Whidden vs Harrell Reloading Dies

[dbaird]

Need some advice on 6br reloading die.. What are the pros and cons of the Whidden and Harrell full length bushing die? Which is the best?

 

[SmokinJoe]

Both are custom sized to your fired brass & both are excellent dies in my experience. Whiddens will make dies for most anything, but my understanding is that Harrell's only makes dies for popular target rounds, BR stuff particularly. You're in luck though because they make a lot of dies for 6BR & variants. Harrell's is about half the cost of Whidden's. Ask for your dies to be on the smaller side of perfect - you can always polish out a little, but it's hell puttin' it back You won't go wrong with either, but for your app, I would go with Harrell's. Hope this answers your questions.

 

[BOB LEE SWAGGER]

You will be very happy with the Harrell's.

 

[lpreddick]

A vote for whidden...my first custom dies. They make a type s fl bushing die based on the reamer print. Fired brass can vary in dimensions. Must be why they ask for 3 or more cases. I like the idea of a die forming brass to chamber dimensions not forming brass to fired brass dimensions. I did not know Harrell's were less expensive. Whidden also includes a bump gauge that screws onto a caliper.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

I have both and you can't go wrong with either.

 

[joshb]

Any opinions on the Whidden production 6br bushing dies available from Midway?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Unless they have changed all the Whidden dies I have do not size much over half the neck. The bushing pocket is too shallow. The Harrells gets down very close to the shoulder.

 

[lpreddick]

My whidden type s fl bushing die will size the neck of my 6x47(222 rem mag) to the shoulder! I back it off a bit as I only want to leave a short section un sized.

 

[rangertim]

Maybe sizing the whole neck is Important in long range IDK but in short range doesn’t seem to matter ! Or am I leaving something on the table accuracy wise ?

 

[D-4297]

Maybe sizing the whole neck is Important in long range IDK but in short range doesn’t seem to matter ! Or am I leaving something on the table accuracy wise ?

Don't think so . A lot of L/R shooters use Bushing Dies , and we all know , for the most part , that Bushing Dies don't size the entire neck . I have two Whidden dies , and both are quality products . One for .308 F-TR , and the other is for a custom 7.62x54r ( .308 ) Open rifle . Never used Harrell's , but they have a excellent reputation for quality , and highly favored by the BR crowd .

 

[Forum Boss]

I have one Harrells FL sizer -- works great. Also multiple Whidden FL non-bushing (custom neck), and FL Bushing dies, and a Whidden Micrometer Seater. All excellent.

I tended to favor inline dies with Arbor press because I like the feedback of the force gauge. However I found 6BR cases with bullets seated with the Whidden Microm Seater shot just as well.

 

[Big Mc]

Need some advice on 6br reloading die.. What are the pros and cons of the Whidden and Harrell full length bushing die? Which is the best?

Comes down to FORD verses Chevrolet. Both are great. Just my two cents Tommy Mc

 

[Lefty Trigger]

I have both and have used both, I prefer the Whidden because I like having the expander ball in my dies and my Harrell's dont have one and don't appear to have the means to add one. Now to be be fair on this I did have some problems awhile back with a set of Whiddens 6mm bushings being either made wrong or marked wrong, but they made it right.
Not that you asked but I'm slowly swapping all my die sets to use Redding's full length bushing die in my sets but right now they are hard to find. Really you can't go wrong with any "top tier" dies.... don't forget about Wilson, they make awesome dies as well.

 

[boltman13]

My Whidden Bushing F L dies in 6 BR & 6.5 Creedmoor both give me excellent results. I have never used Harrells but also got good results from Forster Shoulder Bump Bushing dies.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I have yet to get a Harrell's I am not satisfied with.... Thats who I prefer.

 

[moondog]

Whidden bushings in a Harrells Die! I use Harrells for the BR. BRA, 6.5x47. I'd use more if they made them. I've had too many issues with Whidden Dies over the years. They always bend over backwards to try and make them right though. I prefer the inline seater dies.