I use Redding, RCBS, Hornady and Lee dies and they all work just fine. Frankly, I don't think you can really tell the diference unless you are a competitve shooter with one of those very expensive target rifles.

I'll be setting up one rifle only. I think that most of my seating problems are due to my inexperience in case preparation. I'm not having much luck with setting up my RCBS manual case trimmer. All of my new brass are shorter than the Nosler manual says they should be. So, I grouped the brass according to measurements and tried to collect a matched set???

Whilst RCBS customer service is top notch, quality wise I think Redding is superior. Mind you the old RCBS dies were great but then with all the ownership changes I don't think their dies are as well finished as the Reddings now.

I've had Hornadies, RCBS, Lee Collets & then Redding. I am now converting all to Redding & certainly all the dies for the new calibres I get will be Redding.

Am about to try the S type dies in 223 Ackley but geez they are pricey.

Regards
John

Born, I am not familiar with the RCBS trimmer, whichever you use it should only take off a few shavings when you trim-(read few thosandth's) If you are measuring with a caliper being a few thou's short of a published 'cartridge length' is fine. Sorting your cases into a sub group is part of what it's all about, getting as good and consistent with all your rounds as possible. Typically on fire formed (shot in your rifle at least once with a full powder load) brass it is a good mode to find the shortest piece of brass and trim everything else to that length. Use your judgement and if you have some brass that is unusually short toss it out. Your brass should lengthen a little when you full length resize the first few times, if it doesn't and you are getting good bullet seating then you have dies in which the expander aren't overworking the brass, which is great. If you are reloading unfired (new) brass it is not a rare thing for it to be a little shorter than fired and resized brass. Don't worry too much about it until you start getting some rounds through your rig, and you have resized them and started measuring. Check your case lengths against some different factory loads to get some ideas on the variances. That always gives you some good base info on top of your manuals. Keep working on it- it's all part of the fun.

Regards-Don.

I have RCBS Dies for all of my rifles except one: A Remington model 700 VLS in .243 Win. I want to develop the most accurate ammo possible for this one. Many of you have suggested Redding Dies. Why? Which one? (I don't understand the bushings and other jazz for Redding dies).

Take a look at Forester Ultra Die Sets...I have had great success with them in producing very accurate loads.