Redding dies, for the 416rigby cal. are 110$+ RCBS are around 40-50$. But Reddings are custom made, they say. But are they really. Can I expect Redding to ask me for a couple of fired cases, so that they can make a die from their measures?

Niels;Guys with knowledge about custom dies will give you some info.As for myself a custom die,you need to send them some fired brass,otherwise is standard or bench rest dies(competition)..

Niels, I have had a couple of custom dies made for me when I had a smith build a gun and ream the chamber in house, he therefore had the exact reamer that made the chamber for that guns barrel to make the die for the ammo for that rifle. They both worked flawlessly and produced ammo that fit those rifles like the preverbial glove.

I think measuring some fired brass from a particular rifle and making a die from that data is going to give you an excellent die as well, maybe a little more work for the diemaker, but shold give you a nice tool.

I will say that I don't think there is a big difference between the ammo I build after setting a die up for a particular rifle and using the custom dies I have had, it is a lot easier with a die that is made to that specific barrel, but end results are pretty consistent either way for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Niels:
Redding dies, for the 416rigby cal. are 110$+ RCBS are around 40-50$. But Reddings are custom made, they say. But are they really. Can I expect Redding to ask me for a couple of fired cases, so that they can make a die from their measures?

You are off on this one Niels, Redding only calls them Custom because of the price range they are in. Example series A,B,C,Custom. They are not custom made for your chamber at that price. They can make them but expect to pay more than $110. That's what I have been told. Some one can correct me on this.
my .02
bigbull

Redding might call them "custom" because they might have tighter manufacturing tolerances, as compared to the run of the mill stuff(if that even makes any sense) But yes, a genuine custom die involves sending dummies to the die maker for a higher price than the "custom" Reddings.

Thanks for the input guys. meanwhile I have been in contact with Redding as well. They tell me that I do not need to send them any fired cases, for them to make me a custom die in 416Rigby. I take it, from their answer, that their custom dies are not really custom then. But they charge allmost triple the price of a regular die anyway.

I read somewhere, if you want a real custom die
to send in a chamber cast. I would have thought there may be too much spring in a brass
case to get an exact fit.?
JL

Hey yall,
Theres only one who truly makes custom dies. Thats Neil Jones of Custom Products. (www.neiljones.com) Hes been doing this for quite a few years now and Ive never heard of any complaints about his dies. I know a whole lot of people who have them too. Once youve used them, youll want nothing else.
Dont waste your money on other brands. They are SAMMI spec. Thats +/- .005

Only one?! There's at least a few others.
Anyway, custom just means they don't stock them enough to charge less, in this case.
Redding would make custom dies for you if you wanted, but I'm not sure what they charge. You're basically talking about wildcat dies. Even if it's a standard chambering, you just send them your cases and tell them what tolerances and throat angle, freebore, etc., and they cut them out for you. CH4D also will do this. For about $120 a set IIRC.

What about Z-Hat dies by Fred Zeglin...

If they are in stock and ready to go, they're NOT custom! If you want true custom, they have to be made to your gun.

Redding calls tehm "custom" because they are a non stock item. They are all made from the same reamers so not made form your reamer. Still, Redding makes a good product, nothing wrong w/ RCBS, but I am buying more Redding lately.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
Redding calls tehm "custom" because they are a non stock item. They are all made from the same reamers so not made form your reamer. Still, Redding makes a good product, nothing wrong w/ RCBS, but I am buying more Redding lately.

What do you think about Forster bench rest dies...

rej, I've never used Forster, but they make good products too, I use there case trimmer, & some smaller stuff. I hear their dies are good quality too.

The only time a reamer should be used for dies is the seating die. That is your best bet to being most like the chamber and holding the case straight. But, you can not use the same reamer for a sizing die. How can you 'down' size the case if the die and chamber are the same dimensions?
Just a thought.

Unless I was benchrest or maybe varmint shooting, using 0 tolerance chambers, or if I had a chamber that was basically wrong I would not even consider a custom die..tolerances are too close for a hunting rifle IMO, the good Lord made "slope" for more than hogs.. ....

"slope", where did that come from?

quote:

Thanks for the input guys. meanwhile I have been in contact with Redding as well. They tell me that I do not need to send them any fired cases, for them to make me a custom die in 416Rigby. I take it, from their answer, that their custom dies are not really custom then. But they charge allmost triple the price of a regular die anyway.

If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. Posts: 245 | Location: Denmark | Registered

Niels,
I use the Redding dies for my 416 Rigby.
They have been awesome for the last ten years.

lawndart

Neils,
Your signature is good advice. Maybe you should follow it.
Just a thought.