Seating dies

[Tim N]

Hi all,
This probably has been done before.
Anyway what are the preferred bullet seating dies and why?

[johnk]

I use Forster micrometer, Redding competition micrometer & Wilson stainless micrometer seating dies depending on what I'm loading for.

The Redding has extraordinary tight tolerances, which can be detrimental. I chewed the guts out of a .308 die seating 210 grainers for my match rifle. The plunger belled pushing those long parallels into the case which had a not overly tight neck. Redding replaced the damaged bits at no cost & warned me against that usage.

The Forster does pretty much the same job without the damage, probably because the tolerances are a tad more generous & the plunger addresses the projectile a tad higher up the ogive.

The Wilson is nice because I can take it with me and because I have much greater feel with the arbour press.

The micrometer adjustment on each makes it less of a chore to precisely adjust seating.

[bsouthernau]

The Redding has extraordinary tight tolerances, which can be detrimental. I chewed the guts out of a .308 die seating 210 grainers for my match rifle. The plunger belled pushing those long parallels into the case which had a not overly tight neck. Redding replaced the damaged bits at no cost & warned me against that usage.

That's interesting. I've had no problems whatsoever using the Redding competition seater with 210 Sierras or 208 AMaxs. Touch wood!!

Barry

[Brad Y]

Whidden micrometer seater for my 6 dasher and custom wilson seaters with micrometer tops for my 260 improved and 284 shehane. The wilson seaters are blanks that are chambered with my chamber reamer so I know my cases align perfectly in them. Can go anywhere and seat bullets anytime with them.

[AlanF]

I've had experience with 3 types of seater being Redding S Type, Redding Competition, and Wilson with micrometer. My personal preference is the Wilson, mainly because of the feedback it gives for seating force and smoothness.

[Quick]

I use a forester ultra Micrometer seater for my 308 and I use an old Lee 243 seater for my 6x47L. I have a Wilson aswell but feel the Lee die gives more consistant seating depths and force them my Wilson. I've measured the differnece and the Lee is usually with 1-1.5 thou but Wilson is a lot more. Unsure why though. Just my findings.

[KHGS]

Wilson seaters for me too!
Keith H.

[Tim N]

In view of Quick's comment of using a 243 seater for his 6x47 can I use my 284 seater for a 280 AI ?

[BRETT B]

Lee Deluxe dies for my 243AI and 260AI produce very uniform ammo for me so i have stuck with them. Their dead length seater works well with the Ackley cartridge!!!!

[daj]

..........The Redding has extraordinary tight tolerances, which can be detrimental. I chewed the guts out of a .308 die seating 210 grainers for my match rifle. The plunger belled pushing those long parallels into the case which had a not overly tight neck. Redding replaced the damaged bits at no cost & warned me against that usage.........

I had the same problem with my Redding seater stem belling, John. Not uncommon according to some on accurateshooter.com. Redding replaced mine and warned against using their seater with compressed loads.

[Quick]

Tim, I would think that you could but the 6x47L is a fair bit shorter then the 243. As fair I know the 280AI is longer then the 284. But give it a shot.

[IanP]

I use a forester ultra Micrometer seater for my 308 and I use an old Lee 243 seater for my 6x47L. I have a Wilson aswell but feel the Lee die gives more consistant seating depths and force them my Wilson. I've measured the differnece and the Lee is usually with 1-1.5 thou but Wilson is a lot more. Unsure why though. Just my findings.

Quick, on your Wilson comment, you cant use Wilson seating dies on compressed loads. Simply not enough mechanical advantage to overcome the needed powder compression. You end up with a lot of variation, (as you describe) if used on compressed loads. I use my Redding Match die for seating on compressed loads and the Wilson's on everything else.

Ian

[Brad Y]

I must admit if you want the ultimate in seating feel, a Wilson used by hand with moly bullets is just fantastic. Using a Sinclair nut comparator I have no variation in my loads with bullets of the same batch. In fact the whidden dasher seater is very good with 105gr bullets too. The only bullet I get a little variation with are 55gr nosler bt's and I think that's because the seater die is bottomed out to the max.

[DMC]

There is an interesting article that may have been seen already on Accurateshooter.com re 21st Century Arbour Press with force measurement.
used in conjunction with Wilson seaters, 1000y shooter Jim O'Hara, is using one, and seems to like it
I'd like one just for the coolness factor !

Regards

DMC

[johnk]

I use my Redding Match die for seating on compressed loads and the Wilson's on everything else.

I know one person whose solution was to buy an engineering shop arbour press.