Wilson vs Redding vs Forster

[Spikesniper]

I am looking at buying a good sizing die for my 260 Rem. I have been using Nosler custom brass, no turn, and my RCBS FL die is overworking the shoulder/neck junction. I have a Wilson seater, and am leaning that direction, but would like some input. I primarily load at home, my range is next door, but am thinking about getting into some light comp stuff. Does it boil down to personal preference, or are there pros and cons I'm not considering?

 

[SS427]

Pretty sure Wilson only makes a neck sizing die, so if you want to continue FL sizing you will need to go with Redding or Forster. Between the two I only own Redding and am 100% satisfied with their dies.

 

[tenring]

Thats right, the Wilson will not F/L resize. Do yourself a favor: Send $70 and three fired cases to Harrells, and you will receive a precision F/L bushing sizing die.

 

[Scott Harris]

For 260REM, I think the best default answer will be a Full length bushing die from Redding. Now if Harrell's will create you the same thing (but custom) for $70, then that would be a no-brainer. But, I thought Harrell's only did benchrest stuff like 6ppc and 6BR. Fwiw, bushing dies provide more flexibility and honed/fixed neck dies produce less run-out....but you have to purchase several to have everything you need.

 

[brian427cobra]

What do you mean by overworking the shoulder? How did you set up your FL die, the instructions that it came with or a headspace gauge? I use a Redding Type S FL die set to bump the shoulder .001, I neck turn my 260 brass(Win 7-08 resized to 260Rem) and use a .288 bushing with Reddings Carbide expander installed, the expander barely touches and gets the dent in the lip my Surgeon Action leaves on every piece of brass, I seat all my bolt action rounds with Wilson inline dies.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Spikesniper, I know exactly what your saying. They will problly all do that, unless you get a custom. But the redding will be best. Actually I hav a redding s-die for a 260 ackly that squeezes the shoulder in .001. Couldn't ask for any better. I have a forster too, it will over do it.

 

[bozo699]

For 260REM, I think the best default answer will be a Full length bushing die from Redding. Now if Harrell's will create you the same thing (but custom) for $70, then that would be a no-brainer. But, I thought Harrell's only did benchrest stuff like 6ppc and 6BR. Fwiw, bushing dies provide more flexibility and honed/fixed neck dies produce less run-out....but you have to purchase several to have everything you need.

I agree with scotharr 100% I also find Redding and Forster equally great factory dies. Even the RCBS though can precisely bump the shoulder .001 if set up correctly.
Wayne.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I really like Redding and Neil Jones dies, if I had the correct press, Warner sizing die with inserts would be on my table. My fave seating die has to be the ones that Neil makes.

 

[Spikesniper]

Thanks to all. Good replies and lots of info. Brian- the problem I am having is that the thicker shoulder brass is somehow being worked up into the shoulder-neck junction and causing a doughnut. Oddly, the Nosler brass I am using has only been sized once. When I initially set up my die, I was using Remington brass. I set the die to barely bump the shoulder using the old candle trick, and then verified by checking length with the chamber gauge the gunsmith made me. According to my calipers, I'm bumping the shoulder .002. I fired the Rem brass 12 times before replacing with the Nolser Custom with no problems. I didn't reset the die for the different brass, but the trim length was the same and the press barely cams over at the bottom. I subsequently neck-reamed the brass using a Wilson reamer, and have fired some 4 times with no problems. I read some other posts online that claimed to have had the same problem with the Nosler 260 brass after only one firing. Not sure why, maybe softer brass? I just received some Lapua brass today, and I found a good deal on Redding S dies from Natchez Shooting Supply. We'll see if the problem persists.