Custom dies are they worth it?

[andybrock]

I know custom dies are nice to have but do you really think they are worth the investment? and do they significantly improve consistency and accuracy in your reloads to warrant that investment over the likes of Redding, Forster etc?

 

[LHSmith]

It depends how closely the stock dies match your specific chamber. A person could buy every brand of production dies and take the chance of getting lucky that one will fit better than the others, and sell the others and you might be $$ ahead from going the custom die route....but from what Whidden charges for customs......I doubt it.
IMHO, there are few things worse than a FLS die that WON'T size the case enough without fighting the bolt.
The intended use of the rifle has to be considered. For competition a close fitting die is a must....but does not always need to be a custom die. Some have their chambers made with a reamer that is carefully sized to an off-the-shelf-die.

 

[lpreddick]

I asked the same question when I had my last gun made. I had a whidden type s fl bushing die made based on my reamer, not on fired cases. I am sold! Fired brass resizes effortlessly. My brass is worked ever so slightly. A bit more expensive but another step to achieving repeated accuracy.

 

[Catfish]

If your shooting a factory chamber NO. If you are using a tight necked customs chamber they are a must to get the best accuracy and case life.

 

[andybrock]

If your shooting a factory chamber NO. If you are using a tight necked customs chamber they are a must to get the best accuracy and case life.

One rifle is a custom rifle with a No turn neck 22BR, the other is also a custom in 6xc but with a tight neck.

 

[ericbc7]

+1 to catfish

 

[Bamban]

Why not go a different route, send dummy rounds representing samples of the resized brass from your favorite sizing die to a reamer grinder. Then you have a matching reamer to your sizing die and a reamer your future barrels will be cut with.

 

[amlevin]

I'm sure there are good arguments for custom dies but two things I notice. First, those who make them are certainly proud of their work and second, aren't in too big a hurry to produce them even when they have your payment in advance.

There are more than enough reamers to choose from so just choose one that will work with a quality die like Redding, Forster, Wilson, etc.

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

No question that custom dies are worth the money for a custom rifle. Whidden Gunworks dies are top notch and I have them for all my custom wildcat chamberings.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I'm sure there are good arguments for custom dies but two things I notice. First, those who make them are certainly proud of their work and second, aren't in too big a hurry to produce them even when they have your payment in advance.

There are more than enough reamers to choose from so just choose one that will work with a quality die like Redding, Forster, Wilson, etc.

I agree with this 100%. It makes perfect sense and works like a charm. This is what I've been doing for a few years now. The real nice part is that PTG makes many of the die reamers for Redding, so he knows the specs by which to make the finish reamer for a custom spec'd fit. It's really no different than going the custom die route..but cheaper and on the shelf. All it takes is a phone call to Dave Kiff and he'll know what to do for most cartridges, without the need for even sending him sized or fired cases...none of that, just tell him what you want to do and if you know, how much you want the reamer to be made bigger than the die reamer was made. You get different amounts of spring back at the shoulder vs at the web area...Dave knows all of this and can make a recommendation or use your specs if you know them. As far as how the die works..it's exactly as a properly made custom die works. Just because it's not what the majority does, doesn't mean it's not just as good. IMO, it's better and just plain makes more sense.--Mike

 

[fguffey]

Then there is always the question: Where are we going to find someone that can measure the difference? Then there is measuring the effect of a case that has been sized with my RCBS dies and a case that has been sized with a 'custom' die.

F. Guffey

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Then there is always the question: Where are we going to find someone that can measure the difference? Then there is measuring the effect of a case that has been sized with my RCBS dies and a case that has been sized with a 'custom' die.

F. Guffey

The difference in brass life, is easily measured, as is how much and how often you have to trim.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I must be lucky. I have always had good luck with Harrells, Whidden and Redding dies sizing my cases just right.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I must be lucky. I have always had good luck with Harrells, Whidden and Redding dies sizing my cases just right.

I'd venture to say that it wasn't luck. The Harrell's and Whidden are customs and the Redding works very well with a pretty wide variety of reamers. The big problems come when chamber reamers are spec'd at either the extreme large or small ends. You will very seldom see any custom chamber that are too big. That usually is seen in factory chambers. It's pretty common for people to spec BR reamers to what I consider to be too small. When you do this, a custom die is a necessity to get the brass to size down enough to avoid the dreaded bolt click. Too big, and the off the shelf die sizes too much and creates a poor fit and excessive working of the brass...contributing to considerably shorter case life and more frequent trimming. I've managed 50+ loading on Lapua cases in my br rifles, with what most would consider very hot loads. I probably could have gotten a few more out of them at that. I am fanatical about bolt click...hate it and won't tolerate it. There's a fine line that provides both good brass life and no bolt click, IME. Sure, I could shoot milder loads and get even better life, but I tend to do what the gun tells me it likes. Tuners do allow me to load down slightly and still maintain good tune. I simply load to the lower end of the upper node. IOW, I stay with a load that is ok pressure wise at any temp and maintain tune with the tuner, rather than chasing tune as the day goes on with powder charge and seating depth.

 

[Steveasba]

Will custom dies help with a factory chamber?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The main reason for a custom die is for making your gun operate properly and minimally size your brass. Any gun factory or not will benefit from a custom die. Now if youre talkin about a 270 you shoot only at deers and fire it 3rds/yr maybe you can get away with factory dies. Hard bolt lift and brass life is a non issue in that case.

 

[Steveasba]

The main reason for a custom die is for making your gun operate properly and minimally size your brass. Any gun factory or not will benefit from a custom die. Now if youre talkin about a 270 you shoot only at deers and fire it 3rds/yr maybe you can get away with factory dies. Hard bolt lift and brass life is a non issue in that case.

 

[Steveasba]

Thanks for your input Dusty. I have been shooting bench rest short range with a Savage 22.250 ( no competition) and will be jumping into 600 yard with a Savage 6mm br. With the 22.250 and factory dies I've had to really work my brass to get good groups. Even with annealing I'm only getting 8 to 9 reloads before the brass ( Lapua) refuses to resize properly.

I think I will go with custom dies with this new gun. Thanks again for your reply.

Steve

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Send some fired cases to whidden. Youll have to have em for all your guns then

 

[ireload2]

If your chamber happens to be standard in all respects you are likely to get standard dimensioned dies and the custom die maker can stick the extra cash in his pocket. You have not specificed anything custom and the custom die maker has not agreed to any specific changes.

If you want custom measure your chamber and specify what you want in your dies. Otherwise custom might get you nothing in particular.

If you want custom benefits you really probably need a custom chamber.
This custom chamber makes the rifle shoot much more accurately. The custom dies work with the custom chamber if they are really needed.

I have several custom chambers in a few benchrest rifles and I do not use custom dies made for my chambers. My dies are simply Wilson neck size bushing dies and Wilson type seaters. I do have several sets of "custom dies" but they are no different in function than the Wilson dies. Two of my chambers are tight neck requiring no neck sizing so the only die needed is a seater.