Best 7/8 seating die

[Kracken McGraw]

Not saying anywhere near the best, but I’ve been getting along good with the Hornady’s lately. Sliding sleeve, good choice of seating stem that seem to fit, and the new click adjustable micrometer top that you can use on all their seaters is very handy.

 

[RED DIRT]

Not saying anywhere near the best, but I’ve been getting along good with the Hornady’s lately. Sliding sleeve, good choice of seating stem that seem to fit, and the new click adjustable micrometer top that you can use on all their seaters is very handy.

Yup, i agree Kraken! Hornady haters can say what they want, but i`ve gotten my best reloads from the custom Hornady dies i have. I too, use the micro adjust on the seater on a couple calibers. That elliptical expander, works, too! I`ve found them to get me the LEAST amount of runout.

It also helps to make sure your press is true. Alot of presses are the biggest reasons for runout , in my own opinion. If the dies aren`t aligned well to the ram and shell holder, you can`t expect it to size the case correctly, or even seat a bullet squarely into the case. Floating neck bushings, floated shell holders, if you think about it, they`re just compensating for a press that isn`t truly squared true.

But the best seater i`ve used so far to date, the most, Frankford Arsenal. Believe that if y`all will. It works!

 

[Ruger15151]

Bullet Central Micron Seating dies. They have very tight tolerances at the neck and .200 line to keep case in line with the seating stem. Second would be the Short Action Customs Seating Dies.

 

[lancexxx]

Short Action Customs modular sizing die with bushings. What I really like about this die is that the bushing sizes the neck and shoulder bump. cases sized with this die come out looking like new cases.

I have used Forster, Redding and LEWilson sizing dies. I became frustrated with these dies for a variety of reasons. In some cases the bushings would not size much more than half the neck. sometimes this was the design of the bushing itself and sometimes it was the die. the only die, other than the SAC Modular, that i could get to size the neck properly was a Redding neck sizing die that did not size the body but of course i had the companion FL sizing die to go with it.

In my experience I like having my whole neck sized to reduce runout.

Again, the SAC Modular sizing die bushing forms the case from the shoulder up, not just the neck. This die is a little pricey but oh well. The only nuance with this die is that it comes with shims to adjust the shoulder setback. I dont use the shims but instead use different sized case holders to adjust the shoulder setback. When possible, i do prefer full contact between the press and die, which is why i use different sized case holders to manage shoulder setback.

LE Wilson inline seating die with Arbor press is awesome.

Are you using the expander with the sac sizing die

 

[urbanrifleman]

For a press die, What die produces less runout assuming everything else is good.

Try the Frankfort Arsenal universal seating die. It's actually the same basic design as a Whidden.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Are you using the expander with the sac sizing die

I am not using the integrated expander mandrel. I use a separate mandrel later in my case prep process.

 

[jackieschmidt]

For anything normal, Redding.

 

[snert]

Just a quick reminder. If using a Redding Micrometer (sleeve) seat die, you must not use compressed loads. Other than that, for the cost to accuracy improvement I saw when I bought my first one way back in 1990, it's hands down the cheapest accuracy I ever bought.

 

[jpjulian]

Just a quick reminder. If using a Redding Micrometer (sleeve) seat die, you must not use compressed loads. Other than that, for the cost to accuracy improvement I saw when I bought my first one way back in 1990, it's hands down the cheapest accuracy I ever bought.

Apparently a Sierra 77MK over 24.1 of RL15 at 2.250" is compressed enough to crack Redding seating stems in their Micrometer die. Redding told me, in writing, I was abusing the die and would no longer warrant it after they fixed it for the second time. It is rarely used these days. Forster or Hornady works just fine.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Don't turn your nose up at the LEE Dead length seater. I did a little
fooling with the floating nose punch to get lower on the ogive. They
are straight and consistent running out of an old RCBS Junior.....

I have two forester micrometer and a hornady seater. I don't have a concentricity gauge , but the Lee has been beating the CBTO of the forester for a fraction of the price. Add a micrometer top for only 20 bucks. Seating stem doesn't fit a vmax well at all, but a custom one is 8 bucks if you mail them a bullet. Why dont they just offer a vld style for 10 bucks?

If you have a tight chamber like how crooked can it be when there is like .0005 or .0001 clearance around the bullet?

 

[snert]

Apparently a Sierra 77MK over 24.1 of RL15 at 2.250" is compressed enough to crack Redding seating stems in their Micrometer die. Redding told me, in writing, I was abusing the die and would no longer warrant it after they fixed it for the second time. It is rarely used these days. Forster or Hornady works just fine.

Which is exactly why the website has warnings and the dies ship with an orange warning tag.

Follow instructions and no issues. I have had no need for compressed loads so I have not had any issues.

 

[jpjulian]

Which is exactly why the website has warnings and the dies ship with an orange warning tag.

Follow instructions and no issues. I have had no need for compressed loads so I have not had any issues.

Must be a recently added, within the last 10 years or so, warning. No such warning or orange tag was with my dies. I've had them since early 90's. Nevertheless, I'll use dies that aren't so fragile.

 

[Murray Brook]

Seating stem doesn't fit a vmax well at all, but a custom one is 8 bucks if you mail them a bullet.

I use the seating stem from a 25 cal Lee seater die for my 6mm. Works great with most bullets ( 58 to 85 gr that I have tried ) including the V-max bullets. JME