Redding: Hard to Like Sometimes

[Phil3]

I use a Redding Competition Micrometer seater die and FL die for 223 Remington. The dies work well enough, even if the Redding (and probably every other FL die) give me plenty of neck runout. But the Redding company does frustrate me. I have to wonder why they don't change on the case and instructions (below).

PRICES: Expensive. Using Midway prices, the Redding Competition Micrometer Bullet Seater is $101. The Forster equivalent is $70. The Redding FL die is $31. The Forster is $34, $4 more. The Redding Master Hunter set (seater and FL die) are $115. The Forster equivalent is $97.

DIE CASE: Whoever designed the case for the Redding micrometer seating die should be fired, yesterday. Adjust the micrometer seater to your needs and then find it is too long to fit in the case! The three choices are to store the seater somewhere else, put it in the case with lid closed part way (not latched), or screw the seater back down, put it in the case, and then readjust back out when used again. Why not a case that is long enough for the biggest dies? Like Forster.

INSTRUCTIONS: Instructions may come with the die, but if you ever lose them, don't bother looking on-line. None there. I had to e-mail Redding and they sent them to me. Why aren't these on-line? Like Forster.

WEBSITE: It is personal opinion, but I don't find the Redding site well done. Other may feel differently, but I find the Forster site more friendly and easier to find what I need, and when I do, it looks better.

I plan to move to Forster dies to the extent they are available. I need a collet neck die and body die, and Forster has neither. Only Lee and Redding, respectively, as far as I know.

Phil

 

[ReedG]

If you mean a true "collet" neck sizing die, Lee is the only one. If you mean "bushing" sizing, then Forster has an excellent "bump" sizing die that uses bushings (http://www.forsterproducts.com/store.asp?pid=27654). I do not think they have a full-length bushing die, but they will custom ream one to your specs.

 

[gilream]

Phil...Your post made me go downstairs and check the box fit for my two week old Redding Competition Seater Die in .223 Remington. I have the lock ring set and the micrometer dialed in to seat the Hornady 75 grain BTHP to an OAL of 2.258...close to maximum magazine length. I took it out of the press and it dropped into the die box perfectly! 1/2 inch clearance from the top of the die and 1/4 clearance at the bottom. Did you set up the die by compressing the sleeve 99% into the die body before tightening the lock ring? I have many different types of Redding dies for three different calibers and consider them to be of excellent quality. For my needs that is.

Do yourself a favor and get the Lee Collet die and a Redding body die in .223 Remington...they are both available right now from Midway USA and you can get the pair for 50 bucks. With your Redding Competition Seater you will have a very nice setup. (sell your FL die with the sizer button on Ebay?....) just sayin'

I am new to the AR reloading party as well but have had excellent results to far so feel free to PM me anytime if you think I can help.
Mike

 

[Phil3]

Hi Mike,

See http://www.sniperforums.com/forum/cartridges-calibers/33083-bullet-seating-dies-redding-vs-forster.html. L

Let me know if your Redding case is like the one shown. I think the issue is with the Forster Co-Ax press I use. The writer in the above link used a Co-Ax. Notice where the lock ring is. Far down on the die body. That positioning makes it impossible to fit the lock ring into the Redding case slots without the mic head hanging outside the box. You can see how the die will fit, IF the lock ring is further up the die. But, doing that requires backing off the mic head for the same bullet seating depth, so that won't help.

To answer your question, yes, the sliding sleeve was 99% compressed before securing the lock ring. Is your Redding box like the one in the link and where is your lock ring on the die?

Phil

 

[Steve Blair]

I use a Co-Ax press, too. I replaced all my Redding boxes with Lyman boxes from Midway. The orange boxes are not perfect but my dies fit in them.

 

[Phil3]

The Forster Co-Ax or Bonanza has been around forever and I find it disappointing that Redding will not make available a box that will hold their dies for use in that press.

Phil

 

[bozo699]

The Forster Co-Ax or Bonanza has been around forever and I find it disappointing that Redding will not make available a box that will hold their dies for use in that press.

Phil

Well phil is correct, the `die will not fit the box once setup, I do not like the redding boxes anyway, never have, I buy forster boxes and put my redding dies in them if I am running the competition series dies, Redding dies are very good but I agree with Phil, there boxes suck and so does there instructions, also Forster lock rings are much better.
Wayne.

 

[fdshuster]

phil3: I've always favored the Forster Benchrest Micrometer seating die, as you said, at a $25 lower cost than the equivalent Redding. I do not like the crude adjustment on the Redding: One 360 degree turn equals .050" of movement with the reference lines so very close together. Forster on the other hand has .025" of adjustment for each 360 degree turn, and with the large spacing between the reference lines I can actually adjust to the nearest one half thousandth.

Forster dies all come with the split locking ring, so very easy to adjust (without taking the die out of the press), unlike the Redding's that have the small locking set screws that dig into the 7/8" x 14 threads, and are impossible to loosen without taking the die out of the press, putting it in a padded vice and breaking free with a pair of pliers being the only option.

The Forster red die box's are a very good size, large enough to hold a complete set of dies, unlike the much smaller Reddings. For me, just too many advantages with the Forster seaters over the Redding, although I do use the Redding Type S FL neck bushing dies (and keep them in the red Forster box).

 

[jonbearman]

I met the owner of redding at a gun show not to far from the factory.He noticed I had a set of lyman 50-70 dies and asked why I bought them.I said because they were the only ones available.He said,they are junk and snickered.I said why are they junk.He replied because they werent his.What kind do you make may I ask? He said I am the owner of redding.I said so.He said you dont know what you are talking about.I asked him why are yours better,he really was stuped.I said I will bet these will last me a lifetime.He said again that they were junk.I said now you know why I dont buy your dies and I walked away.Well the lymans are still working and as I matured,I started buying redding stuff.It is very good.It took along time to get over his remarks but they will never change the die boxes because they suck.The forster boxes are by far the nicest made in the industry and their dies arent so bad either.I just had to tell my story because it kinda fits the reason they dont make boxes that fit.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Well phil is correct, the `die will not fit the box once setup, I do not like the redding boxes anyway, never have, I buy forster boxes and put my redding dies in them if I am running the competition series dies, Redding dies are very good but I agree with Phil, there boxes suck and so does there instructions, also Forster lock rings are much better.
Wayne.

Ditto. JCS

 

[CatShooter]

I spoke to Patrick Ryan about 10 years ago, about their crappy die box.

I asked him what kind of idiot would pay the money they change for their dies, and then be so cheap to use the die box as a loading block.

He admitted that the box sucked, but said that Redding was too cheap to pay for new molding dies for a new box.

I think it is the worst box in the industry.

 

[Elwood]

Cut out the moulding in the middle of the box to make the comp seating dies fit, it takes about 2 minutes with a Stanley knife and then finish off with a dremel. Admittedly you shouldn't have too, but it's a quick and cheap fix.

 

[gilream]

I suppose I'm the fortunate man here because I can not think of a reason to slam Redding products. I have a Redding Competition Die Set in 22 PPC (comp. bushing neck die, body die and comp. seater) and a Competition Bullet seater in .223 Remington that I use in a Rockchucker press. All of the long dies with sliding sleeves fit perfectly in the boxes that they came in with the lock rings fixed, set and resting in the slot. I've loaded over a thousand rounds with the PPC set with no problems. That said, I have never tried the Forster dies but I do hear good things about their products.

 

[bozo699]

I suppose I'm the fortunate man here because I can not think of a reason to slam Redding products. I have a Redding Competition Die Set in 22 PPC (comp. bushing neck die, body die and comp. seater) and a Competition Bullet seater in .223 Remington that I use in a Rockchucker press. All of the long dies with sliding sleeves fit perfectly in the boxes that they came in with the lock rings fixed, set and resting in the slot. I've loaded over a thousand rounds with the PPC set with no problems. That said, I have never tried the Forster dies but I do hear good things about their products.

Gilream,
I use custom dies for my ppc's but I would imagine the little short dies would fit in the redding boxes since all boxes are the same size, try that with a .300wm competition die all set up to seat bullets!
Wayne.

 

[LHSmith]

If I understand this tread correctly, some of you think that a company should engineer their die storage box to be more accommodating when used with other competitors equipment (Specifically one reloading press of non-standard design)? Shirley you can't be serious?

 

[ridgeway]

I recently had a major issue with a set of Redding carbide pistol dies and most likely will not buy Redding dies again. Prior to that I had concentricity problems with a Dasher FL sizer die. After having a couple issues with a manufacturer , I tend to steer clear from them. There are several other manufacturers that make nice stuff.

 

[ridgeway]

Also, Redding locking rings are horrible! Can't believe they can't manufacturer a Sinclair type. RCBS is the same way.

 

[gilream]

Wayne...No doubt some of the larger cartridges require a longer barrel on the die itself as well as a longer micrometer top. Just relating my personal experience with Redding products.

Mike

 

[bozo699]

If I understand this tread correctly, some of you think that a company should engineer their die storage box to be more accommodating when used with other competitors equipment (Specifically one reloading press of non-standard design)? Shirley you can't be serious?

No sir!....not at all, some of us are using the competitors die boxes because the Redding die box, will not house there own dies once set to seat bullets, there regular seater will but not the long micro top competition seater once set up, that is the complaint,...so to put them back in there own box they must be screwed back in, not the end of the world but a pain in the A** because once set it's nice to leave them set up,. I mostly use Wilson or custom inline dies now but for the ones I still use the Redding competition dies I just order a Forster die box at the same time and throw the redding away! That's all.
Wayne.

 

[dickn52]

LHSmith is my hero. After all this typing, it's hard to believe that one company should dictate to a competitor on how to compete.