Make your own dies

[Timgunner]

I ended up with a 7mm-300 based wildcat finish reamer that I decided to build a rifle off of. I already built the rifle and have necked down brass for fireforming now I’m looking into custom dies. I don’t have a resize reamer to go with the chamber reamer, so I’m just going to send fired brass to Widden for a full length die. My question is about the seater die. I would like to make a sleeve to go inside my 300 win mag Redding competition seater die. I’ve never made a die before and I’m curious if there are things i should watch out for. The part looks very simple and the process could not be much different than cutting a rifle chamber. I had planned on buying a L.E. Wilson chamber die blank but I don’t have any other dies of that variety nor do I own an arbor press.
Have any of you guys machined a Custom comp seater insert? What should I watch out for?

 

[msalm]

Should be pretty straight forward, I’d be sure to single point bore the initial hole undersize and ream to ensure concentricity and machine in one setup.

 

[Roeder]

I know that at one time you could contact Redding directly and order the sleeves separately. That way you could order a sleeve and stem for whatever 7MM is close to your wildcat and just ream with your chamber reamer.

 

[TrxR]

There is also Newlon Precision Seating blanks which are threaded type dies.

I am looking at the options myself for a 30Br seater.

 

[Timgunner]

I saw the Newlon precision die blanks and thought about one of those, but I prefer the competition style seaters like Redding and Forster make. Also, I don’t think the work would really be much more that reaming one of the newlon blanks anyway.

 

[Timgunner]

I didn’t know if Redding hardens the inserts or not? Perhaps a 7mm weatherby insert would work? My reamer is a 7mm 300 win with a 35degree shoulder and the taper blown from .419 to .500 at the shoulder.

 

[Grimstod]

If you are not sold on Redding yet I have had a ton of success with Forster Dies. The internal sleeve is very easy to machine. Redding dies I have had a harder time getting concentric ammo out of them. Just my experience. I have also had dies from them that were just flat out crooked, maybe I have trust issues too.

Here are some articles on my website on how I made my own FL and Seating dies.
https://65brlapua.wordpress.com/2017/11/22/getting-dies-to-handload/
https://65brlapua.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/first-reloading-dies/
https://65brlapua.wordpress.com/2018/12/15/hardening-dies/

 

[RGRobinett]

I'm with Grimstod - I have re-reamed/chambered many Forster BR seater "sleeves" - all make very concentric
loaded ammo. They machine very easily . . . and I'm not a machinist - just a DIY sort. RG

 

[Timgunner]

If you are not sold on Redding yet I have had a ton of success with Forster Dies. The internal sleeve is very easy to machine. Redding dies I have had a harder time getting concentric ammo out of them. Just my experience. I have also had dies from them that were just flat out crooked, maybe I have trust issues too.

Here are some articles on my website on how I made my own FL and Seating dies.
https://65brlapua.wordpress.com/2017/11/22/getting-dies-to-handload/
https://65brlapua.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/first-reloading-dies/
https://65brlapua.wordpress.com/2018/12/15/hardening-dies/

Thanks for the posts!
I do like Forster dies, I have a couple of their micrometer seaters. I just grabbed the Redding first because I knew I could get a cold seater stem for it.

 

[TrxR]

What Forster seating die would i need to look at to modify to work with a 30br?

Is it just running my chamber reamer into the sleeve ore are there other mods needed?

Thanks

 

[Ringostar]

If you send fired cases to Whidden for a sizing die, they can also make you a screw in seating die to match your cartridge.

 

[Timgunner]

If you send fired cases to Whidden for a sizing die, they can also make you a screw in seating die to match your cartridge.

I know widden makes seating dies, but I like being able to make it myself. Since i Have the chamber reamer all I have to buy is a factory Forster competition seater It will be about half the price of widden’s micrometer seater.

 

[swd]

I have a Forster seater I machined the sleeve into something else. The cut like butter and work great.

 

[butchlambert]

This is my PPC seating die. I used my chambering reamer. The floating pin was taper bored to touch the OD of the point of bullet. I don't want my seater bearing on the tip of the bullet.

Was sure that I already posted this.

 

[Clark]

I buy 7/8-14 threaded rod in 6' lengths for making dies. I almost always use store bought dies, but there are odd tasks.