Willing to spend up to $200 or so on a set of reloading dies for 6.5 Creedmoor. I'm relatively new to rifle reloading and it's such a big jump from pistol reloading. What die set would you guys recommend or have bought for 6.5 Creedmoor?
- Thread starter FlashAndPoof
- Start date
I like my whidden dies.
One really nice thing about the creedmoor, is that it's a relatively new cartridge, designed from the start as a match round. Hornady did a good job spec'ing it's dimensions. Where some cartridges are wildly different between their normal saami versions, to the "match" iterations, the creedmoor seems to be pretty consistently minimum spec, even on factory rifles. I'm talking body dimensions here, not throat/freebore. Ive got three die sets for the creedmoor, and they all seem to be very well dimensioned. The hornady "match" die set is nice, and reasonanly priced. So it the Forster. Whidden's are just bitchin, I love mine. You'll be way under budget, with those three. $200 is creeping up on custom die money. Custom is nice, but i'd only recommend that if you owned the reamer or were real comfy with your ability to replicate that chamber on subsequent barrels(like you and your gunsmith are drinking buddies). Otherwise youre just wasting money.
I agree that the Hornady dies are excellent for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I used them to reload exceptionally accurate and trouble-free ammo for several years. Finally got a great buy on a set of Redding Comp Dies a couple months ago so I passed the Hornady set on to a shooting bud who is just getting rolling with the 6.5 Creedmoor. I will say I see no difference between ammo loaded with Redding's over the same with Hornady.
Whidden, Redding or Forster, you will be happy with any of those. The choice IMO is personal preference. Whidden dies are machined from aluminum, Forster micrometer seater dies usually don't require a different seating stem if you plan to use VLD's. The bushing style sizer dies from both Redding and Whidden can use the same style bushings while Forster only work with Forster bushings. I own all of the dies i mentioned and have the Whidden for my 6.5 Creedmoor.
I now mix and match buying the Forster micrometer seating die, just like it the best, and the Redding or Whidden sizing dies for all my other calibers. For bushings I buy Wilson from Brownells.
I now mix and match buying the Forster micrometer seating die, just like it the best, and the Redding or Whidden sizing dies for all my other calibers. For bushings I buy Wilson from Brownells.
For new reloader using Hornady brass, will $70 RCBS or $35 Hornady die work? I am not competing but will take it out to practice at up to 1000 yards
I think this is one of those questions that you'll get 10 different recommendations and no wrong answer. I have used Redding Type S dies religiously in every caliber I reload. I recommend them, but Whidden are great dies, as are Forsters. You can make exceptional ammo with any die. Things like micrometer seating dies just make things easier to be precise.
I have Forster FL sizing die and micrometer seating die. My shooting/loading buddy has the Redding competition set with the busing neck die. Having used both I like the Forester seating die better. I would decide if you want to bother with neck sizing. Personally if I was to do it again I would get a FL bushing sizing die, because I like to have things to tinker with. There is nothing wrong with the Forester FL die. Both whidden and Redding offer busing FL dies.
I bought the Whidden bushing set recently. It's my first "nice" set of dies, most of my other stuff is basic RCBS, Redding, and Hornady. I am very pleased so far, easy to setup and use.
redding type s full length...if you buy whidden make sure you QC them yourself...
Whidden sizer, Redding comp seater, get the best of both worlds.
