What reloading dies are you using?

[Lefty38-55]

Guess I'm the odd man out ... as for my bolt guns I use the Lee collet neck-sizing dies, sized twice (case rotated 180-degrees), holding the ram at the top of the stroke for a few seconds. I'll put these loads up against anybody's, LOL!

For semi-autos, I use the RCBS 'X' dies that prevent any neck growth.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Guess I'm the odd man out ... as for my bolt guns I use the Lee collet neck-sizing dies, sized twice (case rotated 180-degrees), holding the ram at the top of the stroke for a few seconds. I'll put these loads up against anybody's, LOL!

For semi-autos, I use the RCBS 'X' dies that prevent any neck growth.

I'm not familiar with the X dies you mention but how would they prevent neck growth?

 

[Lefty38-55]

I'm not familiar with the X dies you mention but how would they prevent neck growth?

RCBS will describe them better than I'd ever attempt to, so I'll have to refer you to the attached PDF or to their website, sorry.

Larry Gibson, a noted reloader and online article Author, tested them in an accurized M1A, where that action is notoriously HARD on 308 Win brass and he would toss them after 5-6 reloaded shots (@ highpower load velocities, which aren't 'throttled' like many here use, LOL!). But by using the X dies, he reasons one can get up to 3-times as many reloads per case - with no loss in accuracy - versus using standard full-length dies. In his own words "This increase of case life is, in my opinion, truly astounding."

FWIW I use them in both a Nat Match M1 Garand in 308 Win chambering and in a precision 24" heavy barrel 5.56 AR ... and they work really well!

 

[QuietTexan]

I'm not familiar with the X dies you mention but how would they prevent neck growth?

Well first you have to trim the **** out of the case before you use the die. That kills them for me in precision rifles.

For the best results, full-length resize each case and trim to .020" under maximum case length. This is a "one-time only" preparation of any and all cases to be used in the X-Sizer die

Might be worth it work in autoloaders, especially if you have a case trimmer on the press like a Dillon so you only have to batch-prep new-to-you used/ fired cases once then they can go into the bin with the rest of your cases.

Trimming is overrated, my 4x fired Lapura 6.5 CM cases are all within 0.010" of each other, most are within 0.005", all are under book max, all are definitely shorter than my chamber, and none of them have ever been trimmed.

If they shoot into one hole.... what does case length matter at that point?

Case length variance is something that can very easily be seen on an AMP press trace chart if you look one up, Greg D mentions in his review video that he was hoping AMP could tweak the software to re-zero the graph to actually hide the impact of case length variance on the chart produced while seating. My case length spread on untrimmed cases was less than the AMP demo video so HA!

 

[rsnell]

Forster dies.

 

[Bob Wright]

Just a little assistance for ya Feenix....
I get busted not checking OP dates a lot. I'm now in AA trying to get better.

 

[Mike D Texas]

RCBS will describe them better than I'd ever attempt to, so I'll have to refer you to the attached PDF or to their website, sorry.

Larry Gibson, a noted reloader and online article Author, tested them in an accurized M1A, where that action is notoriously HARD on 308 Win brass and he would toss them after 5-6 reloaded shots (@ highpower load velocities, which aren't 'throttled' like many here use, LOL!). But by using the X dies, he reasons one can get up to 3-times as many reloads per case - with no loss in accuracy - versus using standard full-length dies. In his own words "This increase of case life is, in my opinion, truly astounding."

FWIW I use them in both a Nat Match M1 Garand in 308 Win chambering and in a precision 24" heavy barrel 5.56 AR ... and they work really well!

Thanks. I'll give it a read. I'm having a hard time understanding how a die would help with case/neck stretch since that seems that it would be dictated by pressure and the size/shape of the chamber.

 

[Akredneck]

Redding, RCBS and Hornady for me

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Used Fred's dies back in the 60's and most were custom made along with LE Wilson straight die & bushings. Redding bushing die's now, along with the body dies. These day's it's the brass more than the dies ! Different thickness ETC ETC ! Lapua, Nosler, Alpha, Peterson, ADG, Win, Rem, LC, Norma, Etc etc etc . Good luck picking the ones , one want's too use. Now I have my die cut the same time my chamber is cut and get enough same lot brass to last me.

 

[crm3006]

I have one set of Redding in .338 Winchester Magnum, all the rest are RCBS. I can't tell the difference in the quality of the loads, or the detail in deprime/resize, bullet seating, or accuracy. I doubt it makes much difference which dies you use, unless you are an ultra-accuracy fanatic, wanting to wring the last bit out of every cartridge you load. Nothing wrong with that, at all, but for the average hunter, who reloads and target shoots, accuracy that will put a three-shot group into a three inch circle at 200 yds. is perfectly acceptable.
After all, how many shots will you get at an animal? Most are gone at the first shot, but if you do get more than one shot, how many rifles will hold to the same point of aim after three rapid fire loads have traveled down the barrel?