I was wondering if you can use the same RCBS competition seater on cartridges that are the same bullet diameter, for instance a 22-250 Seater can also seat 223, 220swift etc?? Also do you have to use the special shell holder in order to use the die??, I was wondering because midway lists seperate part numbers for each caliber be it 223, 22-250 etc

You apparently can use them if the case size is the same, that is same shell holder.

22/250 and .223 have different shell holders.

It will seat bullets of the same diameter in any case. You have to change shell holders to fit the case head. The are only extended shell holders, nothing fancy. I seat 17 Ackley Hornet and 17-222Imp by putting the correct shell holder in the ram. So yes, a 224 die will seat 22-250, 223 and 22 Hornet by using the correct shell holder
I can switch to my comp die to 20-222Imp by swapping out the bullet guide and seating stem same die. RCBS sell extended shell holders, bullet guides and seating plugs for everything.

The die does not touch the case at all. The extended shell holder is need to raise the case and the bullet guide into the seating stem. The bullet guide holds the bullets concentric with the case mouth until it is pushed into seating plug. Case size or shape does not matter. The bullet guide has to be for the same diameter as the bullet. The bullet sits in the bullet guide lined up with the case mouth. The whole nine yards is lifted by the ram into the seating stem. The seating stem pushes the bullet through the bullet guide and into the case mouth and the bullet is seated. case never gets touched. I use mine for all my small caliber wildcats.

How much trouble is it to swap out the bullet guide, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Blueprinted:
It will seat bullets of the same diameter in any case. You have to change shell holders to fit the case head. The are only extended shell holders, nothing fancy. I seat 17 Ackley Hornet and 17-222Imp by putting the correct shell holder in the ram. So yes, a 224 die will seat 22-250, 223 and 22 Hornet by using the correct shell holder
I can switch to my comp die to 20-222Imp by swapping out the bullet guide and seating stem same die. RCBS sell extended shell holders, bullet guides and seating plugs for everything.

The die does not touch the case at all. The extended shell holder is need to raise the case and the bullet guide into the seating stem. The bullet guide holds the bullets concentric with the case mouth until it is pushed into seating plug. Case size or shape does not matter. The bullet guide has to be for the same diameter as the bullet. The bullet sits in the bullet guide lined up with the case mouth. The whole nine yards is lifted by the ram into the seating stem. The seating stem pushes the bullet through the bullet guide and into the case mouth and the bullet is seated. case never gets touched. I use mine for all my small caliber wildcats.

I am somewhat unclear, I have a 223 and 22-250, so If I got a comp seater for a 22-250, would the comp shell holder for the 223 be all I need to use it for 223 cases, or do I also need the bullet guide??

The bullet guide is related to the bullet diameter, not the cartridge you are loading. Be aware though that
you have to position the die at the right height for the case you are loading and you have to adjust the bullet
seater also. I use them on my progressive presses because I can pre-load the bullet in the die and it will seat
when a case comes up into it. Ponsness-Warren also makes a similiar die that is a little bit cheaper and can use
multiple bullet seating inserts. Most people do not know that Ponsness-Warren makes metallic cartridge stuff.
They are up in Rathdrum, Idaho. And that is out in the sticks!

It may take you a while to get the seatin die adjusted right, but it is well worth it. I take my Ponsness-Warren
seating dies and Dremel the opening in the side of the die to allow clearance for the bullet to enable smoother
feeding of the bullet into the die under the seating stem and above the bullet bushing. Every die plate for my
Dillon 650 has one of these on it. RCBS says not to use these on a progressive press. There may be a reason,
but I have yet to find it.

It is so nice to not have to balance a bullet on top of a case while you are feeding it into a seating die.
It also makes seating flat based bullets very easy.

The bullet guide is a matter of unscrewing the top and dumping it out, put the new one in. The bullet guide and seating stem need to be the correct bullet diameter. The extended shell holder is just that a shell holder. That needs to be the correct size for the brass.

Blueprinted has it figured out. I use one RCBS Comp. Seater die for several calibers. I just change out the seater plug and the bullet guide to match the round being reloaded. I rarely use my old standard seating dies anymore. I think the RCBS Comp die is quick and accurate.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=597504

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=145327

Woody

I don't really understand how this die can be as accurate as it is supposed to be if the case is not held steady in relation to the bullet.

The shell holder has a much tigher fit than the standard shell holder.

I thought only 308 length and shorter cartridges needed the extended shellholders. Those could not be used with progressive presses. Their gold medal seaters are advertised as being progressive compatible. Maybe they flaired the opening a little? I wonder how they handle the shorter rounds (<308)?