What die would you recomend for 270WSM. I don't have to have benchrest qulaity but I want a to reload a very accurate round. Would the standard redding die be a good choice? What is the difference between dies? Redding alone has several different dies listed for 270WSM... competition dies, s dies, s match dies, and regular dies. What would you suggest? Brand and Type? Thanks, Sorry for the nubie questions.

For the 270 WSM, I've used Redding, RCBS, Forster and Lyman. I'm equally certain that Hornady and Lee dies will work equally well. Each of the dies I have used produced fine ammunition. Each manufacturer offers good service should you have a problem. Any of these in a full length die set will care for your needs.

The good doctor is correct. If there were any significant difference between dies by a given maker we would all gravitate to that brand and all the others would have disappeard long ago.

On average, any common die set is as good as any other. I use and like them all fine. Pay for the degee of shiney die finish you prefer and be happy.

The only exception to what has been said is the design feature of the expanding rod and primer pin setting on the std. Lee dies. This can prove a little cumbersome at times. However, I still own at least a dozen sets of Lee dies; mainley do to availability and price. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Matt74:
I don't have to have benchrest quality, but I want to reload a very accurate round.

The Redding Type-S F/L bushing die will allow you to control the constriction of the neck. Most accuracy loaders won't size the neck more than 0.005" at a pass. With a factory chamber, your brass may expand more than that amount on firing, requiring a two-step sizing process. You will have straight necks aligned with the body.

You will also want to partial full-length size, that is, push the shoulder of the brass back no more than 0.002" when sizing.

Using a seating die with an alignment sleeve allows the bullet to be placed with minimal run-out. Both Redding and Forster make these dies with a micrometer to allow fine adjustment of the seating depth. However, if you are loading to magazine length, an economic choice is available in Forster's standard Benchrest seater; it has the sleeve without the micrometer. Buying the Redding Type-S set may be the same money, though.

Using a long-taper, VLD chamfer tool will provide a long bearing surface to give straighter alignment when seating the bullet.

These dies and the described processes will permit you to build ammo with minimal run-out. Cull any brass that has uneven neck wall-thickness, and you'll have the ammo you want.
.

quote:

Redding, RCBS, Forster and Lyman

Standard off the shelf dies fromn any of them are good. I think the Lee dies are good as I have several of them.

2 piece set is all you need.

When making unting ammo for game that a .270 is likely used for any of the name brand dies will work fine. You only need a 2 die set with full length sizing die and a seating die.

I always full length size the brass when making hunting rounds.

Fitch

Matt74,

I choose RCBS FL dies first over others and in particular for the sharp shoulder that the WSM's have.

The Redding dies don't have an air bleed hole in the side of their FL dies. I would never get another Redding FL die.

I've made some very good cartridges with all the brands mentioned above, but for the best FL die outside a custom made one, I like the Forster BR dies. They claim their design that located the expander near the top of the die rather than the bottom makes more consistently concentric cases. I've found that to be true and have replaced two die sets with Forster FL and micrometer seater dies.

I have used a couple Redding dies for years, and as mentioned above, they have no air vents, but the lack does not seem to be a problem. Mine are bushing dies; I wouldn't think that would make a difference. I don't slop a lot of lube on my cases, but use minimal amounts of Imperial sizing wax, which may be why I have not had problems.

amamnn,

I don't get dents with my Redding bushing dies either.

Thanks for all the replies. As far as FL sizing or neck sizing. I was told that you only need a fl die for an semiauto gun or after several firings though a bolt gun. I will be reloading for bolt actions in 22-250 and 270WSM. My understanding is that I can use the fl die to just size the neck. If this is so then why sell the dedicated neck sizing die?

They will all work fine for rolling your own hunting ammo. For some reason I gravitate toward RCBS. I think they are consistantly the best bang for the buck; Lee aren't bad either. I haven't found a need to spend big dollars on dies unless I can't get them from any other manufacture. Lou

quote:

The only exception to what has been said is the design feature of the expanding rod and primer pin setting on the std. Lee dies. This can prove a little cumbersome at times. However, I still own at least a dozen sets of Lee dies; mainley do to availability and price. roger

Roger is correct in that certain design features cause some folks to prefer specific brands, but that doesn't mean the other brands don't or won't work just as well.

I agree with Ammamm that Forster is my preferered rifle die brand but they are not "conventional" so I put them outside my list of equals, as I did Reddings.

I prefer Lyman and Redding handgun dies due to the expander design but others work just as well if not quite as easily.

Hornady rife seaters are very easy to use but, on average, they are no better for bullet alignment than others.

Lee and Hornady rifle collet decapper stems are held better centered than other designs but .... is it important? The others work too.

Do you "need" both a FL and Neck sizer? I think so but a neck die is much less important than a Full Length die. Lee's Collet Neck Sizer Die is the best of it's type but there IS a learning curve to it that frustrates some people. Those unwilling to work enough to learn to use it should get another brand of neck die.

Don't quite know what makes Doc Lou feel RCBS is "best for the buck" because he doesn't say. I have several RCBS die sets and they don't load any different from my other brands, at least for me. RCBS and Dillon often get raves for excellant Customer Service but, 1) I wonder why so many need it so often and 2) other makers have pretty good CS too.

So, again, conventional dies are pretty well equal but do vary some in features. I can tell you my preferences but only your experience will tell you if your preferences will match mine.

In the meantime, take comfort in the fact that you really can't go wrong with any of them.

I have had reason to call on RCBS for customer service on one occasion, and the response was excellent. I have had the need to call on Redding for customer service with a similar response. More recently, I found it necessary to call on Forster and had a similar response. I suspect that more people have experience with RCBC because there seem to be more of their dies out there than the others. I do find that in recent years I am gravitating to Forster BR dies because I like the design. However, I do not hesitate to use the others, and as I said, I have produced fine ammunition with each type of die. Reviewing my records, I note that I have used Hornady dies on one occasion a few years back, and some years ago I did use a set of Lee dies. Each produced good ammunition. Again, Matt74, buy whichever set of dies are available to you and you will be happy. As you gain familiarity with the art of reloading, you will undoubtedly form your own opinion and adapt to your own needs. Best of luck in developing your handloads.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt74:
I will be reloading for bolt actions in 22-250 and 270WSM. My understanding is that I can use the fl die to just size the neck. If this is so then why sell the dedicated neck sizing die?

Not true. You can 'partially' resize the case neck using a full length die by unscrewing the die somewhat. But you cannot resize the total length of the case neck without also resizing the case body.

Some folks say that the neck sizing only die doesn't center the case well, or tends to induce wobble from the inside expander ball. Lee Precision got around that by introducing their collet neck sizer. I have one for almost all my rifle cartridges. There are no free lunches, and a slope-sided case such as the 22-250 Rem will require much more frequent FL resizing than the almost straight-sided 270WSM.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:

quote:

Originally posted by Matt74:
I will be reloading for bolt actions in 22-250 and 270WSM. My understanding is that I can use the fl die to just size the neck. If this is so then why sell the dedicated neck sizing die?

Not true. You can 'partially' resize the case neck using a full length die by unscrewing the die somewhat. But you cannot resize the total length of the case neck without also resizing the case body.

Some folks say that the neck sizing only die doesn't center the case well, or tends to induce wobble from the inside expander ball. Lee Precision got around that by introducing their collet neck sizer. I have one for almost all my rifle cartridges. There are no free lunches, and a slope-sided case such as the 22-250 Rem will require much more frequent FL resizing than the almost straight-sided 270WSM.

Great post onefunzr2, there is a big difference form cartridge to cartridge, and there is lot of misinformation, or omitted info, about neck sizing with a FL sizing die.

For the record, my preferred dies are Forster, I've tried all of em out there, I think they are a notch above, and they typically make better ammo with less tweaking than other types.

Good shooting!

quote:

Originally posted by Savage_99:
Matt74,

I choose RCBS FL dies first over others and in particular for the sharp shoulder that the WSM's have.

The Redding dies don't have an air bleed hole in the side of their FL dies. I would never get another Redding FL die.

When I got a couple lube dents with my Redding dies I started using a better lube rather than going to cheaper dies, I still prefer Redding....................DJ

quote:

Don't quite know what makes Doc Lou feel RCBS is "best for the buck" because he doesn't say. I have several RCBS die sets and they don't load any different from my other brands, at least for me. RCBS and Dillon often get raves for excellant Customer Service but, 1) I wonder why so many need it so often and 2) other makers have pretty good CS too.

Simple I have broken expander balls and rods over the years like 40, MY FAULT and before I ever bought a stuck case remover I screwed up the die beating it out with a screw driver RCBS did not bat and eye they just sent me new parts and a new die and said send use the old die when I remember, Lyman sent me a price list to buy a Rod and Redding wanted the split expander ball back sure they sent me a new one but I still had to take the time to mail it in along with the 3 week down time that's why I buy RCBS.