I'v had three Whidden micrometer seaters made for modified cartridges. The lines on the micrometer are far enough apart my aging eyes have no problem adjusting by . 001 My Redding are so close I often guess. The Forster are easier to see than the Redding but not as easy as the Whidden. Most bullet seating stems are metal tunes that can leave a circular mark on hard seating bullets. My last Whidden has a hard plastic tip on the stem and i'v not seen any marks. My impression is that varying seating depths is due to varying neck resistance to bullet seating, not the die. Annealing usually corrects this .
Bestbullet seating die?
- Thread starter davecb
- Start date
are the bushings on the whidden dies interchangeable with redding
Yes. Don't think Whidden makes bushings. They rec Redding or CRTs, which were cheaper than Redding and just as good. Also, the bullet seating sleeve of the Forster fit nicely in the Whidden. You can buy bullet seating sleeves from Forster of same caliber and use them in Whidden microseater... I asked Whidden if they would sell me just the sleeve, but they preferred selling me a complete die...
Whidden now owns the CRT line of bushings.
Lot of great feedback here.
I will agree the Wilson dies produce more concentric ammo and more consistent seating depths through my testing. (compared to factory single stage dies.), but not by much.
I do not have one custom reamed for my chamber, although I'm sure it would provide even slightly better results.
I can't tell a difference on paper, just at the reloading bench, fwiw.
If you're going to be using the die on a single stage press the arbor press is not that much slower. Also Wilson dies are probably cheaper than a seating die would be.
I will agree the Wilson dies produce more concentric ammo and more consistent seating depths through my testing. (compared to factory single stage dies.), but not by much.
I do not have one custom reamed for my chamber, although I'm sure it would provide even slightly better results.
I can't tell a difference on paper, just at the reloading bench, fwiw.
If you're going to be using the die on a single stage press the arbor press is not that much slower. Also Wilson dies are probably cheaper than a seating die would be.
21st Century is. Hydro Press and 21st Century seating dies.
They are really nice load very concentric rounds
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