I’ve only been reloading for 3 years or so. I have ran the gambit of what’s easily accessible to what I really like. I currently use Redding standard full length sizing dies. I was wondering if anyone has used the Whidden clock adjustable bushing dies. How are they?
Whidden Gunworks
- Thread starter Doug k 042414
- Start date
I have used whidden dies for about 4-5 years now and never had any problems with them. That said they sale a click adjustable lock ring to make any idea click adjustable.
www.whiddengunworks.com
Universal Click Adjustable Lock Ring - Whidden Gunworks
Universal Click Adjustable Lock Ring Recently we introduced our Click Adjustable Sizing Die and it has met with great success. We have received a flood of
www.whiddengunworks.com
Whidden can blow me . Redding and Forster have been better for me in every sense.
I have one. Way faster if your setting up for various rifles or removing the die often. If not, no big deal. Won't work on a Dillon, unless in single stage mode (solo kit). Quality is top notch as is with all my Whidden dies. It's really a matter of how much is your time worth. Rings for standard dies to do this have been around for a while. I won't buy more, but don't regret the experience either.
I have an off-the-shelf Whidden FL sizing die for my 6 BRA, and a custom one for my 300 PRC. They both work very well for me.
I have had 3 sets 2 of them had to go back because of concentricity issues. Whidden did fix the issue and have been go to go.
I know a guy that bought one and likes it. I was loading for 4 Dashers, have 3 sizers, but use one, so 3 different settings, this would be the ticket for me. But it screams gimmick, and I am not known for making life easier.
This one time at band camp I bought a Redding, Forster, and Whidden (full set) 6CM sizing die. The forster over sized the bases on brand new brass and the Whidden left scoring like it was fluted (the seating stem scores bullet tips too). The Forster and Whidden had to go back and I paid the shipping for both, neither seemed to think it was an inconvenience to me. That's not to say Redding's CS service is any better; I sent a die back a few years ago and they kept it for two months until I called to complain.
The moral of the story is none of them are really better, buy the one that fits your needs and is on sale. I generally like the Forster design better but Redding is more consistent with concern to quality.
The moral of the story is none of them are really better, buy the one that fits your needs and is on sale. I generally like the Forster design better but Redding is more consistent with concern to quality.
I've had opposite experiences with redding. I prefer the whidden designs, and I do agree they can show up with defects.
There is a decided lack of truly high end dies. I own upwards of 30 die sets, and ripping apart dies and spending hours deburring, polishing, and tuning, became common practice for me very early on.
As a result.... I'd pay $500 for a die set that I KNEW was without defect. Hell... probably more.
There is a decided lack of truly high end dies. I own upwards of 30 die sets, and ripping apart dies and spending hours deburring, polishing, and tuning, became common practice for me very early on.
As a result.... I'd pay $500 for a die set that I KNEW was without defect. Hell... probably more.
I was digging around in my ammo cabinet and found a bunch of different ammo I loaded between 05 and 07. Back then I was loading all 223 Remington with regular old RCBS dies and a Rock Chucker. For the hell of it I checked the 223 for runout and all of it was less than .001". Bullet seating depth and charge weight was spot on too. Powder was measured on a out of the box 505 beam scale.
There are specific features I like and I'm willing to pay extra for them but I don't expect any of these dies to actually do anything better than the next with regard to quality.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, adjusting the Whidden seating die ".010" doesn't actually seat the bullet .010" deeper or shallower, more like .0075". The Forster and Redding seating dies are spot on for the same application. Maybe it's the shitty seating stem Whidden uses that gouges up the bullet tips.
I don't consider it all that difficult to remove the seating stem, chuck it up in any rotary tool... and polish it a bit. The entirely removes the bullet gouging problem.
My seater worked okay, but I moved to an arbor press for seating, and got LE Wilson seaters. Much more consistent.
Use mainly Redding here , I picked up the Whidden a 300 prc when the were the only real choice. Nasty runout on the sizing die that I ended up putting a Redding plug in the top with an o-ring to get me buy, not to mention i have to run a +.010 shell holder and not even touch it with the due to get my .002 bump. Just got the Redding in the mail yesterday and am posting the Whidden up ASAP. I hope I never have to purchase one again.
Had a set of 6cm dies had issue with both the FL and seating dies. Sold them went back to REDDING.
Haven't seen this asshole in a while! Come around more often, most of us appreciate a honest opinion and a general lack of fucks to give.
Rockchuckers are well known for lack of runout slop in the press.
They have tested to be one of the best presses out there for runout.
The only one that usually beats it is the $900 German press.
They have tested to be one of the best presses out there for runout.
The only one that usually beats it is the $900 German press.
yep, Lake Tahoe needs a spankin’ over on the “National Emergency Declared” thread, if’n you’d like to join in ........
It leaves vertical striations, not the common ring we've all dealt with. The seating depth is consistent albeit inaccurate from the indicated markings on the outside.
