Does anyone have an opine on which die set they have been happy with? I'm looking at a set of RCBS bushing dies.

Rusty,

If you are looking for a bushing die, I can only comment on the Reddings. I have been (moderately) happy with the Redding Competition Neck Sizing (bushing) die. It is a pretty versatile die due to the different bushing sizes, and it is very well made. It is an expensive die, though, and, worst of all, produced some runout for me.

Less versatile, but cheaper and with a LOT less runout: the Forster FL die modified by Forster ($10 + shipping) to size the neck to a particular diameter (and loose the expander!). This is my favourite setup, and I prefer this even over the versatility of the bushing die.

You can also have a custom sizer made by Hornady or RCBS. This will not only allow you to control neck diameter, but all case dimensions.

For a good seater, the Forster is technically as good (and a lot cheaper) than the Redding Competition seater. Additionally, with the Forster you have the choice to get the die without the micrometer, an easy way to save a few $$$ if you don't intend to vary your seating depth very often. The Redding seater is finished better than the Forster, but it also costs about double...

For the ultimate in die precision, you might look at dies like Wilson - although in-line dies require an arbor press, and are a lot slower to use. There are also custom dies from places like Carstens ....

- mike

As far as seaters are concerned, I use Wilson straight line seaters for everything except the 30-30's. I've been getting some excellent accuracy using them, and runout is minimal.
Bushing dies are necessary when case necks are turned. But, for cases with unturned necks, I use regular 7/8x14 F/L sizing dies. I prefer RCBS.

I use a RCBS small base die for all brass I find at the range. Then I use a Wilson Bench Rest die set for all my .223 loading. I am shooting them in a XR100 single shot so I dont need a lot of speed reloading only accurate shells. I also have a small base die for my 300 win mag.

Forgot to say I also turn the necks on my .223 cartridges. And weigh all the powder charges.

Depends how "competitive" you need to be. The Wilson type straight line seaters are great but slow and only really shine when your rifle is seriously accurate and can take advantage of very minor improvements in concentricity of your ammunition.
For everything else 7/8 x 14 dies are more than adequate.
In 223 I have numerous die sets and types to compare.

Seating die first; Forster is the best for the price but my Hornady die if properly set up loads rounds just as straight for even less money.

Sizing, and I assume you are looking at neck sizing only most of the time, I use a Forster bushing die. It doesn't come with an expander ball and cases must be outside neck turned to end up with equal neck tension. An expander ball can be fitted though if you don't intend to ONT. Redding bushing dies come with an expander.
Quite frankly though all this work and these expensive dies really only help with my best rifles, sub half MOA SSG's etc.
The Lee collet sizing die works extremely well for its price even though it doesn't have snob value and surprisingly so does the Hornady generic .22 neck sizing die. These latter dies really minimise case runout, the Lee because of its collet mandrel relationship and the Hornady because of the shape of its expander which doesn't seem to pull necks out of alignment.

For most of my heavy barrel factory rifles I have settled on a Lee collet sizing die and a Hornady seating die for short (308 length) cartridges and a Forster for longer ones.
Hope that helps.

I've got really good results with the Redding competition dies for my 308.I have the Wilson press and dies also but have not used them for a 308.I have shot 5 shot one hole groups at 200yds with the 308 Redding and 300WM Wilson combo.The Wilson press is a fragile thing and chances are that the gear mechanism will break and need changing if you use it to seat larger rds.

Thank you all for your input. More questions to follow!

A few months ago I was doing a series of 223 experiments with Redding FL "S", Forster honed neck, Forster not honed, RCBS small base, RCBS, Lee RGB, and Lee collet dies and with loads [SAAMI registration for 223Rem is 55kpsi, these tests were at 66kpsi] while checking for:
1) Brass life
2) Concentricity
3) Brass length growth

Lee Collet wins.


For seater dies, I like Forster Ultra seater with the sliding sleeve. Their patent has expired, and Hornady and Redding now make a sliding sleeve premium seater die. The increase in concentricity from premium seating dies is small compared to the improvement from not pulling an expander ball through a small neck.

If there is a gusty 15 mph wind, you can load with two rocks and a nail, and it won't make that much difference to your 6" group.
But if you are shooting at dawn in dead calm, and competing, you will pay for premium seaters to make the group .050" smaller.

Are you going to be loading for a bolt rifle or semi-auto?

Savage bolt rifle. 26" barrel

I too have done some intensive testing of dies by brand and caliber, with several "duplicates" of some.

My results duplicated two major findings from above;

1) the Lee Collet IS consistanly very good, it seems to be the best neck die for FACTORY chambers, at any price.

Bushing neck dies were developed for those with tight neck (custom) chambers that require case neck turning to a precise thickness in order to chamber the cartridges. Neck bushings seem to offer little (or nothing)for factory chambers.

2) On average, there is as much variation between dies of the same type and brand as there is between brands. The idea that we get better "quality" or "tighter tolerances" with prettier, more costly die brands of a given type simply isn't true.


Foster "BR" dies, and Redding's near duplicate copies, are NOT conventional and they ARE slightly better than conventional types.

The short sliding sleeve seaters from Hornady and RCBS are convienent to use but they only copies of ideas available in the 60s (Lyman, Herters, Vickerman). Those faded away back then because they offered no real (average)improvement to accuracy over less expensive standard type seaters and they still don't.

Anyone wanting superior dies should consider both a Lee collet neck die AND a Forster BR set with their excellant FL die and great expander plug, along with their super "straight-line" seater, with or without the handy micrometer head.

I've seen several "happy" posts by owners of the RCBS "comp" dies but have NOT seen any claims of improved performance over the much less expensive conventional tyes.

There are other benefits to using bushing dies besides fitting necks to tight chambers, which is mostly done by neck turning/reaming.

I like Forster dies for my .223 bolt gun. The new bushing/body bump neck dies allow much more precise control over neck tension than the Lee die. Such control is a must for seating at, or jammed into the lands. This die also allows you to reset the shoulder every time you neck size and eliminates the need for a separate body die.

The raised expander position in the Forster FL die and the availability of precision ground over or under sized balls are a real plus. If you need that degree of control, and you have a very good, trued, press the Forster dies are a real bargain when compared to other brands for price and precision.

I like the Redding competition seater, and I bought one for my newest BR gun, but I still have the Forster micrometer seater for my .223 rem. and have no plans to replace it.

quote:

There are other benefits to using bushing dies besides fitting necks to tight chambers, which is mostly done by neck turning/reaming.

Perhaps, but I can't see it.

All a bushing used without an expander can do is move any (unturned) thickness varitions inside the necks, making neck-to-bullet "tension variable by the degree of variation. And useing an expander WITH a bushing seems to largely defeat the one advantage offered by bushing sizing.

The Lee Collet Neck Sizer actually DOES accomplish, on any neck, what a bushing sizer promises.

Using a body bump die (as needed) in conbo with the Lee Collet seems ideal for any purpose.