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looking for good 308 dies

LorenaF

Private
Minuteman
Nov 12, 2012
89
0
46
Bluffton SC
Well I just got a refund from CTD cause they didnt have the Lee dies I ordered. So I would like to ask you guys which dies you prefer or like. I am not looking to spend too much but want a decent set.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I use a Redding body die followed up with a Lee collet neck sizing die.For seating, Lee dead length seating dies work great. No crimp for me.
Try a different source?
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

yea I will not ever buy from CTD again they really screwed up and pissed me off. They gave me 4 containers of tumbling media and I only ordered 1 and then I see a refund from nowhere in my bank acct so I have to call them to try and figure out why. Arrrgghhhh I'm venting...;(
I was looking at the Redding series A full length sets
I thought all I needed was a full length die, do I need a neck sizing die as well?
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

The body dies do not touch the necks, thats why I need a neck die too. The Lee full length die will really work the brass, severly under sizing the necks, then pulling an expander ball back through for sizing. The body die, neck die system works well, and you dont need to lube the inside of the neck...
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I ordered the Redding series A full sized die set, will that work ok for me? or shold I be doing somthing different?
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

Sorry guys for asking all these beginners questions, I figured this site would be about the best place for a gal to learn to reload.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

Redding dies are reasonable well priced and usually good. You will probably be fine with a F/L set. If you know anyone else near by, try theirs out as well, and take as many measurements as you can of fire formed brass vs post sizing to see what is happening to the brass, and allow that to be the judge.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I think we are talking about different levels of precision here. So I can get as precice as I want. A standard die will work just fine but when you start talking about bullet seating in thousandths of an inch this matters. right?
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

In my experience seatting bullets is as much about doing things the same way every time (same speed of stroke, same hold at top, etc) as is it about the dies. I have made poor ammo with good dies
smile.gif

It is easier to adjust some of the micrometer dies, but that does not mean a better finished product.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

It's amazing what one can do with a Lee Pacesetter Die Set. Also buy a Lee NS Collet Die. Then you'll have a complete system that has all the bases covered AND it won't break the bank.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

Lorena, there are a few levels of precision here. You need to decide how deep in you want to go.

1. If all you want to do is squeeze your brass in and set your bullets to SAAMI spec of ~ 2.8", a standard set of Hornady, RCBS, or Redding A series dies will suit you just fine. I recommend using the same brand shell holder as the die set you purchase (the tolerances do vary between brands).

2. If you are using a bolt gun, there is no need to crimp your rounds or purchase any crimping dies.

3. If your rifle was chambered with a "match reamer", you may want a small base sizing die. You may also want a small base die if you are using a gas gun or a lever action rifle. If you have a factory rifle, you won't need a small base sizing die.

4. If you want to have a nice die set, and precisely seat your bullets with a micrometer to a specified depth off your lands, I recommend 1) the Forster Ultra die set or 2) the RCBS Competition die set. You will need a Hornady OAL gauge (or equivalent) with a comparator set for your caliber to measure the distance to your rifle's lands. Use the micrometer to set your bullet back a specified depth; 0.010"-0.020" from the lands is pretty standard.

5. If you want to reduce wear on your brass, you can purchase a neck sizing die. This will only change the size of your necks; it will not bump the shoulder or squeeze the case. Although it is less stress on your brass and makes the brass fit more true in the chamber, there can be issues in getting neck sized brass to chamber properly (especially when dirt or water are present).

6. If you want to size the neck a certain amount to set a certain neck tension value, Redding sells type "S" full length or neck sizer dies. Forster has something equivalent. You will need to buy a neck bushing for the neck tension you want. The full length S die will bump the shoulder and size the case neck in the same operation. The neck sizer S die just sets the neck tension and leaves the shoulder of the case alone. You need to experiment with what neck tension suits your load best. I have two rifles that work best with 0.003" neck tension, but yours might work best with 0.001" or 0.002". Best to buy a set or borrow from a friend to see which works best for you.

7. You may want to control the amount of shoulder bump and the amount of neck tension. To do this you'll want a decapping die, a headspace gauge, a Redding body die, and a Redding type S neck sizing die with the correct bushing. Use the decapping die pop out the primer (so it won't interfere with the headspace measurement). Use a headspace insert with a Hornady OAL gauge (or equivalent) and measure the headspace of a fired case (datum line of shoulder to base of case); you may want to do this for 3-5 cases and take the average. Then, use the Redding body die and bump the shoulder back 0.001"-0.002". This will minimize how much your brass is worked, will ensure it is true in the chamber, and it will be bumped back enough to ensure it chambers every time. Use your Redding type S neck sizer die to set the neck tension. Finally, use a micrometer seating die (Forster, Redding, RCBS, etc) to seat the bullet's depth the specified distance from the lands (wherever your bullet likes to be, say 0.020" from the lands).

Hope this helps you make a decision.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I did a lot of reading in the last few weeks. I asked a lot of questions and finally pulled the trigger on Forster dies.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LorenaF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">bgl, what does a collet die do? </div></div>

I'm not he, but .... the collet neck sizer squeezes the neck from all sides with force applied straight in toward the axis of the case (radially). It produces very low runout in the sized case.

Lee offers a "Deluxe Die Set" for .308 that includes a Full Length sizer, a Collett Neck Sizer, and a bullet seater die,-- everything you need, and they work well.

As you get into this, you will probably want to get more precise, and that starts with measuring tools, which are vastly more expensive than basic dies. Then as you start measuring things precisely, you will go to other expensive tools to control those things that you are measuring. That might mean bushing dies, and a better seating die. But by then you will know Why you want those other dies.

Get the Lee die set from Midway or Midsouth, and make some ammo! Enjoy!

 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deisel</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use the Redding Competition type S dies. </div></div>
+1
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jdgray</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use a Redding body die followed up with a Lee collet neck sizing die.For seating, Lee dead length seating dies work great. No crimp for me.
Try a different source? </div></div>

I agree with jd ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

Another way of making very good precision ammo for many years to come would be to put together a set. A Lee collet die ($20.00) a Redding body die ($30.00) and a Forster Competition seating die ($70.00). This set gives you option to F/L size using the body die when you need to and to neck only size between F/L sizings. The Forster seating die is one of the best on the market.

If you later want to start using S bushings, all you would have to do is to buy a single Redding S die.

If you can't afford the competition seater now, I'd go with what jd said. Get the Lee deluxe set for $32.00 and buy a separate Redding body die. Using the Lee collet die along with the Redding body die will make accurate ammo.

There are lots of sources for the Lee deluxe die set and the Redding body die. Midway USA, Natchez , Midsouth Shooters Supply etc.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: FLIGHT762</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The Forster seating die is one of the best on the market.

</div></div>

Up to last Wednesday I would have agreed wholeheartedly that the Forster is one of the Best. I picked up a Hornady "New Dimension" set for 30-06 then and was very pleasantly surprised. Not only was the F/L die giving me cases with <.001" TIR, but he Seating die is something else. Sort of the same sliding sleeve design as the old Bonanza and now Forster design but it can be used with any .30 caliber cartridge by simply readjusting the die body. Finished cartridges were the exact same OAL's when measured with a comparator and again TIR was the same <.001".

All this for les than the price of a single Forster Precision Seating Die.

I already have a Forster seating die but it doesn't have the Micrometer adjustment. I am now debating whether to purchase the Forster Conversion for $40 or so or the Hornady Micrometer kit for around $25.

FWIW, the Hornady die doesn't leave the same little scrape marks on the bullet near the case mouth that the Forster does. Based on that I would say "advantage Hornady".
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I bought four of the new Hornady seating dies and bought three micrometer accessories since I reload for quite a number of calibers and I wanted to start using a micrometer seater. Here's one thing I found through using it. The way the micrometer is designed, you can actually use the micrometer on any of the new Hornady seating dies. You only need to buy one micrometer and you can move it from seating die to seating die, no need to buy multiple micrometers for different calibers. I use one mic between my 223 rem. seating die and a 260 Rem. seating die. The seating depths remain constant between moving the micrometer. The depths of course are different for each caliber.

I record my seating depth for the different bullets in each caliber and move the micrometer to whatever seating die I'm using. I didn't figure this out until after I bought three micrometers and four different caliber seating dies (223 Rem., 260 Rem., 30/06 and 270 Win.). I could have actually bought only one micrometer seater for all four calibers.

Learn something new every day. I never thought of that when I bought the three micrometers, I only needed to buy one.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I really like both Redding and Forster dies. If you get a body die, and only want to size the neck, just don't screw the die all the way down. The die will squeegee a little ring of sizing grease down the case neck. You can watch the grease ring on the case neck as it gets pushed down by the die. Use this grease ring to tell you how far the die is sizing the neck.

That way, if you need to size the body, you have a die to do that without having to buy a body die, and neck sizing die. Neck dies are great, but some times I need to size the body as well....such as when I get a bucket full of once fired LC match brass.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

Forster Dies are awesome!!!! I normally get less than .001 run-out on my 308 loads. Also have a set in my cart at Midway for 223 right now.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I see the Hornady ND die set and micrometer add-on, looks good. For right now at least for 308 I will be attempting to duplicate a factory cartridge I found that worked well in my rifle, then tweak off of that.
But starting off so far all I have on order now is the Lee Deluxe 3 die set. I also have a bunch of new Lapua brass coming so i won't need to do any sizing right away. I also have a bunch of once fired FGMM brass that I will start to play with.
So what else should I look into getting at this point?
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LorenaF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I see the Hornady ND die set and micrometer add-on, looks good. For right now at least for 308 I will be attempting to duplicate a factory cartridge I found that worked well in my rifle, then tweak off of that.
But starting off so far all I have on order now is the Lee Deluxe 3 die set. I also have a bunch of new Lapua brass coming so i won't need to do any sizing right away. I also have a bunch of once fired FGMM brass that I will start to play with.
So what else should I look into getting at this point? </div></div>

Get some 168 or 178 Hornady AMAX bullets, very accurate stuff. I wouldnt waste my money or yours on a micrometer seater, just the plain old Lee which youll have or the Hornady new dimension seater will work just fine. Oh, and get some CFE223 or 2000MR, CFE223 gives me a bit more speed than 2000MR for some reason. Almost identical powders.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

I went with Varget as it seems to be the darling of many reloaders here and elsewhere. I got most of my gear in today and am seeing how everything works, I have already started prepping brass.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LorenaF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I went with Varget as it seems to be the darling of many reloaders here and elsewhere. I got most of my gear in today and am seeing how everything works, I have already started prepping brass. </div></div>

Last powder Id use is Varget, mainly cuz it doesnt shoot in either of my 308s, 2000MR and CFE223 does shoot very well in both my Sporter and SPSS models. Hope it(Varget)works for you. RE15 would be a much better choice from my testing, CFE & 2000MR give superior velocity over everything else. Here's my 700 SPSS.
265705-R1-22-23.jpg


Here's the best group it ever shot @300yds. Shot a 4.7" group @600yds with 47grs CFE223 & the 168AMAX.
IMG_0446-1.jpg
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

LorenaF, you will quickly discover there are many, many opinions and options when it comes to reloading and they often conflict with each other. It will take time to determine what works for you. It would help if you know someone who is an experienced reloader and whose opinion you trust to provide you some intial guidance.
 
Re: looking for good 308 dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deisel</div><div class="ubbcode-body">LorenaF, you will quickly discover there are many, many opinions and options when it comes to reloading and they often conflict with each other. It will take time to determine what works for you. It would help if you know someone who is an experienced reloader and whose opinion you trust to provide you some intial guidance. </div></div>

This

Did you get a book, LorenaF? Have you read all the stickies at the top of this reloading forum?

Welcome to the club & be cool.