Reloading Dies - Std vs High End

[swd]

Lower end dies notoriously over size the shoulder and neck and frequently don't size the base at the .200" line enough. BUT if they do size properly and you can have the neck honed to your needs then there would be no advantage. Send Harrell's 3 pieces of brass fired 3x and they'll pick their die that fits the best for about $80. A full custom die probably won't work any better than what Harrell's delivers.

 

[dstoenner]

A friend had the same problem with his Forster FL die (failing to set shoulder back). As I recall, he sent the die to Forster and they ground the die base back a bit to fix the failure to set back shoulder. This problem really surprises me, but I do wonder if it has anything to do with the Forster Co-Ax press they sell. Just wondering, because the Co-Ax press does not use shell-holders. It has spring loaded jaws that clamp around the case groove...like a shell-holder does. I cannot tell if the height of the jaws on the Forster Co-Ax press are "lower" than that on a shell-holder or not. At first glance, they appear much the same. My friend does not use the Co-Ax press and uses shell-holders.

Another thing. I do wonder if failure to set back the shoulder is perhaps due to the shoulder not being blown fully forward in the first place. Just wondering only. It seems to be assumed (by some), that one firing will fully do that. Do we know that for sure?

Phil

As I measured my go gauge, I was at 1.466. My fired rounds were 1.468/9 so they were forward. Using a normal shell holder (not one of my Redding competition shell holder) with the die adjusted to just kiss the shell holder as the ram camed over, the cases came out the same shoulder measurement as they went in. Hence my conclusion.

Yes I know that Forster will grind off the bottom of the die but that is another $15 dollars to get it fixed. Just really frustrating. If I would have know all of this before hand I would have never bought a Forster die.

David

 

[Phil3]

That is really quite surprising. My friend said Forster fixed it, but as I recall, they had no good explanation for why the die would not bump the shoulder back. A fundamental job of the die! I found this relevant and interesting.

http://www.mssblog.com/2016/04/14/cam-over-dont-do-it-just-dont/

Phil

 

[Barlow]

As I measured my go gauge, I was at 1.466. My fired rounds were 1.468/9 so they were forward. Using a normal shell holder (not one of my Redding competition shell holder) with the die adjusted to just kiss the shell holder as the ram camed over, the cases came out the same shoulder measurement as they went in. Hence my conclusion.

Yes I know that Forster will grind off the bottom of the die but that is another $15 dollars to get it fixed. Just really frustrating. If I would have know all of this before hand I would have never bought a Forster die.

David

You can do it yourself, don't send it anywhere. Barlow

 

[Richard Coody]

whenever i hear someone say their die bottoms out before it bumps the shoulder the thought pops into my head. are you sure your brass was fully fireformed before setting the die up to bump the shoulder?

takes about 3 firings to fully fireform brass. if you set your shoulder bump before the fired brass chambers tight then you are probably way over sizing your brass.

 

[Richard Coody]

in my opinion forster dies are high end

now the next step past that is a.set of custom dies made from your fired brass.

question is can your rifle benefit from custom dies? for the average shooter a waste of money. for the competitive shooter absolutely. for brass life as much as precision.

 

[Phil3]

question is can your rifle benefit from custom dies? for the average shooter a waste of money. for the competitive shooter absolutely. for brass life as much as precision.

Exactly, a question that applies to just about every component of the rifle and cartridge itself. I asked about the dies because the cartridges made from those dies will be in a custom chambered barrel from Krieger, Barlein, Brux, etc... I don't want the cartridges to "let down" the barrel.

I understand the intent behind stating "competitive shooter" vs "average shooter", but I am neither...not competing but very interested in accuracy and building rifles to achieve just that.

Phil

 

[Jennb]

I have had great success with Redding competition dies. Soon as they arrive I will be trying Whidden custom to my rifles chamber and bullet dies. Will it help me shoot better, probably not but it should help with brass life. Only time will tell!