After some replies on here talking about them im debating on starting the switch over to an arbor press and wilson chamber seating dies.... my thought so far was keeping my redding bushing neck sizer and depriming dies then using the wilson dies for seating.... would that make a huge difference in accuracy??? I use redding type s micrometer seating dies right now.... donno if its worth all the trouble and such switching over...
How much would wilson dies help over redding?
- Thread starter Sniper338
- Start date
Huge difference? Not likely. Might make no difference at all.
Do you have a tool to measure runout? Wilson dies typically produce less runout. Less runout may or may not show up on the target though. In a factory rifle I've not found runout to be a factor.
I have three Wilson seating dies. All of them produce minimal runout. I have/had two sets of Redding completion dies...one of them reloaded with minimal runout just as good as the Wilson seating die and one was just okay. I have a set of the least expensive .223 RCBS dies and they always reload ammo with about .001 of runout. Replacing them with a Wilson seating die would gain me nothing other than a feel for seating.
Do you have a tool to measure runout? Wilson dies typically produce less runout. Less runout may or may not show up on the target though. In a factory rifle I've not found runout to be a factor.
I have three Wilson seating dies. All of them produce minimal runout. I have/had two sets of Redding completion dies...one of them reloaded with minimal runout just as good as the Wilson seating die and one was just okay. I have a set of the least expensive .223 RCBS dies and they always reload ammo with about .001 of runout. Replacing them with a Wilson seating die would gain me nothing other than a feel for seating.
I had a bad bushing die that put about 2 to 3 thou. runout in the neck after sizing I called them about it and the reply was it is with in spec.A Wilson blank cut with your chamber reamer will give you good results on a seating die.I use a straight die from Forster to size,they will also hone the neck to what ever dimension you want.
Good afternoon
there was a thread several years ago which did this exact test. (high level overview) the results showed no difference and in the sample provided the Redding/Wilson did not show any noted improvement over one another. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3653500.0;nowap
i thank German for running the initial test and really thank TobybradShaw for quantifying the work.
Trevor
there was a thread several years ago which did this exact test. (high level overview) the results showed no difference and in the sample provided the Redding/Wilson did not show any noted improvement over one another. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3653500.0;nowap
i thank German for running the initial test and really thank TobybradShaw for quantifying the work.
Trevor
michaelnel
Old and In The Way
For ME, the main reason I prefer the Wilson seater over my Redding Competition seater is the sensitivity it gives to feeling the seating force.
You can feel it easily with the arbor press and Wilson seater, you can't tell much at all in a high leverage 7/8" press with the Reddings.
I use my Wilsons for seating, I use the Co-Ax for everything else.
You can feel it easily with the arbor press and Wilson seater, you can't tell much at all in a high leverage 7/8" press with the Reddings.
I use my Wilsons for seating, I use the Co-Ax for everything else.
GSPV
A failure to plan is a plan for failure.
Three things:
1: ability to have a sester cut with your chamber reamer and thus matching it closely.
2: better feel when seating bullets. Tells you when you have inconsistent neck tension and donut issues.
3: convenience of not having to swap dies around.
There are also some tricks that you can play like having a different seater top for every bullet/barrel combination. It helps keep things straight.
1: ability to have a sester cut with your chamber reamer and thus matching it closely.
2: better feel when seating bullets. Tells you when you have inconsistent neck tension and donut issues.
3: convenience of not having to swap dies around.
There are also some tricks that you can play like having a different seater top for every bullet/barrel combination. It helps keep things straight.
michaelnel
Old and In The Way
GSPV said:
What is a "sester cut"? Something like a mullet or a mohawk?
michaelnel
Old and In The Way
Another benefit of the arbor press / Wilson seater is that you can easily take it to the range to do seating depth testing. Seat a bunch long, tweak them down and test. I guess the best of both worlds is the Harrell's or Hood combo presses though.
I sure don't argue with anyone who uses Wilson seater dies, as I do myself. I have a Hood press (work of art) and several Wilson dies because when I got started some folks who I respected told me I "had" to use them. After some years of experience I can say that's not true. I personally consider an arbor press one of the cludgiest pieces of equipment ever. The Hood press does a super job and for those who really want to use Wilson-type dies I highly recommend one.
Forster will hone a Micrometer seating die to any spec you send them. Probably Redding will do the same or your smith can, but I've never done it. A feature of both styles of dies is the sliding chamber that holds the bullet and case concentric all during the seating process. The Wilson does not do this.
My favorite is a unique little turret press made by Fred Moreo. He only made a few because he couldn't sell them for enough money to make it worth his while. This is a magnificently made design that uses Lee turrets and is the best reloading system I've seen yet. I keep several turrets with the sizing and seating dies all set and installed and can change from one caliber to another in about 10 seconds. I've never seen another one of these and haven't heard of anyone else using one.
Forster will hone a Micrometer seating die to any spec you send them. Probably Redding will do the same or your smith can, but I've never done it. A feature of both styles of dies is the sliding chamber that holds the bullet and case concentric all during the seating process. The Wilson does not do this.
My favorite is a unique little turret press made by Fred Moreo. He only made a few because he couldn't sell them for enough money to make it worth his while. This is a magnificently made design that uses Lee turrets and is the best reloading system I've seen yet. I keep several turrets with the sizing and seating dies all set and installed and can change from one caliber to another in about 10 seconds. I've never seen another one of these and haven't heard of anyone else using one.
Attachments
Shynloco
You can lead a horse to water, but ........
Sniper338 said:
I've been doing exactly what you are contemplating for the past several years. I like the ability to "feel" the bullet being seated using the Wilson die on an Arbor Press which is something you really can't tell as well using a conventional press. You can easily tell when a piece of brass is going south in terms of hardness with the Arbor Press/Wilson Die and IMHO has a definite effect on the consistency (neck tension) within a batch of casings you've prepped.
Alex
michaelnel said:
+1
I have a .243 Win that I would check for doughnuts by sliding a bullet in to a fired case. I would typically check 10 to 15% of my cases. Then just load. I bought a Wilson die and arbor press to take to the range so I could test different seating depths. While I was seating a bullet I felt an unusual amount of pressure to seat the bullet. I fired the round and then tried to slide a bullet into the fired case and sure enough it stopped dead at the neck shoulder junction. I would not of felt this with a standard 7/8" die and press. IMO a good 7/8" seating die like Redding Competition will rival a inline Wilson type seating die when it come to concentricity. But at the cost of being able to feel seating pressure.
Down South
FTR Junkie
michaelnel said:
I do the same thing.
Raythemanroe
Bullet Whisperer
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11843/guntechdetail/Handloading___The_Wandering_Narrative_Part_II
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