If you had to choose

[milboltnut]

one Full Length die which one would it be ? and not custom dies.

Wilson, Redding, or Forster. And why.

 

[Pdyson]

Forster. High quality, great concentricity, affordable price.

 

[milboltnut]

Forster. High quality, great concentricity, affordable price.

I have thier BR seaters and VLD stems

 

[MagnumManiac]

Redding have tight tolerances in the neck, never seen more than .002" over button diameter.
Forster offer a neck honing service, this is what I use and recommend for comp guns.
I also use this service on my precision/varmint/hunting rifles as it is cheap enough. I still use Redding Delixs die sets as Forster don't do every chambering out there.
Both ing wrong with RCBS either if you have SAAMI chambers.
I haven't used Wilson dies to date.

Cheers.

 

[257 STW]

Don`t forget Whidden lol

 

[milboltnut]

this is what I got from 21st Century....

Me.....asking about a better quality FL die

more true with the body too ? I would say even though the neck concentricity is good with mandreling, if the body isn't it would throw off the neck and effect the bullet RO ?

21st...

Yes the higher end dies are more true in the body dimensions as well. You are correct, if the body is off it will throw the entire case out of whack!

 

[milboltnut]

Redding have tight tolerances in the neck, never seen more than .002" over button diameter.
Forster offer a neck honing service, this is what I use and recommend for comp guns.
I also use this service on my precision/varmint/hunting rifles as it is cheap enough. I still use Redding Delixs die sets as Forster don't do every chambering out there.
Both ing wrong with RCBS either if you have SAAMI chambers.
I haven't used Wilson dies to date.

Cheers.

I'm just loading for two hunting rifles just to see how well they can do. My M70 is bedded, and the M721 isn't. Yeah I'll agree that SAMMI chambers can't be improved upon unless a custom die is cut from a fired formed case. I had a Wilson seater done that way for the 721. From what I understand honing a neck prevents over sizing due to thick necks if you are not planning on neck turning.

Forsters write up...

Diamond stoning process enlarges the inside dia. to prevent over-sizing due to thick neck walls. Useful for brands of brass cases with thicker neck walls or when you do not intend to outside neck turn case necks that have thickened after repeated firings.

I would say that Forster is not the way to go alone with honing nor thier elevated sizing buttons. One still needs to neck turn/mandreling sizing, to have better neck dimensions to have consistent uniform neck tension.

That's my observations when checking concentricity afterwards. Also I suppose that Comp rifles probably don't need the concentric rounds that need to be for other rifles, according to Erik Cortina.

 

[338 dude]

one Full Length die which one would it be ? and not custom dies.

Wilson, Redding, or Forster. And why.

I like Redding, I started out with RCBS had many inconsistencies when trying to load ammo after switching to Redding my problems were cut in half at least. I have tried Forster which everyone speaks highly of with no real problems other than cracking seating stems but the exterior fit and finish were definitely not up to the quality of a redding die

 

[milboltnut]

the only way I can see cracking a seating stem is from compressed loads. Other than that how is that possible?

My loaded bullet runout on my 06' is .001-.0015 with my RCBS FL, 21st mandrel die/Sinclair mandrel, and Forster BR chamber seater/VLD stem. My Forster neck turned has to be gently tweeked after .001 of a cut. I know the VLD stem really isn't needed, but didn't know about the bullet guide atop the chamber sleeve till after I bought the stem.

I see a great deal on Redding dies on ebay. Looks like a great improvement on my loads as I stand now.

 

[338 dude]

the only way I can see cracking a seating stem is from compressed loads. Other than that how is that possible?

My loaded bullet runout on my 06' is .001-.0015 with my RCBS FL, 21st mandrel die/Sinclair mandrel, and Forster BR chamber seater/VLD stem. I know the VLD stem really isn't needed, but didn't know about the bullet guide atop the chamber sleeve till after I bought the stem.

When I contacted them they said they were trying a different type of seating stem I believe hardening somehow ,my loads were not a compressed load I cracked two seating stems. They did send me a new stems for free so thanks for that

 

[FEENIX]

one Full Length die which one would it be ? and not custom dies.

Wilson, Redding, or Forster. And why.

"I" do not think you can go wrong with any of them. I have a few different brands, including custom, but most of them are Redding. Good luck!

 

[milboltnut]

do you think either die Forster or Redding compared to a cheaper brand would take care of case body ?

21st's input...

Yes the higher end dies are more true in the body dimensions as well. You are correct, if the body is off it will throw the entire case out of whack!

 

[milboltnut]

"I" do not think you can go wrong with any of them. I have a few different brands, including custom, but most of them are Redding. Good luck!

I think the Wilson or even the other busing dies are a bit pricy. 118 bucks for one die, verses 21st 57 bucks for a mandrel body two mandrels..

 

[Greyfox]

For competition and LR shooting, my favorite FL dye is the Redding Competition "S"(bushing), if available for the cartridge. Of the three mentioned by the OP(Redding, Whidden, Forster) all are good dyes, and I wouldn't die on the hill defending one over the other, but "out of the box, the Redding Competition FL dye, has excellent interior finish, dimensional consistency(dye and bushings), and has always delivered superb overall performance and consistency with my most demanding loads, i have not had to resort to modification, or custom work with standard (SAAMI) cartridges with the Redding Competition dye to achieve Benchrest level performance.
Just my experience.