Wilson micrometer bullet seating die

[Bart B]

Here's my seater diameters; original chamber diameters included for direct comparison.

All seater bullet contact edges were measured at their sharp point. The taper to the bottom doesn't touch any of my bullets nor does the 45 or so degree bevel at the edges of some. 'Tis my opinion that only that sharp edge matters. With different bullet ogive shapes and metal properties, it'll groove the bullets different amount at its "ogive" contact point. The diameter will be the same but its length will vary.

Seater & ogive touch diameters . . . . . . . .Chmb. . . Stem. . .Ogive

Wilson BR chamber type .308, circa 1966;.3105". . . .310". . .266"
RCBS standard .308, circa 1966; . . . . . . . 3100". . . .305". . .251"
RCBS standard .308, circa 1979; . . . . . . . 3115". . . .306". . .249"
RCBS competition .308, circa 1980's; . . . . 3107". . . .300". . .269"
RCBS standard .300 Win Mag, circa 1999, . 3104". . . .304". . .250"
RCBS standard .30-.338, circa 1967, . . . . .3102". . . .306". . .249"
Bonanza BR .30-.338, circa 1980; . . . . . . .3090". . . .310". . .266"

Remeasured the Bonanza BR .30-.338 die's bullet chamber; a bit smaller than before. Sierra bullets at .3082" diameter barely slipped through it.

 

[TOM H]

Here's my seater diameters; original chamber diameters included for direct comparison.

All seater bullet contact edges were measured at their sharp point. The taper to the bottom doesn't touch any of my bullets nor does the 45 or so degree bevel at the edges of some. 'Tis my opinion that only that sharp edge matters. With different bullet ogive shapes and metal properties, it'll groove the bullets different amounts aat its "ogive" contact point.

Seater die diameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chmb. . . Stem. . .Ogive

Wilson BR chamber type .308, circa 1966;.3105". . . .310". . .266"
RCBS standard .308, circa 1966; . . . . . . . 3100". . . .305". . .251"
RCBS standard .308, circa 1979; . . . . . . . 3115". . . .306". . .249"
RCBS competition .308, circa 1980's; . . . . 3107". . . .300". . .269"
RCBS standard .300 Win Mag, circa 1999, . 3104". . . .304". . .250"
RCBS standard .30-.338, circa 1967, . . . . .3102". . . .306". . .249"
Bonanza BR .30-.338, circa 1980; . . . . . . .3090". . . .310". . .266"

Remeasured the Bonanza BR .30-.338 die's bullet chamber; a bit smaller than before. Sierra bullets at .3082" diameter barely slipped through it.

Got a question. I know you mention Sierra but what weight and how many bullets did you test?

 

[Bart B]

I measured the stem's contact point diameter and what it was on a single bullet ogive. Both were the same diameter. It'll be that same amount each stem measures across all bullets regardless of ogive shape that doesn't touch the stem at any other place besides that sharp edge.

Edited my earlier post to say ogive touch diameter.

 

[TOM H]

I measured the stem's contact point diameter and what it was on a single bullet ogive. Both were the same diameter. It'll be that same amount each stem measures across all bullets regardless of ogive shape that doesn't touch the stem at any other place besides that sharp edge.

Edited my earlier post to say ogive touch diameter.

Bart, reason I used 10 bullets because forward of the ogive is nose length and that varies at least on the bullets I used. The 185gr VLD nose length is .707" ,190gr Hornady .585",165gr AB .640", Hornady ELD-X 212gr .760" and 180gr Rem .538".

What stops the bullet on RCBS stem is right at the start of the stem and what stop on the Wilson is the end of taper on the stems I have.

Your Wilson stem is more like current VLD but current standard that I have end of taper is .200" and that more than like what someone would buy today or the VLD.