I'm looking to buy a new set of dies for 7x57 (looking through the Midway catalog, to be precise) and I can't help but wonder about Forster. (I didn't want to add this to the thread on Lee dies.)

Quite aside from the question of whether Forster dies are fairly priced, does anybody put them toward the top of their list for quality?

I really like Forster dies. I put them at the top, with Redding..sakofan..

I have used Forster for over 25 years. Great stuff.

I have been very disappointed with Forster dies. I don't think that they anywhere near as good as Redding Dies.
Specifically I bought a new set of "Benchrest" Forster dies (at quite a premium price) in 375 H&H. All of a sudden my 375's started shooting poorly. I used a RCBS casemaster to find out that my rounds were 10-15 thousandsth out of round. I bought a bag of virgin brass and sized them with the Forster dies in a Co-ax press and got 10-12 thousandsth out of round, same thing when using 2 different RCBS presses. I went back and immediately resized the cases in my cheapie set of Hornady dies and the same exact cases came out with 2-3 thousandths runout. I also have tried sets in 300 win mag (benchrest) and 270 winchester (normal). These sets didn't have as excessive runout as the 375 H&H dies did but did give runout larger than normal. I think that if you will carefully compare the quality of machining etc to a set of Reddings you will find the Reddings much better made. Some of the features of the Forster dies are quite attractive but I don't think they are well enough made.
For dies that cost 3-4 times as much as RCBS or Hornady I think that it's fair to expect superior performance not vastly inferior........DJ

I put Forster #2 in the chain behind Redding and for certain functions they may be better. The sizing die particularly is a different approach and while maybe not as good as the Redding S dies, with the bushings, in certain functions like necking up a case, they will hold concentricity better than any other, from personal experience and head-to-head comparisions. For me, I prefer Redding for the bushing dies, Forster for the sizing dies for certain applications, and RCBS, all in that order, but you can cover them with a postage stamp in the final analysis. As for the competition micrometer seaters, the only difference is $$$. Forster is the same as Redding for 20% less.

i mostly use the Lee collet die to size with and Forster Ultra seater to seat. runout of less than .002 with Winchester brass and under .001 with Lapua. and a lot quicker & easier than my Wilson dies. if i have to full length size i use a Forster sizer fellowed by a pass through the Lee collet die.

I have a set of Forester Bench Rest Dies in .300 Weatherby Magnum and I'm happy with them overall, but prefer the RCBS Competetion Dies. I have a set of those also in .308 and really like the "window" in the bullet seating die. I think the RCBS dies were finished better also. Bill T.

ALL DIES CAN MAKE BAD AMMO---most can make good ammo. Usually it's just a matter of "Tuning the expander stem" so it's in the "middle" of the die. Turn the sizing spindle down so the decapper is sticking out the bottom of the die a little. Size 3 brass and check runnout. If not that great make a small turn on the spindle (maybe 1/32 turn) up into the die. Size 3 more brass. check runnout. Keep making small "tweaks" in where that spindle is in the die and eventually you will hit a "sweetspot" where it will pull the necks off center very very little.

Also remember that on some of the brass that might have .001"-.003" runnout it actually could be a variance in neckwall thickness (especially rem brass). As an example I buy rem brass in 300 wby. If I don't neck turn the brass I get about .002-.003" runnout quite often. (with forester dies). But if I neck turn I get .001" and under loaded ammo!!
It is my opinion that all dies with expander stems need some sort of "tuning". Think of it....what are the odds that the spindle is dead center in the middle of the die and not off a couple thousandths of an inch?? A piece of computer paper is .003" thick so would you think that sizing ball could be off that little bit----I would!!
Hope this helps--let me know if this didn't make sense. I've spent up to 1.5 hours doing this "fine tuning" on dies so be ready to be a little patient--but once you're done you shouldn't have to change it.
PS--when you do the final "lockdown" of the lock nut on the spindle it sometimes helps if you put in a piece of very straight brass into a shell holder and raise it so the case mouth grabs the expander spindle and hold it there while you tighten the lock nut--just another way of holding it from two sides at lockdown time. I HAPPEN TO LOVE MY FORESTER DIES--but have gotten Hornady to perform almost the same.

Although I didn't mention it in the post, I did experiment with different expander positions etc. I also sized cases without the expander (the usual suspect in runout) and still had badly out of round cases.
Everyone can make a bad die now and then. However I expect higher performance from "premium" products. I product labeled "benchrest" quality should have been better inspected. I think there are better products than Forster for less money.........DJ

I use the Ultra Seater in my 270&300wsm. Both work very well, and although I have never done any type of head to head experiment with any other brand, but I bet they hold their own .

DJ--You're right--if you take out the expander and cannot get good runnout there is probably something wrong with the die. It should be sent back so they can correct it. (Most likely with an all new die.) I have only one set of Reddings in 340 wby and they make real mediocre runnout. Everyone else seems to love the Reddings so I guess I got an "unlucky" set. I should send them back for a chance to correct the problem too but being they are in a wby with freebore I really don't think a couple .001" really will make a difference. The gun shoots great even with a little runnout. Sometimes I actually enjoy a set of dies that gives me a little trouble till I get them fine tuned. Makes me feel like "I" did the input to accuracy. In general I have to say I've had decent luck with all the dies out there on the market--even some Lee's!!

I have had superb luck with Forster dies and would rate them at the top with Redding, and reccommend them to anyone. I was using Hornady new dimension dies and fighting .004-.011 run-out on loaded sized cases using their sizing die and bullet seater die. Lot of tweaking to bring them down to .002 or less, effected neck tension in most. Bought the Forster dies for $45 @ set or about $20 more a set than the price of the Hornadys and run-out now runs .001-.004 on finished loads and at least half are under two and don't get tweaked at all now! You do have to play with the resizer adjustment sometimes and tweak it like suggested above. I found them to be money well spent.



woods

I just received a half dozen Forster sets in my efforts to upgrade from my Lee and RCBS dies.



Then I went to the range with a 1903 Turkish Mauser, sighted it in and shot a 1" 5 shot group at 100m with RCBS dies.



I was suddenly faced with possibility that Forster dies were not necessary for great groups.

Just MAYBE, I started getting great groups about the time I started buying Forster dies, but the dies had nothing to do with it.

Just MAYBE it was other things I learned from this forum over a year ago.

my thread on all my variables





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A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.

If you have problems with run out with a Forster die, call them. They will likely request the die and several pieces of your brass..

If the die doesn't perform, they will most likely replace it.

At least that is what they did for me. BTW, run out was about .004, on the die I returned.

I have several other sets of Forster dies and all are very good.

They will replace things like RCBS, not penny pinchers like my Lee.

Twice I have had the problem with Forster seater stems that the taper was chamfered to get rid of the burrs, but the chamfer itself has a microscopic burr.

This problem manifests itself when compressing powder. The bullet can get a ring mark or get stuck in the die.

Spinning the stem in a chuck and applying steel wool or wet and dry paper fixes the stem mouth.

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A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.

Clark,
I started loading some compressed loads for my 300wsm a few weeks ago and started gettting a ring around the bullet. I took the die apart to inspect and clean but still have a ring.
I do not think this affects accuracy but I still do not like the way it looks.
Are you saying that you basically sanded the inside of the seater with wet and dry paper? Could you be more specific about what you did and how you did it.

Thanks Simdow

Well that may be over kill to you but I appreciate your detail. I thought understood , and I did, but just wanted to make sure. I will work on the die tonight. Your "hyper boring nerd mode" was not wasted as I learned something, and I bet others did also.

Thanks again,
Simdow

Yes, I enjoyed the "super detailed" mode as well.

Thanks for sharing
- mike