308 Win. - Best Press/Dies for Concentricity?

[rangerdanger]

What is your best press/die combos (308 win, lapua brass and SGK BTHP bullets if possible) for most concentric ammo?

 

[Popapi]

Forster.

 

[Gene]

Wilson dies in a arbor press.

 

[rcoody]

forster coax and forster or redding match dies

of course the wilson neck sizing and bullet seating dies with an arbor press are great

you just can't full length resize with them

personally I like the lee collet neck sizing die because you just don't get the donuts

 

[Trickymissfit]

agree with Gene, but also five tenths difference at best.

Here's why:
* your probably using a standard factory chamber in something or another. If not I'll expand later. I've probably said that neck sizing, and turning necks as well is almost a waste of energy with a factory chamber. I've seen a couple rifles in the past that it helped a little bit, but nothing huge. Still five tenths here and three tenths there start to add up into serious numbers.

Now here's what I'd do. First of all I'd but a good strait press, and this (in my eyes) leaves one with two choices. The Co-Ax and a distant Lee cast iron press. The Forster is well known to be arrow strait out of the box, and the Lee seems to be straighter than most all the others. Also depends on how much cash you have on hand. Dies for these presses are simple. You order in a set of Forster .308 national match dies (they are a standard catalog item by the way).

Now if by some slim chance you have a custom barrel and chamber, you might want to think about the Wilson die. It has it's draw backs, as well as pluses. You'll still need a good body die or full length die to reset the shoulders every now and then. The Forster seater is the best in a threaded die period. Still it can be made better! I recommend ordering in a 7-08 seater sleeve from Forster, and reaming the neck to about one thousandth larger than your cases when loaded (five tenths if your brave). You'll be removing about .025"/.028" from the neck I'd. That way the neck of the case will fit the die far better. Or you can simply use a Wilson inline die and a good arbor press. I use a K&M for neck sizing and bullet seating. Still you can't bump shoulders or full length size with the arbor press. There's still another option here, and that is to buy a blank and have it reamed to fit the chamber.

In the end you'll get your straightest ammunition with the Forster press and national match die set, unless you opt for the Wilson.
gary

 

[rangerdanger]

I appreciate it. Ive heard and read that forster press and dies will produce results that are close to what wilson dies/arbor press will do and i believe that yal have confirmed that here. I reckon ill go with the forster press and dies as they seem to be much more user friendly and semi conventional.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Good choice, but my experience is somewhat different.

My Hornady Concentricity Gauge tells me rounds loaded on my Forester Co-Ax and my Hornady LnL both have minimal or no runout.

Where they differ is powder variability between Hornady in line versus trickle charges for the Co-Ax.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I appreciate it. Ive heard and read that forster press and dies will produce results that are close to what wilson dies/arbor press will do and i believe that yal have confirmed that here. I reckon ill go with the forster press and dies as they seem to be much more user friendly and semi conventional.

on average, I see about .00145" runout (TIR) as checked off a NECO gauge with an Interrapid indicator. I have loaded twenty and even forty round lots that came in at the .00075" range. If I see .0017" runout, I stop and start to see what's wrong. The Wilson setup using necked turned brass, and bench rest quality bullets shows about .0007" on average. With my 6/250, and Amax bullets I'll see .0008"/.001" runout.

Remember the press with good dies is only a start. You need to learn to tweek the error out as you move along. I use three different stones to remove burrs and bumps. One in a hard Arkansas stone for removing bumps that show up under the sliding jaws and lock rings.
gary