200.00 stainless seater, are they worth the price

[dtucker]

I was surfing Sinclair on the net as i lost my catalog and came across the newest version of the Wilson Sinclair stainless micrometer top. Over the years i have gone back and forth some but i like seating my bullets with the standard stainless micrometer top over the press dies. I am looking to get a couple of the seaters as i will have here shortly 2 new calibers i need to get dies for. I came across this new seater for 200.00 bucks which is almost 100.00 more than the stainless micrometer one i usally buy. WOW........is it worth the price? Who is using 1 of these and has used the standard stainless with the micrometer top. Please tell me your thoughts and opinions on these. They look slick but am just having a hard time swallowing the extra 100.00 to the already steller platform that i have been using.


Dan

 

[BoydAllen]

Actually, after getting used to them, and having both a micrometer top, and stainless micrometer die, I prefer the least expensive type with no micrometer. I just keep track of the total length of the seating stem and cap, and find that making changes is very easy and direct. Many times, simpler is better.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Actually, after getting used to them, and having both a micrometer top, and stainless micrometer die, I prefer the least expensive type with no micrometer. I just keep track of the total length of the seating stem and cap, and find that making changes is very easy and direct. Many times, simpler is better.

Ditto. For some cartridges that I have more than one active barrel, I have extra cap/seater stems marked for that particular barrel, that I use to chase the lans throughout each barrel's life.

Danny Biggs

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Actually, after getting used to them, and having both a micrometer top, and stainless micrometer die, I prefer the least expensive type with no micrometer. I just keep track of the total length of the seating stem and cap, and find that making changes is very easy and direct. Many times, simpler is better.

Why didn't I think to adjust the seating stem that way? I've been loading with a .045" shim for months not wanting to go through the hassle of resetting the stem. I bet I can hit it on the first try if I measure the cap first.

Thanks Boyd

 

[BoydAllen]

No, you misunderstood me. Your determine how much you want to change your seating depth, measure the combined length of the stem and cap as an assembled unit, either subtract or add the amount that you want to change, loosen the set screw, hold the cap in your left hand (if you are right handed), grasp the seating stem between the thumb and finger of your right hand, and turn it, in the cap, and check your progress with your dial calipers with which you check the combined length of the stem and cap. When you get close, put a little tension on the set screw, so that it takes some effort to turn the stem within the cap, and finalize your adjustment, before lightly tightening the set screw a little more. Just remember if you want to shorten your loaded length that the total stem and cap measurement needs to be longer than is started out, and if you want to lengthen your ammo, the combined length need to be shorter. This all has taken a lot longer to write than it takes to do several times. I guess that is why videos have become so popular. If you like your seating depth with the .045 shim in place, and you understand that when you remove it your loaded rounds will be .045 shorter, you would first measure from the end of the seating stem (the one that the bullet tip goes in) to the top of the cap. Write that down, and then subtract .045 from that number and adjust you stem in the cap until the overall length is the calculated number. Example: length of stem and cap assembly 1.664, thickness of shim .045, length of stem and cap to get same OAL without the shim would be 1.664 minus .045 which equals 1.619.

 

[mshelton]

The pro move is to get a 2nd or 3rd cap and stem if you plan on loading for more than one rifle or bullet, set the additional stems up for that and label them.

 

[jlow]

Boyd – this is an interesting way to do it but here is the concern – if you look at the instructions that comes with the Wilson dies, it says at the very top:

“The most common error made by users of this type of seater is to remove the plunger and drop the bullet in from the top. This requires removing and replacing the plunger for each bullet seated, which causes excessive wear on the plunger and the bore that guides it. It can also permanently damage your die”

Now certainly adjusting your seating depth is not the same as putting in bullets every time you use the die but still I wonder. I have inadvertently removed the plunger a number of times and always found it tricky to put it back in and can see where it can be problematic, thus the concern.

 

[Preacher]

No way will removing the top for measuring cause any noticeable wear to the seater stem, as it's only done a few times...
I've been measuring the over all length of my stems for years, and never worn one out....

 

[Judd]

I can't see it being worth the price. Especially since it's double what a Sinclair micro top or Wilson micro top is. The only time I really need a micro top is when I'm doing load development once a load and length is determined I rarely change it. I don't chase lands typically unless the gun won't shoot otherwise.

 

[jlow]

No way will removing the top for measuring cause any noticeable wear to the seater stem, as it's only done a few times...
I've been measuring the over all length of my stems for years, and never worn one out....

My concern based on personal experience is with the initial insertion of the plunger. When two items are made to such close tolerance, there is always a chance that their rim can get distorted in the insertion which will affect the diameter of the plunger and that can lead to excessive wear and that “permanent damage”.

People can believe what they want – it’s their right but just passing what I have read and observed as to what may be a problem. This really has nothing to do with the new seater as it affects the older seater with and without the microadjuster.

 

[artbosco]

This one has always done the job for me: http://www.lewilson.com/stainlesssteelmicrobulletseater.html

Doubt if my bullets would know the difference between the $100 and $200 variety.

 

[ridgeway]

200.00 stainless seater, are they worth the price

Not even close!

 

[BoydAllen]

I guess that different things pose challenges for different people. I have never had a problem putting seating stems back in the tops of arbor press type seaters, and wear is not an issue when doing that for adjustments, given the difference in frequency compared to taking it out for every bullet seated. The reason that I got started doing what I described to keep track of changes in seating depths using Wilson seaters is that some time ago, I got one of Don Nielson's, because of its chamber neck specific die neck ID and much closer fit to the body of my cases. It is a very good, but simple die, and there is no micrometer option. http://www.6mmbr.com/harrellscombopress.html In short order, I found that I had become very handy at making seating depth changes with that die, and found that I could just as easily note them in my range book as Nielson stem and cap followed by a number. It was after that, that I switched to that system for my Wilson dies. This system has the additional benefit of not having a problem of knowing what full turn you are on, although I see that the newest one from Sinclair has provision for that, like a micrometer. Bottom line, If I were going to spend more than the least expensive Wilson, I would first buy my own chambering reamer, and after having a barrel chambered with it, have a custom seater made using that reamer, for a perfect fit. The last time that I checked, I could get one made from scratch, for less than $200.

 

[Phil]

I load .17 / .20 / .22 and 6mm, I remove the top on every one, every time i load ammo.

To me this is MUCH easier than fumbling around with tiny bullets and big fingers.

Phil.

 

[jlow]

I guess that different things pose challenges for different people. I have never had a problem putting seating stems back in the tops of arbor press type seaters, and wear is not an issue when doing that for adjustments, given the difference in frequency compared to taking it out for every bullet seated. The reason that I got started doing what I described to keep track of changes in seating depths using Wilson seaters is that some time ago, I got one of Don Nielson's, because of its chamber neck specific die neck ID and much closer fit to the body of my cases. It is a very good, but simple die, and there is no micrometer option. http://www.6mmbr.com/harrellscombopress.html In short order, I found that I had become very handy at making seating depth changes with that die, and found that I could just as easily note them in my range book as Nielson stem and cap followed by a number. It was after that, that I switched to that system for my Wilson dies. This system has the additional benefit of not having a problem of knowing what full turn you are on, although I see that the newest one from Sinclair has provision for that, like a micrometer. Bottom line, If I were going to spend more than the least expensive Wilson, I would first buy my own chambering reamer, and after having a barrel chambered with it, have a custom seater made using that reamer, for a perfect fit. The last time that I checked, I could get one made from scratch, for less than $200.

Understand Boyd. I can see that some people can do this with no problem but I think due to the potential problem associated with this technique, it would be wise to give the caveat.

I use the old micro-adjustable seater and I like it a lot. I don’t think most people have trouble figuring out what “full turn you are on” since for seating depth studies, you really don’t change things that much. I guess if you are using two different guns with significantly different chamber dimensions, you could have a bit more of a challenge but all that takes is to do a conservative seat and then a quick check with the caliper.

FWIW, I also don’t see the rationale for the new micro-adjustable seater…

 

[mikecr]

I use the micrometer tops, and some of my Wilson seaters were blanks finished along with my barrels.
I would not pay $200 for a any Wilson micrometer die in 'standard' chamber, detents or not. It would need to be cut with my reamer for that kind of money.

So where I already have a known success path, I would be willing to pay ~$100 for this fancy die -in blank form, and then have it chambered on my own. With that I'm looking at a $200 custom seater die.
That's less crazy generous.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I guess they ran out of ideas for new products. Thats an outrageous price. With cnc machining these days they probably have about $20 wrapped up in that seater.

 

[suberjc]

I use the micrometer tops, and some of my Wilson seaters were blanks finished along with my barrels.
I would not pay $200 for a any Wilson micrometer die in 'standard' chamber, detents or not. It would need to be cut with my reamer for that kind of money.

So where I already have a known success path, I would be willing to pay ~$100 for this fancy die -in blank form, and then have it chambered on my own. With that I'm looking at a $200 custom seater die.
That's less crazy generous.

Yes, for me anyway. Like Danny I chase my lands all year long. (Still shooting those VLDs) I find it advantageous to take the small sinclair arbor press and the die to the range with me with a whole bunch of rounds "loaded long" . I start by measuring the length to lands when the barrel is new and that's the last time I know how long the bullet is. All subsequent measurements are relative using the micrometer on the die. Seems to work for me.

 

[mikecr]

I like micrometer adjustment, just don't like the price of this one is all.