Long range reloading dies

[ceard]

I am getting a long range rifle put together well for over a year now but, it was pushed back so I could build a hog gun Ill be posting some about in a few weeks, then I wanted a suppressor for said hog gun and then a summer carry gun and then a Styer came up that I couldn't pass up. But anyway I am now doing it and have no other guns to build or buy that I need and am refusing to do so until this project is finished. At least that is what I'm telling myself.

But my question is about dies. I have done some reloading in the past but never really tried or attempted to make "match/long range" Ill be shooting whatever load I find in the 1000-1750y range. I'll do some grouping at lesser, but once developed I will most likely work a load up with a lower velocity load for plinking steel inside 1000.
I have always used traditional dies and have a set on hand, my question is do I need something like the first just to be able to change my seating depth as I will be loading long for caliber and use my standard sizing dies. Or more like the second set to be able to change neck bushings and have the option of a body die when needed.

RCBS MatchMaster Competition 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Bushing

The RCBS MatchMaster Competition die sets are the perfect sets of dies for the precision handloader looking to craft the most precise round possible....

www.midwayusa.com

Redding Competition 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Bushing Neck

The Redding Competition Bushing Neck Sizer Die Set includes a Competition Bushing Neck Sizing Die, Body Die and Competition Seating Die. Both the...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Rick Richard]

I have been through standard type dies and then micro adjustable dies and bushing dies…and honestly none made any huge difference for me. However, I believe quality makes more of a difference. Purchase top quality brands such as Redding, RCBS match dies and etc. I stay away from Hornady and a couple of more. My experience anyway so good luck.

 

[338 dude]

I am getting a long range rifle put together well for over a year now but, it was pushed back so I could build a hog gun Ill be posting some about in a few weeks, then I wanted a suppressor for said hog gun and then a summer carry gun and then a Styer came up that I couldn't pass up. But anyway I am now doing it and have no other guns to build or buy that I need and am refusing to do so until this project is finished. At least that is what I'm telling myself.

But my question is about dies. I have done some reloading in the past but never really tried or attempted to make "match/long range" Ill be shooting whatever load I find in the 1000-1750y range. I'll do some grouping at lesser, but once developed I will most likely work a load up with a lower velocity load for plinking steel inside 1000.
I have always used traditional dies and have a set on hand, my question is do I need something like the first just to be able to change my seating depth as I will be loading long for caliber and use my standard sizing dies. Or more like the second set to be able to change neck bushings and have the option of a body die when needed.

RCBS MatchMaster Competition 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Bushing

The RCBS MatchMaster Competition die sets are the perfect sets of dies for the precision handloader looking to craft the most precise round possible....

www.midwayusa.com

Redding Competition 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Bushing Neck

The Redding Competition Bushing Neck Sizer Die Set includes a Competition Bushing Neck Sizing Die, Body Die and Competition Seating Die. Both the...

www.midwayusa.com

Redding

 

[Eric H]

Remember to get mandrels if you don't already have some.

 

[cdherman]

I echo every subsequent post thus far. Dislike Hornady (though I have not tried the for over 15 years again, so changed?). I really like a micrometer seating die -- personally not really wed to one or the other, but redding and Forster are both in my stash and good stuff.

Tip -- always put a sticky note into the die case with your micrometer die what the last bullet loaded with the seating die was, the CBTO (or COAL if that is your approach). This means that the next time you load, you can reference you numbers and get rolling. I positively hate trying to adjust a conventional seating die.

As for sizing, I have several guns that I use FL dies to just bump back the shoulder .002", others that I use bushings. Increasingly, I do NOT use classic "expander balls" at all. Whether bushing, neck, FL or whatever, I too get back to ready to load with a mandrel at the end. But you can remove the expander ball from any old die and use mandrels.......

 

[ceard]

I do not have mandrels currently, I will be reloading a 300 WSM. Would a set with like what is bellow give me the best "bang for my buck" then. Also with the mandrels can I replace the depriming rod with the mandrel? I do have a couple of non sizing depriming dies that I have acquired at some point. What does the mandrel do over a standard ball. I am realizing quickly reading though some threads that I may have gotten lucky with some sub moa loads on 6.5grendel and 308 in the past and my previous reloading has been "simplistic".

Redding Premium Series Deluxe 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Full

Redding Reloading Equipment has focused on building the finest quality, American Made products for the precision handloading market since 1946. Redding...

www.midwayusa.com

Also that's unfortunate to hear about the Hornady dies I have quite a few sets, many of them for calibers I don't reload but I like buying lots of things with plans to sell what I don't need to cover the other stuff and then I become Bilbo "why not, why shouldn't I keep it"

 

[ceard]

I do not have mandrels currently, I will be reloading a 300 WSM. Would a set with like what is bellow give me the best "bang for my buck" then. Also with the mandrels can I replace the depriming rod with the mandrel? I do have a couple of non sizing depriming dies that I have acquired at some point. What does the mandrel do over a standard ball. I am realizing quickly reading though some threads that I may have gotten lucky with some sub moa loads on 6.5grendel and 308 in the past and my previous reloading has been "simplistic".

Redding Premium Series Deluxe 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Full

Redding Reloading Equipment has focused on building the finest quality, American Made products for the precision handloading market since 1946. Redding...

www.midwayusa.com

Also that's unfortunate to hear about the Hornady dies I have quite a few sets, many of them for calibers I don't reload but I like buying lots of things with plans to sell what I don't need to cover the other stuff and then I become Bilbo "why not, why shouldn't I keep it"

I see cdherman answered some of this as I posted lol

 

[jfjohn77]

I personally believe the Redding Competition Set is a better choice than the Redding Premium Series dies. The seating die has a sliding sleeve that keeps the bullet vertical during the upward travel before it contacts the seating stem which helps with bullet concentricity. The same is true for the Forster Ultra Micrometer seating die. I think Redding actually copied Forster on that one.

 

[cdherman]

I do not have mandrels currently, I will be reloading a 300 WSM. Would a set with like what is bellow give me the best "bang for my buck" then. Also with the mandrels can I replace the depriming rod with the mandrel? I do have a couple of non sizing depriming dies that I have acquired at some point. What does the mandrel do over a standard ball. I am realizing quickly reading though some threads that I may have gotten lucky with some sub moa loads on 6.5grendel and 308 in the past and my previous reloading has been "simplistic".

Redding Premium Series Deluxe 300 Winchester Short Mag (WSM) Full

Redding Reloading Equipment has focused on building the finest quality, American Made products for the precision handloading market since 1946. Redding...

www.midwayusa.com

Also that's unfortunate to hear about the Hornady dies I have quite a few sets, many of them for calibers I don't reload but I like buying lots of things with plans to sell what I don't need to cover the other stuff and then I become Bilbo "why not, why shouldn't I keep it"

The mandrel move creates another step in reloading. The mandrel goes in and expands from the top. You cannot resize and use a mandrel in the same motion. The basic advantage for me is that I use the mandrel to open up the case using graphite as the lube. Graphite does not need removal before I put powder and seat the bullet.

Do not dispair about Hornady dies. I bet they are fine. Someone prolly makes a micrometer seating rig for them. Just I would not prefer them based on prior experience.

On that note -- to get your dies to be repeatable, you need a ring that can be locked. Hornady had that rubber o-ring joke IIRC. You need a set screw. THIS was the problem with Hornady dies. Dies were OK. Locking ring was a problem.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

I no longer buy die sets. For accuracy loads, I buy the following:

Redding body and Lee neck sizing dies for the should bump and neck resizing. This makes sizing a two step process, but works great. Very little brass trimming involved with this method.

A RCBS match master seating die. So far, this is the coolest seating die I've found other than the really expensive custom dies out there.

Lee factory crimp die for a very light crimp.

 

[Rosebud]

Forster bushing shoulder bump neck dies in every caliber I own that they make a die for. One and done after the second firing. No to very little trimming. Bushings for neck tension. Easy peasy. Just remember that the finished products will only chamber in the rifle that it was originally shot in.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Personally, I do not use any factory spec sizing dies, all of mine, either Redding or Forster, have honed necks to my specs. I use Redding body dies that do not touch the necks and I use either Redding or Forster micrometer seating dies. I had custom micrometer seating dies & FL honed dies made for my wildcats, but they are 1"-14 die bodies.

I believe the more precise a die is, the less brass movement it does, is the key for great LR/ELR ammo. Same goes for chamber reamer specs.

Cheers.

 

[Nimrod]

I have and use die sets from most of the normal manufactures, some of the FL sizers were honed on a Sunnen hone and the expanders were removed but the rest are just standard offerings. I don't have anything bad to say about the newer Hornady dies and I use a few different sets of them but so far I like Redding the best and RCBS comes in second. For my most accurate loading I use a Redding FL bushing die for resizing and a Wilson seater on a K&M arbor press. If you do use a bushing die just remember that all bushings are not created equal! In my opinion, accuracy in reloading is directly related to alignment. Once the components have been selected and a load worked up for your rifle then alignment of the loaded cartridge to the bore of the rifle is the last word. Just my $0.02, for hunting inside of 400 yards I don't think any of this is too relevant and most factory die sets will work just fine out of the box.

 

[Rosebud]

You are correct about the 400 yard accuracy. I think as reloaders get older and more experienced they try to make the perfect load for each rifle they own. I'm guilty of this. Most of my hunting could be done with factory ammo. It's just the OCD in reloaders that keeps them going and pushing for perfection.