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Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

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Old 03-07-2005 | 07:49 AM
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Giant Nontypical
 
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Default Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

Who makes them for a hunting application where you want minimal runout ?. WHere they are extremely concentric and have quality adjustment features.
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Old 03-07-2005 | 08:15 AM
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bigcountry
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

I will have to say the Redding comp dies. I only like thier comp dies. But I just can't bring myself to pay 120 dollars for a set, and if you get the neck sizing bushing dies competition and the comp seater, big money.

I got one set. All I can afford.

I can't believe how accurate teh seater can be. If you measue 3.625, and want to make it 3.6, you adjust that seater with the ticks for .25, and it will be accurate.
 
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Old 03-07-2005 | 08:51 AM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

Well, I use a Sinclair concentricity gauge to measure runout. I think concentricity is one of the most important factors in accuracy and it's something I pay close attention to.

I usually neck size only and I use the Lee collet neck die for that. It's a great die with some distinct benefits. First, it works the neck less than conventional dies with expander buttons. Second, there's no need to lube your cases. And third, it makes very straight ammo whether you neck turn your brass or not and that's the main reason I use them. This die is not perfect, though. I've always found the tooling marks on the internal working parts to be excessive. But these can be easily polished away with some wet/dry sandpaper and oil. I also apply a little grease where the collet and collet sleeve bear against each other.

For seating I use either a Redding Competition seater or the Forster Ultra seater. I really can't find any fault with either one. Both have the micrometer adjustment which makes it easier to fine tune seating depth.

Since I started using the above combination, runout has been a nonexistent problem for me. I think the absolute worst I've measured is .004". Out of a batch of 20 rounds I'll usually have 4 or 5 that measure zero for all practical purposes. The rest will generally be in the .000 to .002" range. That's good enough for me.
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Old 03-07-2005 | 09:04 AM
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Giant Nontypical
 
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

No one uses a Forster forming die?
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Old 03-07-2005 | 09:21 AM
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bigcountry
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

Can't say I have the experience of using a forester product.
 
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Old 03-07-2005 | 09:50 AM
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

Like bigcountry said,

I also have Redding comp dies.Depends how much you want to spend.
All my dies are carbide.I have them up to 45-70.Most of them are rifle
and a the rest in hand gun.Most of them are RCBS in carbide.
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Old 03-07-2005 | 09:51 AM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

I think I've got two Forster full length dies somewhere, but I haven't used them in a few years. I use the setup I previously described pretty much exclusively now. I've also got a couple of Redding S type bushing neck dies I don't use any more.
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Old 03-07-2005 | 10:34 AM
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

Here's what I think I am going to do. I am going to buy a Die Blank and have my Gunsmith make me a die using the same reamer he is using on my new rifle. His name isn't Kenny Jarrett therefore they should be semi-affordable. I then will buy a Redding Competition seater. I don't have as much time on my hands as BC does but I will buy a run out indicator anyhow.
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Old 03-07-2005 | 12:40 PM
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bigcountry
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

but I will buy a run out indicator anyhow.
[quote]ORIGINAL: oldelkhunter

Don't do it. Its cost me a fortune. I went from being satisfied, to runout, to neck turning, and now back to just picking thru loaded shells to find good runout. Drive a man crazy.
 
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Old 03-07-2005 | 09:07 PM
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Default RE: Who makes the Best Quality Dies?

I prefer the Redding competiton "S" dies.
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