I do the following procedures when loading 300Ultras with 220grBTHP MK's and still have approx 50% with .003-.005" run-out,the other 50% have .001-.002"runout. I just don't get it. Am I expecting too much from the Redding type S seating Die??

Cleaning Necks
Neck size w/bushing and Button: confirming that case neck is concentric
Not turning necks
Squaring all dies to press
Chamfering necks with VLD tool
Rotating case 60degrees (3) times while seating bullet
All above performed on a brand new Rock-chucker

Actually that sounds pretty good for a threaded die. If you are "consistantly" obtaining your posted results and never seating one >.005", I would say that is quite acceptable for that style of die. If you want better, get a Wilson in-line and use an arbor press. Once you use Wilson style dies you never want to use any other.

------------------
RC

thanks rcasto, you have confirmed what I have been thinking however I have so much sunk into all of this ($$) at the moment do you think one of the preciscion seating dies would hold everything to .001-.002?? I know (or believe) it is not the press as the 'rotating while seating' process does'nt seem to change anything and up until the seating process the necks are perfectly concentric. Using these Redding bushing series has been one damn mailorder after another. I wish I had gone your route from the get-go but for now I am hoping to find something in the middle. tell me if I am chasing my tail. Thanks for the help

For all practicality, unless you have a $3,000. benchrest rifle and are into benchrest competition, your run-outs are very acceptable. Anything not over .005" is quite accurate. The standard for long range varmits may be around the .003". I have a Redding competion seater that I have used for my 30-06 and it is a very fine die as well as the Hornady die with the sliding sleeve. The RCBS competition seater, in my opinion is junk. For a threaded die, the Redding generally gives me run-outs of .003" or less provided that the sized case is true.
But will it do this all the time, every time, every day. No. There is not a threaded die on this planet that will give the round after round consistancy that an inline Wilson will give. I believe the seaters are about $35. and a K&M arbor press is $78. Excluding the price of the press, these seating dies are half the cost of a Redding competion die and I believe that they are faster to use. You simply put the die body over the case, drop the bullet down the hole, insert the seating rod and pull the handle on the press. There is no time wasted fiddling around with the bullet, trying to get it to stay up straight in the case - especially with flat base bullets.

------------------
RC

Have you tried using the S neck dies without the expander button? That is what I do and I get .001 to .003 runout.

Delta Hunter,
With the correct size bushing, you are exactly correct in not using the expander. Any method available that keeps you from needing the expander is preferred, in my opinion. The problems occur when too small of a bushing is used and you don't use the expander to enlarge the neck diameter to a size that won't slightly collapse when a bullet is seated.

------------------
RC

[This message has been edited by rcasto (edited 06-08-2001).]

The expander causes more runout than anything in the loading procedure.

What you need is a concentricity gauge. If you check your brass at each stage of he loading process you can quickly identify the problem. In many cases it can be a case head out of square and that can happen in an initial full sizing OR in a bad chamber where the bolt face and chamber aren't square.

I use nothing but threaded dies. With a bit of effort and checking your reloading at the various stages you can eliminate the runout and consistently achieve less than .002" runout. You don't mention which seater you are using but if it's one with the seating button bearing on the meplat, it's almost impossibe to seat a bullet straight. Check your seater. Many of the manufacturers will have buttons for particular bullets which contact the bullet down on the ogive. The chances are better for seating concentrically with them. Better still, use a competition seater. Most of them avoid the meplat and do a great job. Bob