What die sets???

[jath08]

I have found myself plunging down the deep dark rabbit hole of reloading for my 223, 22Nosler and .308. Im good on everything except that im.caught up on which die sets to get so im asking the masses for your input. Im looking at these
Redding master hunter set
Forster
Whidden
Looking for something that will give me the best accurately produced rounds and that lets me control neck tension as i dont plan to crimp.

 

[jrh84]

I won't judge anyone for getting quality stuff....definitely not for shooting equipment. Any of the brands you mentioned (Whitten, Redding, Forster) would serve you very well.

That being said, I've had VERY good luck with $20 Lee dies for .223. Like earning highmaster cards and winning across the course and 300/500/600 yard midrange state championships at Atterbury good. I did switch to an RCBS micrometer seating die for convenience, but still use a Lee sizing/decapping die. I can't tell a difference in accuracy after switching.

Single digit SD's out of a bolt gun, holding near 1 moa elevation at 1000 yards....the dies ain't the limiting factor in my setup, it's the moron behind the trigger that points it into the 9 ring.

For the $20 I paid for them, they don't owe me a **** thing.

 

[bigretic]

I have found myself plunging down the deep dark rabbit hole of reloading for my 223, 22Nosler and .308. Im good on everything except that im.caught up on which die sets to get so im asking the masses for your input. Im looking at these
Redding master hunter set
Forster
Whidden
Looking for something that will give me the best accurately produced rounds and that lets me control neck tension as i dont plan to crimp.

I have the Hornady Match grade set for 223 that you get interchangeable neck bushings for to choose your tension.

 

[Virch]

Only thing I can add, is if you're reloading for an AR, you might need small base dies, due to the AR chamber. If it's a bolt gun, Lee, Redding, RCBS, they're all good.

 

[bigretic]

fwiw, i'm loading for AR's on the Hornady set with no issues, but ymmv...

 

[42769vette]

My favorite is the forster, but anything you mentioned would work. Honestly I bet forster is my favorite because that's what I tried first and never saw good reason to switch.

I did start a new caliber for me (243 win) a couple months ago. At that time the only (literally) die I could find was the hornady American. The seating die works fine. The sizing die bent the depriming rod the first round without even being adjusted long enough to deprime the case. Hornady was great sending free parts, but new rod bent on the 3rd round. It was only a 30 dollar set of dies, so I can look at it as a cheap reminder.

 

[natdscott]

Only thing I can add, is if you're reloading for an AR, you might need small base dies, due to the AR chamber.

...except almost certainly not.

 

[IndyByteGuy]

For 5.56 I use a Lee 4-die set that works great for everything from plinking rounds to 77gr loads.

For my 6.5CM’s I use a Redding full length bushing die and an RCBS Matchmaster seating die and they both work great. I really like the RCBS seating die - it has a “window” to drop the projectile in that is nifty (and prevents me from inevitably pinching a finger).

Both setups will load better ammo than I can shoot anyways...

 

[DadSmith]

I shot moa with Lee dies. However, 500 yards is about as far as I've shoot..Maybe the better dies improve accuracy over longer ranges but imo lee does a fine job for the distance I shoot.

 

[2in1evtime]

I load 308 match,6.5 match,6.5x284 match, and .223, i use redding dies exclusively, also if worried about total accuracy you will want to check the neck concentricity and thickness also. start adding all the little gizmo's and it is going to get pricey believe me. I also use norma and lapua brass for match shooting 1

 

[DadSmith]

I load 308 match,6.5 match,6.5x284 match, and .223, i use redding dies exclusively, also if worried about total accuracy you will want to check the neck concentricity and thickness also. start adding all the little gizmo's and it is going to get pricey believe me. I also use norma and lapua brass for match shooting 1

Now what kind of moa are you shooting with the better dies? 0.5 moa?

 

[2in1evtime]

Now what kind of moa are you shooting with the better dies? 0.5 moa?

With my target rifles, my 308 .5 easy 6.5 creed moor and 6.5x284 less i do a lot of extra prep to my brass , i use predominantly berger or lapua bullets. There is a lot more to the game than just good dies, but that is the good start though. also the seating off the lands are important too, need to find what your rifle likes some like a jump some very little.

 

[sheepdog697]

All of those brands are top notch. I don’t think you can go wrong with any. I have a co-ax press and buy Forster dies just because I like the company. A buddy of mine uses Redding and loves those as well.

 

[55fairlane]

Lee dies work for me....

 

[bigedp51]

...except almost certainly not.

If you use range pickup brass or buy once fired Lake City brass a small base die will return the cases to minimum dimensions. If the ammunition is fired in your rifle chances are you will never need a small base die. But if you are reloading for several rifles of the same caliber a small base die will come in handy.

Chambers and dies vary in size, and as a example, I have a Lee .223 die that reduces the case body diameter more than my RCBS small base die. So never say never.

Below three Forster dies for the .308/7.62.

 

[Bill2905]

This can become like the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge vs Toyota truck debate. All of the brands are very capable. Reloaders tend to develop personal preferences based on a number of criteria.

For neck tension control, you have the options of bushing dies, standard full length sizing dies, custom honed full length sizing dies, neck only sizing dies, etc. etc. This is the one of the deeper rabbit holes. I use a plain old Lee sizing die for 223 and a Forster custom honed full length sizing die for 6BR. I like the custom honed die because it minimizes overworking the brass. I intend to get one of these for 223 next time I get new brass.

I prefer a seating die that has good bullet alignment control and a micrometer adjustable seating stem. I currently use a Hornady for 223 and a Redding Competition seating die for 6BR.

I don't crimp bottleneck rounds but I'm only shooting bolt guns, not an AR platform.

If you really dive in, you will eventually own multiple sets of different brands and styles of dies.

 

[jath08]

This can become like the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge vs Toyota truck debate. All of the brands are very capable. Reloaders tend to develop personal preferences based on a number of criteria.

For neck tension control, you have the options of bushing dies, standard full length sizing dies, custom honed full length sizing dies, neck only sizing dies, etc. etc. This is the one of the deeper rabbit holes. I use a plain old Lee sizing die for 223 and a Forster custom honed full length sizing die for 6BR. I like the custom honed die because it minimizes overworking the brass. I intend to get one of these for 223 next time I get new brass.

I prefer a seating die that has good bullet alignment control and a micrometer adjustable seating stem. I currently use a Hornady for 223 and a Redding Competition seating die for 6BR.

I don't crimp bottleneck rounds but I'm only shooting bolt guns, not an AR platform.

If you really dive in, you will eventually own multiple sets of different brands and styles of dies.

I load 308 match,6.5 match,6.5x284 match, and .223, i use redding dies exclusively, also if worried about total accuracy you will want to check the neck concentricity and thickness also. start adding all the little gizmo's and it is going to get pricey believe me. I also use norma and lapua brass for match shooting 1

Im finding out it takes a toll on the pocket book a bit. But buy once cry once lol. I did pick up a Hornady concentricity gauge and a Redding gauge for pretty cheap so I got that part covered.

 

[jath08]

This can become like the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge vs Toyota truck debate. All of the brands are very capable. Reloaders tend to develop personal preferences based on a number of criteria.

For neck tension control, you have the options of bushing dies, standard full length sizing dies, custom honed full length sizing dies, neck only sizing dies, etc. etc. This is the one of the deeper rabbit holes. I use a plain old Lee sizing die for 223 and a Forster custom honed full length sizing die for 6BR. I like the custom honed die because it minimizes overworking the brass. I intend to get one of these for 223 next time I get new brass.

I prefer a seating die that has good bullet alignment control and a micrometer adjustable seating stem. I currently use a Hornady for 223 and a Redding Competition seating die for 6BR.

I don't crimp bottleneck rounds but I'm only shooting bolt guns, not an AR platform.

If you really dive in, you will eventually own multiple sets of different brands and styles of dies.

I seen the Forster custom honed FL sizing die and I think I might go that route for my 22 Nosler because there's only one brand of brass made for it and I don't have to worry about neck case thickness differing from different brands of brass.

 

[bigedp51]

The Forster full length dies will produce very concentric cases, meaning very little neck runout. These dies have a high mounted floating expander. The expander enters the case neck when it is held and centered in the neck of the die. Meaning the expander can not pull the neck off center and induce runout.

Another less costly die is a Lee full length die, the expander is locked down and centered by the locking collet.

In my opinion the two dies above will produce less neck runout than bushing dies in factory chambers. If you do not have a runout gauge and a neck thickness the simple dies above will work the best for you.

 

[Hookeye]

LMAO....i got sub half MOA from three diff .243 rifles running regular RCBS and Lee dies.

Really like the no lube Lee neck sizer stuff

Regular sporters, regular dies