Micrometer seating dies :

[Pete Wass]

Who is currently making the best micrometer seating die?

Thanks,

Pete

 

[RustyInBend]

That's an easy one ... Redding!

 

[JMayo]

Opinions ..... I like Wilson seaters. I have 6bra, 6ppc, 30br. My bra was reamed with the barrel reamer for sholder correction..

 

[RustyInBend]

That's an easy one ... Redding!

Unless you're seating inline via AMP Press or other ... in which case the answer is "L.E. Wilson".

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

One of those questions that will yield different answers, for various reasons but I use the Redding, mainly for two reasons. One, never had a problem with them and two, I just prefer seating bullets from my Rock Chucker vs an arbor press set up. I should add, I did have one issue several years ago, with a 30 BR or Major with heavy neck tension and a very compressed load. The stem cracked. I consider it no fault of the die.

 

[JFrank]

Seating bullets is a pretty basic operation, I’ve used Forster, Hornday, Redding and Wilson. They all do the job.

 

[jepp2]

I've only used Forster and Redding. On the Forster, despite using it on seating bullets that weren't compressed or with unusual neck tension, the plug "belled" on me. Replacement kinda pricey. On Redding I used them happily for many years until I went on a quest for reducing neck and seated bullet runout. Just always assumed they would provide straight bullets. Turns out I measured TIR on the bullets of 0.003" to 0.006". I found by seating in 3 steps, rotating the cartridge I could reduce it to around 0.002". Never saw the difference on the target, but whatever.

Here is the difference in the design of Redding and Forster seating plugs.

 

[divingin]

Micron, if you need to lighten your wallet by a considerable amount. Never seen one, nor do I know anyone that uses one, but they sound really good.

 

[RustyInBend]

Micron, if you need to lighten your wallet by a considerable amount. Never seen one, nor do I know anyone that uses one, but they sound really good.

That's one of the more interesting recommendations I've ever heard ... "Try this, it's wicked expensive and I've never used it, but try it anyway."

 

[PatMiles]

Sinclair/L.E.Wilson at Brownells. if you are using an arbor press.

SINCLAIR/L.E. WILSON MICRO-ADJUST BULLET SEATERS | Brownells

Check out the SINCLAIR/L.E. WILSON available Online at Brownells Today and many more Rifle Reloading Dies products are available in our Reloading Department.

www.brownells.com

 

[dthomas]

Short action customs arbor press seating die. One die will do just about any cartridge, just need a new base for each cartridge family.

 

[PopCharlie]

I like the LE Wilson micrometer seaters using an arbor press. Very accurate, consistent and great seating feel. The arbor press is small and light weight so you can seat at the range. A big plus for me.

PopCharlie

 

[mike mccormick]

Plus one for Wilson seaters. Have used the reddings in the past, and got a lot of variance. No such problems with the wilson dies

 

[Eagle Six]

I use Redding and the round out has always been less than .002".

 

[Kittitas George]

I have used Redding for quite sometime. I started using Vickerman seating dies for my 17, 20 and 22s a number of years ago, the Reddings are in the drawer. The Vickerman has the loading port on the side, very nice with the small bullets, very easy to adjust and holds the adjustment. One outer body and various caliber inserts are workable. I've never had concentricity problems. They have a website, look it up, I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I use Redding and the round out has always been less than .002".

I've found most runout issues don't come from the seating op, but somewhere in sizing the case.

A few years back, probably 2013, 14 or so, we had a 100-200 UBR night shoot. Conditions were good but not great. Tied a record that night shooting a 220 Beggs that I seated bullets into using a 6 PPC seater die. It's all I had at the time and it worked that well. Go figure!
That'll NEVER work!

 

[Eagle Six]

I've found most runout issues don't come from the seating op, but somewhere in sizing the case.

A few years back, probably 2013, 14 or so, we had a 100-200 UBR night shoot. Conditions were good but not great. Tied a record that night shooting a 220 Beggs that I seated bullets into using a 6 PPC seater die. It's all I had at the time and it worked that well. Go figure!
That'll NEVER work!

Yes if the sizing die is out of whack the seating is going to out of whack. Currently I'm using the Redding FL S bushing die with SAC bushing. I don't turn the necks using Alpha OCD brass. Neck runout is almost zero and use the VLD stem in the Redding Micrometer seating die. I'm sure there is another combination of dies that would do better. I'm sure I could spend a lot of time and money to find out. With what I have the rifle stacks up the bullets and that is fine for my use.

 

[quest450]

I like Micron seaters but it seems like I've wasted a lot of money according to few posters

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I prefer an inline seater. Wilson, Micron, Sinclair. All work well. I do agree that most runout comes from the sizing die, but have seen some bad seaters that added a good .003-.004". Not the ones I mentioned though. The thing I found with press mounted seaters was that I could alter seating depth by how hard I pushed on the handle. This was with multiple presses. My best results came by dwelling for a couple seconds with firm pressure at the bottom of the handle stroke. No such issue with inline dies. IM not talking much at all but it was measurable. But for a press mount, the Redding competition is the best design by far. Forster is similar, but more aluminum parts vs steel.

 

[pertnear]

I really like the RCBS in-line MatchMaster seater for presses.