Need help deciding on dies

L

LongCut

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Minuteman
Sep 1, 2009
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Akron Ohio
#1
I have been telling myself that I was going to get into reloading in 2012. Well the Redding group buy has jumpstarted the process for me. I have almost everything picked out except for dies.

I will mainly be loading 7mm Rem Mag and .308 for now, and will get into .223 when my current supply is depleted. The 7mm will strickly be for hunting at the moment. The .308 will be some hunting loads, but mainly for long range tartget work.

I have looked into this as best I can and I am considering just getting the "Type S Match Bushing Full Die Set". According to others previous reccomendations, I believe this is all I will need for the time being.

Would I be correct?? Or is there another path I should take in choosing Redding dies.

Thanks in advance.
 
#4
Re: Need help deciding on dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: aloreman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i prefer a full length sizing die for all belted magnums for hunting rifles </div></div>

I believe this is a FL bushing die, with Comp seater.

Yes this is all you need & more, you're buying some top shelf stuff right off the bat.
You can add neck sizers later.
 
#5
Re: Need help deciding on dies

bushing dies might be alittle confusing for starting out. you need a micrometer and may need to get into neck turning. the basic el cheapo full length die set will work great fo your hunting ammo. without a concentricity gauge you will never know they arent perfect. and there isnt a whitetail or elk in the world that can tell the difference between a .5 moa load and a .6 moa load
 
#8
Re: Need help deciding on dies

For the 7mm I will probably stick with more basic dies, as this ammo will be used in a rifle that is likely not capable of shooting much better than around an inch. I am happy enough with its accuracy with factory federal premium loadings and more recently some Nolser ammo I picked up. I want to reload this stuff because the prices are rediculous for the ammo it likes, and I will get some satisfaction out of taking game with my own ammo.

The .308 and.223 will be more for match type ammo. I want to get the best equipment I can so I don't feel the need to upgrade down the road.

Thanks for the advice fellas and wish me luck in my new adventure.
 
#10
Re: Need help deciding on dies

I definately don't plan on actually loading for a while. I just want to get in on the group buy while the getting is good. I have lots more research to do and books to buy before I actually get started.
 
#11
Re: Need help deciding on dies

You think its cheaper now. Wait until you start loading. I went from shooting a few hundred rounds a year to a few thousand a year. And i love it. you will get a lot more trigger time in. And i love to load in the evenings give me another reason to burn powder so i can load more.
 
#12
Re: Need help deciding on dies

It takes a fair amount of shooting to make it economical to handload a given chambering.

Given initial outlay and the proportion of rounds expended in load development vs the number you will actually need for the application. I consider target shooting to be a busy enough application to justify the acquisition costs and load development overhead, but maybe not so much for purely hunting applications. It may turn out to be more economical to simply buy good premium hunting loads, and confine the handloading operation for larger shooting volume applications.

I also suggest against loading up large stocks of target ammo. I find that long term ammo storage can lead to degraded accuracy. When this first happened, I disassembled some of the rounds and found a band of brass around the bullet where the neck gripped it. This made little sense to me as I was expecting the softer copper to be more likely to abrade onto the brass.

Later, I read about chemical bonding sometimes taking place over longer periods of storage between necks and bullets. This bonding alters the pull force necesary to unseat the bullet when firing, and can result in significantly different velocities between supposedly identical cartridges.

Also, if your loads need adjustment, you wouldn't want to have a large stock of ammo that's suddenly become inferior to what you really want to shoot.

I generally make up no more ammo than I am relatively certain I'll be shooting over the next month or so. This helps avoid problems like those I've mentioned above. I think that acquiring components like powder, bullets, and primers in good sized batches makes sense, but I also believe it's more efficient to store them apart than as assembled ammo. It may not be strictly necessary, but I do try to store my components in airtight packages and containers.

In any case, the above advice about starting with basics is very sound. That would mean to me a starting order of .223 followed by .308, and maybe the 7mm Mag not at all.

I think you will find that the .223 and .308 will end up consuming most of your handloading and shooting attention, while the 7mm will occupy a smaller and smaller proportion as time progresses. Partly this will be because the 7mm is a bit too harsh on the body to permit sustained shooting, and also because premium hunting ammo's performance is rather difficult to improve upon, and you won't be shooting enough of it in actual hunting to make the handloading and load development processes really cost-effective.

Greg
 
#13
Re: Need help deciding on dies

Greg-

What I have planned in my head is very similar to your response. I loaded shotgun shells for a number of years, and basically followed the pattern that you laid out.

.223 and .308 will be my primary loadings. The 7mm is a sporter, and I am primarily trying to avoid spending 3-4 dollars a round on factory ammo. Load development for that will be nowhere near as involed as it will be for the other calibers.

As far as the 7mm being to harsh on the body for extended range sessions, I am all to familiar with that. I have owned that particular rifle for around 16 years. Due to its style, it is an ass whipper, and not fun to shoot from the bench. But I killed my first deer with it, and many more since then, so she's a keeper.

My choice to start reloading is about 90% target, 10% hunting. Like you said, I will probably never fire enough rounds at live critters to justify the expense of loading equipment and components. But since I will have the gear for my target type rifles, I figure another set of dies and some different components makes sense.

My order was placed today.

Thank you guys for your help.
 
#14
Re: Need help deciding on dies

I also prefer Redding dies. Super high quality dies with superior results. Comp bullet seaters seem to give the most concentric seating that have seen after using Lee, RCBS, Forester, and Redding dies.

For the .308, I purchased and am quite happy with the national match set. If you ever plan to shoot an autoloader such as an AR-10 type platform, this set will be really useful. It comes with the FL sizer, Comp Bullet Seater, and a Factory Roll Crimp dies. If you never plan to shoot an autoloader and will stick with bolt action only, get the 3 die comp set that has the S-type Neck bushing (and then get the carbide sizer and the TiN bushing for you neck size and then you only have to lube as you see fit for your setup9, the Body Only, and Comp Bullet Seater dies.

Hope that helps.
 
#15
Re: Need help deciding on dies

For 308 mid and long range target I use Redding body sizing die, Lee collet neck and Forster micrometer seating. I've heard good things about Redding competition seating die and would think it's comparable. I went with collet over neck bushing but consider either better than standard full length. I don't neck turn (yet) so thought collet which squeezes down on mandrel would give me more uniform neck tension.

Body and neck die makes sizing a two step process but I'm getting better groups and not working the necks near as much.
 
#16
Re: Need help deciding on dies

DarkD-

Looks like I took your advice before you gave it. I ordered the 3 piece competition S-type neck bushing set. Since it is the most expensive set that Redding sells, I quess I won't have to worry about buying more expensive .308 dies in the future................
 
#17
Re: Need help deciding on dies

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DarkD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For the .308, I purchased and am quite happy with the national match set. </div></div>

+1 for the Redding National Match Set

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=38712/Product/Redding-National-Match-Die-Set-308-Win

The type S dies are for the next step down the road. A lot of other stuff goes with them. You will get excellent results with the national match set. They make it in .223, .308 and .30-06. If you want to move to bushing dies later you will just need to get a type-s full length sizing die.
 
#18
Re: Need help deciding on dies

Glad you found what you wanted...Redding dies are rather pricey, but I have found them really be worth it. One additional thing to mention....Not sure what bullet you will be loading, but if you plan to use Berger VLD bullets, make sure to check the stem length on the bullet seater and ensure that it is making contact on the ogive and not the bullet tip. You can check it by pulling out the micrometer and setting the bullet in the cup...if it wiggles side to side, the tip is most likely bottomed out, if it doesn't wiggle, then you are good. If you do bottom out, Redding has a VLD stem available. I have been lucky on 2 of my 3 die sets that the VLDs didn't have a problem. Not sure if this would even be a concern for you, but did want to throw that out.
 
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