshold of the bullet touching the lands. Experiment with longer seating depths until the threshold of the unfired bullet getting stuck in the lands, upon extraction, is reached. Set the seater die to seat the bullet half way between the two thresholds. That is the new seating depth. Measure the over all length to the tip, not the ogive, and record it in the load notes.

What does it all mean?
I don't need a micrometer seater because I am not seating the bullet with much accuracy.

 

[skinnypitt]

Re: which dies?

Redding bushing dies with competition seater is what I use. If you are just loading for hunting no problem just get whichever die you like and go to it. If you would like to have accuracy at 1000yds then go with mentioned set-up.
Yes, to fine tune a load the micrometer is very helpful. Also, i do mostly leave it alone but when you have been shooting one single bullet with its load and depth and it is shooting great, eventually you will think "you know maybe another powder or bullet or brass or some other random change will turn great into super"...then you can start re-developing. In my opinion even the initial development would lose a lot of precision if I did not have the micrometer seater.
For me it is a necessity.

 

[WTW]

Re: which dies?

I like the micrometer to fine tune seating depths. You can do it with non-mocrometer dies it just takes longer.

 

[LILBUCK]

Re: which dies?

Do the foster bench rest seating dies seat the bullet off the ogive or the tip of the bullet?

 

[johngfoster]

Re: which dies?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: WTW</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like the micrometer to fine tune seating depths. You can do it with non-mocrometer dies it just takes longer. </div></div>

So do I. It is a convenience thing. Not necessary, but saves time, I think. I like the Redding Comp. seater dies. (I also use the Wilson Comp seater dies in my arbor press for long range work.)

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Re: which dies?

Forster, and every other seating die I'm aware of, is designed to seat the bullet off the ogive. Some may have seating stems that are not well suited to some bullets, and may end up seating the bullet off the tip, but that is an accident, not a design feature.

Andy

 

[LILBUCK]

Re: which dies?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BigJakeJ1s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Forster, and every other seating die I'm aware of, is designed to seat the bullet off the ogive. Some may have seating stems that are not well suited to some bullets, and may end up seating the bullet off the tip, but that is an accident, not a design feature.

Andy </div></div>

Thanks for the reply i asked because the die set i want to replace are made by lee and the stem contacts the very tip of bullet (they are cheap)

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: which dies?

Redding copied Forster's (Bonanza) excellant seater design after the patent protections ran out. They will likely also copy Forster's excellant expander button when that patent runs out. I prefer the Forster sets for the better expander and lower cost. I consider the micrometer heads to be trivia, I'm not after speed when using those dies and I'm going to be using my caliper to set them up anyway.

I'm not in love with anyone's bushing type sizers for factory chambers, much prefer Lee's Collet Neck Sizer. Effective, simple and it doesn't care what the case's neck thickness is.

If your bullet's meplat is hitting the bottom of Lee's seating plug you must have a very long bullet ogive. Such contact is pretty common with anyone's seaters and those bullets so you may well need to get a special seater plug no matter what brand of dies you get.