Redding Comp. Seater vs. Wilson Inline Seater--Opinions?

[Forum Boss]

Moderator
In our Gear Reviews we recommend the use of a Wilson Micrometer-top inline seater die. Our 1000yd Editor, Jason Baney, also believes a Wilson, or the superb click-indexing inline seater by JLC Precision, will produce the most concentric rounds.

However, Kyle Brown set the 10-shot 1000yd World Record group with bullets seated with a Redding Competition seating die. Obviously, he made pretty good ammo. So, is the Redding more than good enough? When you factor in the price of a good Arbor Press, using the Wilson die costs more money.
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ReedG
My prejudice is toward the Redding because that's what I use. I don't believe a Wilson, which is indeed and excellent die and good equipment, can seat a bullet any more "straight" than a properly adjusted Redding Competition seater. My view would be that if you are already set up for loading the "arbor press" way, then by all means go with the Wilson seater. But if you are a "tradition" threaded die user then the Redding will seat as well as any type of shooting will require. I will also add into this mix the excellent Forster Micrometer seater die, which I use in .223. It is a very good piece of equipment, too.
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Riverine
I've used all 3,Wilson, Redding Comp, and Forster) in different calibers. Overall, they're all good dies. I'm leaning to the Wilson now. I can't say it is machined better, but with a hand die you eliminate the thread slop in a press, and the chance that the shell-holder is misaligned with the die axis. I've also used the Reddings with an RCBS turret press and there's some vertical play in the turret head which can't be good.

I found the Forster works just as well as the Redding EXCEPT the Forster's index marks are VERY hard to see, and I think the blued finish may be more prone to rust than the Redding. The only knock on the Redding is that the bottom of the seater stem,that contacts the bullet) has a sharp edge that can cut into softer jackets like the Scenars have. I chamfered and honed the inside lip of the stem mouth--but Redding should do this at the factory.

The Wilson isn't perfect either. Figure $75-$120 for an Arbor, and it's slow. But Wilson makes good stuff. I think their trimmer is the best non-powered unit available, and it's actually cheaper to buy the case holders than Forsters' collets and pilots.
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Jay, Idaho
I also think that either style can produce very concentric and consistent cartridges. The important thing is to make the seater, either Wilson style or die insert, with the chamber reamer. I lean toward the Wilson style because you can use the shim set,Sinclair, Haydon) to adjust seating depth instead of adjusting a die in a press.

The die or insert must be made by a skilled machinist or gunsmith that understands the required steps to keep the machined part very concentric. A quick and crappy job is unacceptable to a precision reloader. One person's opinion.

 

[jb1000br]

threads and tolerances therein make it harder to get straight rounds from a standard threaded press/die setup, but it can be done

JB

 

[AlNyhus]

The Redding dies are excellent.

However......the big question mark when using a threaded die is the press. If you take the time to check out how straight the ram is,relative to the die), you can get a real eyeopener! Even if the ram travel is perfectly perpendicular to the die mounting face on the press, there is some misalignment just by virtue of the die being threaded into the die and secured with a threaded lock ring..even when the lock ring fits tightly.

After tinkering with this some time ago and trying different fixes, the best way I've found is to place a rubber 'o' ring between the locknut and the press and snug the die down against it. This seems to allow the die to center itself to whatever plane the ram is in when it raises.

Not saying it's needed or will help in every situation, but it's an easy way to see if the concentricity can be improved.

Good shooting and Happy Holidays, guys! -Al

 

[M700]

My benchrest shooting buddies talked me into upgrading from my 20 year old Rockchucker & RCBS dies to a Hart arbor press and Wilson dies.

I'm not a benchrest kind of shooter, long-range prone is my game, but my accuracy picked up considerably when I switched to the Wilson dies. Also, very nice case trimmer... Loading with Wilson dies for a pair of .308 rifles and a .25-06 sporter.

Regards, Guy

 

[Anmlsrdelicious]

Appears an old topic is being revisited, so I'll add my experiences. I use an RCBS rockchucker press with the Forster competition seater, which is identical to the Redding. The concentricity gauge does not lie, and my loads are in the .001 range. We all have our preferences, but the concentricity gauge tells the story. Whichever you choose will work fine, so long as they seat staight. But I'd also add that it is important when talking about runout to talk about chamber dimensions and how they relate to your die. Everything has to work together in my opinion.

 

[USAPatriot]

Appears an old topic is being revisited, so I'll add my experiences. I use an RCBS rockchucker press with the Forster competition seater, which is identical to the Redding. The concentricity gauge does not lie, and my loads are in the .001 range. We all have our preferences, but the concentricity gauge tells the story. Whichever you choose will work fine, so long as they seat staight. But I'd also add that it is important when talking about runout to talk about chamber dimensions and how they relate to your die. Everything has to work together in my opinion.

I have to agree. I use a regular old RCBS Partner press and Redding Comp seaters. I use Sinclair's concentricity setup with the dial gauge and my rounds barely budge the gauge. Note also that when I seat a bullet, I seat it down about halfway, backoff and rotate the case about 90 degrees or so, then finish seating the bullet. It's a habit I acquired many years ago. -Rod-

 

[chino1969]

I use a RCBS Rockchucker press and have Redding competition seaters and Forster competition seaters. I also have Wilson in-line seaters, an arbor press, and a Sinclair concentricity gauge. The Redding & Forster are fine but the Wilson seats a more concentric bullet. I've squared the threaded dies with the shellholders, turned the case halfway when seating, and still cannot get the threaded dies to match the in-line seater's excellent concentricity. The sliding sleeves in the competition seaters have some degree of +/- tolerance as well as the threads and I just can't seem to get the accuracy that other people are getting. I've compared both methods on the concentricity gauge and the Wilson will produce consistently concentric rounds with <.001 total indicated runout,tir). With the threaded competition dies, I'll get from .001 to .003 max; not bad but not perfect.