Wilson seater VS reddin comp seater?

[TrxR]

Whats the pros and cons of each for .223 used in F/TR? Also is the micrometer version worth the extra on the Wilson?

Thanks

 

[Preacher]

The Wilson will usually make straighter ammo because of the design.....
The mic seater is great till your done finding the length, and then what good is it ??
I would rather set the length with a caliper, and then be able to use it for other things..

 

[GSPV]

You can easily have a wilson blank cut with your chamber reamer such that the case sticks out just a couple of thou. That insures that everything is snug in there when you seat the bullet.

I have the micrometer tops. They are OK. I've moved to using the standard tops...one for each barrel-bullet combination that I shoot. Just remember that one full turn is almost exactly 40 thou.

With that said, a practical reason is that you don't tie up your press with the seater. I don't like having two presses around.

 

[TrxR]

Are you guys using arbor presses with them ? If so is it one specifically designed for reloading? Im really starting to think about buying a Type S full length and Neck die and getting one of the wilson seaters. How much harder is it to set the non micrometer top seater?

 

[TrxR]

I will be using 90gr bergers if it makes any difference.

 

[LHSmith]

Arbor presses are best for in-line seaters. Sinclair, Harrell Precision, and K& M offer arbor presses specific to reloading. I would forgo the neck sizer......FL size every time. A set screw locks the adjustment. I use seater die shims specifically made for Wilson seaters to adjust seating depth....simple, accurate, inexpensive, and fast....just remember to record changes.

 

[GSPV]

I use shims, too, to find or experiment. But once I find the bullet/barrel combo, it gets locked down and labeled. I might be letting the cat out of the bag, but my stems are specific to a given bullet.

 

[TrxR]

Are any of you seating by hand without a press?

 

[MarkS]

TrxR,

I buy a Redding S F/L die and a wilson seater for new rounds. I do use a arbor press for seating. A+ on what LHSmith said about F/L every time.

Mark Schronce

 

[Shynloco]

TrxR,

I buy a Redding S F/L die and a wilson seater for new rounds. I do use a arbor press for seating. A+ on what LHSmith said about F/L every time.

Mark Schronce

Same here. That combination has worked the best for me in all the calibers I reload for.

 

[bozo699]

TrxR,

I buy a Redding S F/L die and a wilson seater for new rounds. I do use a arbor press for seating. A+ on what LHSmith said about F/L every time.

Mark Schronce

Same here. That combination has worked the best for me in all the calibers I reload for.

Ditto for me as well.
Wayne.

The Wilson will usually make straighter ammo because of the design.....
The mic seater is great till your done finding the length, and then what good is it ??
I would rather set the length with a caliper, and then be able to use it for other things..

I also agree with this, there nice to find your sweet spot but after that there top heavy and a pain in the back side.

One other thing I do is I have an optical comparitor available to my so I have my seating stems reground to my bullet of choice profile, seems to make seating depth variences much less and no bullets sticking in the stem.
Wayne.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I'm on the other side of this , mainly because I prefer to seat my bullets in a press. It just seems easier that way for me. I don't get where people claim one better than the other based on design. They both use a body or sleeve to support the case while the bullet is seated. The Redding basically seats the case on the bullet and the Wilson seats the bullet in the case, because with the Redding the bullet is held still while the case is raised onto it. The sliding sleeve maintains the case being supported the whole time. The Wilson would do the same if turned upside down. Of course that would be tricky..keeping the powder in there. Redding sells blank sleeves that can be reamed with your chambering reamer if you prefer, or often you may be able to use a smaller sleeve such as a ppc and run a BR reamer in to achieve a better fit. I'm not saying that one design is better than the other. In fact I would argue that they are equal. I simply prefer to seat bullets in my press. The Redding allows me to do this. JMHO.--Mike Ezell

 

[Erik Cortina]

You can easily have a wilson blank cut with your chamber reamer such that the case sticks out just a couple of thou. That insures that everything is snug in there when you seat the bullet.

I think this is a bad idea because if the case is longer than the die you will be seating off the shoulder, thus creating inconsistent bullet seating.

My $0.02

 

[fdshuster]

TrxR: Regarding the micrometer top versus non: If you are going to be using one bullet only, in your post the 90 gr in a 223, then the non micrometer top would be fine. Set it and forget it.

But for those of us using the same bullet seater for multiple chamberings ( in my case 7 in 6BR & 5 in 6ppc), and with different bullets, then for me the micrometer top is my choice. I use them in both the 7/8" x 14 threaded seaters (Forster) and the Wilsons. All the adjustments are recorded and I'm able to change from one chambering requirement/ bullet type to another in a matter of seconds.

I do find the press mounted seaters (Forsters) to be a bit faster compared to the Wilsons, I believe there is more chance of powder spillage with the Wilsons, since the case is free standing to some extent more than with the threaded seater. With the Forster, the case goes from the loading block to the shell holder. With the Wilson, there is a period of time when the powder filled case is sitting on top of the base plate of the arbor press, unsupported, and that's the time when it's likely to be knocked over.

In side by side comparison's, Forster seated vs. Wilson seated I've never been able to determine any accuracy advantage with either.

Just my opinion, based on my using both. Not slamming or criticizing either method.

 

[Shynloco]

I'm on the other side of this , mainly because I prefer to seat my bullets in a press. It just seems easier that way for me. I don't get where people claim one better than the other based on design. They both use a body or sleeve to support the case while the bullet is seated. The Redding basically seats the case on the bullet and the Wilson seats the bullet in the case, because with the Redding the bullet is held still while the case is raised onto it. The sliding sleeve maintains the case being supported the whole time. The Wilson would do the same if turned upside down. Of course that would be tricky..keeping the powder in there. Redding sells blank sleeves that can be reamed with your chambering reamer if you prefer, or often you may be able to use a smaller sleeve such as a ppc and run a BR reamer in to achieve a better fit. I'm not saying that one design is better than the other. In fact I would argue that they are equal. I simply prefer to seat bullets in my press. The Redding allows me to do this. JMHO.--Mike Ezell

Mike,
As a side note as to why I like using the Wilson Bullet Seater and Arbor Press method better than using the the press method you like to use. It's actually not because one die is better than the other. I like using my Wilson dies (that I use to seat bullets in 6 different calibers, some with and some without the mic head) because I use the Arbor press in which I can get a better "feel" for the consistency of the neck tension as I seat each bullet. I just don't get that same "feel" with that big arm lever on either of my bench presses and its become a personal preference thing. Like others have mentioned, is has zip to do with whether one method is better than the other and my method merely "floats my boat."

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

It certainly stands to reason that you'd have better feel by hand, but I can feel slight variations on a press also. I agree that this is more about personal preference than it is about real differences in the two. The old saying about, if you think one is better than the other, then it is, applies here.

 

[nosualc]

Another big reason I prefer the Wilson seaters (on top of the reasons mentioned above) is that it's a lot easier to pack an arbor press for at-range loading than it is to pack my big press.

IMO, it is way more efficient to work up a load and fine tune at the range. Do your brass prep, sizing and priming at home. Charge and seat at the range.

-nosualc

 

[22BRGUY]

Another possible seater that works pretty good is a Vickerman if you can find one. I've compared the bullet runout with them to the Wilsons and they seem to produce just as straight of loads as the Wilsons most of the time and they seem to be a little faster to use.

 

[TrxR]

So basically my best bet for dies is a F/L type S sizing die and which ever I feel comfortable with for the seating die. The Wilson is cheaper but then I need a Arbor press is it possible to be accurate doing it by hand? The advantage to the Wilson is I can leave my sizing die setup and am not changing dies out all the time. The Wilson is less moving parts so it might last longer as well .

Choices are hard on the head. :-\

 

[Erik Cortina]

Get a press, don't try to do it by hand.

I personally like the Wilson because I preload for matches. I take my die and press with me and re-seat bullets in hotel room before the match.