I am looking at the Redding Competition Seater, Forster Ultra Micrometer Seater, Forster Benchrest Seater, or Whidden Micrometer Seater (260 only). I have some loads that I have been able to achieve my lowest runout values and most consistent neck tension by using an expander. If you choose to send your fired brass, please do not resize and plan to send in three pieces. JavaScript is disabled. I have shot .090 groups with lee dies and .30 caliber bullets and I have shot .065 groups with .284 bullets and RCBS X dies. If for some unforeseen reason we are out of stock of a caliber die, you the customer, will be notified within 24 business hours of the order being placed. Yes. Building the rifle on a Ruger 77 ts, 26 in (1-8) Lilja barrel, pillar bedding, some trigger work. I'm going to upgrade my dies for two rifles and am undecided which die manufacturer to go with. Neck tension can only be determined by changing expander balls with the non-bushing die. I currently have Redding Type S full length bushing dies for each and have been using RCBS seaters and not using the RCBS sizer at all. Lololwhen companies are giving you barrels to test it's not a wasteand all you had to say is you want to see groups at distance big guy.. Home; . These two die types are not to be confused as being interchangeable. High End Die Face Off Forester vs Redding vs Whidden Dies Lowprice Remington 700 Pmag trade 5 Ac L Magnum . 076-66387 | Redding. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. According to what I have read on other sites Whidden is also a great die. So you were not able to bump the shoulder with a neck die? I want recommend that you check the purchase price. I use them on 4 calibers currently. I run a separate expander mandrel die, for context. Proponents of them say that the floating bushing is supposed to allow the case to self center, thus improve concentricity? All of our standard sizer dies include a shoulder datum collar (shoulder bump gauge) to measure shoulder bump and headspace. Anyone get a little rub mark on the bullet right above the brass with the Forster? High End Die Face Off Forester vs Redding vs Whidden Dies High End Die Face Off Forester vs Redding vs Whidden Dies Universal 80 AR-15 Easy Jig Guns Lower receiver Ar Best Price Barnes Originals trade Bullets Barnes Bullets WILSON COMBAT 1911 EXTENDED THUMB SAFETY Brownells 31920323 Brownells Law Enforcement Catalog Weapons Supply Hoppe 039 s . The way I approached it was to find out the reamer specs (or alternatively measure fired brass) to get a sense of a starting point that I should be looking for. I have only ever used the standard RCBS or Hornady Custom Grade dies, and have never had any issues with them, but they are the best I have known. whidden vs redding dies +1 (760) 205-9936. Click Here for Reloading Die Instructions. Would like come comments/input to make the right choice the. Whidden Gunworks bushing dies will accept Whidden Gunworks, Redding, and Wilson bushings. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The pin retainer is used to retain the decapping pin and protects the stem of the die. I am saying this from first hand experience and extensive testing. As a side note, Fired/expanded neck diameters are rarely greater then .004-006 over my bushing sized neck diameter. I have both, but have more of the Forester seaters. Redding for everything other than the Lee Universal decapper. You are using an out of date browser. 2023 Whidden Gunworks All Rights Reserved, Click Adjustable Sizer & Micrometer Seater Set. I did NOT find a nylon bushing in the seater stem. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. I have had a set of Forster National Match 308 dies and I still have the set of forser 223 dies. Redding 6.5mm Creedmoor Competition Bushing Neck Die Set - The Best Budget Option. Furman are you sizing with a bushing die only then? With the exception of the Whidden inline dies. You can anneal more or less to control neck hardness and maintain the same seating pressure. That's what I look for off the bat when I gear up for a new caliber. $19.95. We can use a reamer print to produce the dies however, if the dies are manufactured and are not compatible with your rifles chamber, Whidden Gunworks will not be responsible for replacement dies or refund. One or the other will give you satisfaction. Either a bushing change or collet die can control this. With no preference on either, these types include the bushing sizer die and the non-bushing sizer die. Once the entire batch is made, we send them out to be hardened via a carburized heat treat process to ensure a lifetime of use. I also use Forsters Full length non bushing dies with great success, you can send them in or order from them and for a very small fee they will hone the neck to you desired size. bobinpa. And I always replace the Redding locking rings with the cross screw variety (Hornady usually) to save my die's threads. Forum Icons: Forum contains no unread posts Forum contains unread posts. I would advise against the whidden seating dies simply for the goofy nylon insert they use to seat the bullet. For turned necks you can get away with as little as 10 seconds. Redding is top of the line in my opinion. I want full length resize but am open to bushing. My Redding sizing dies all seem a little rough on the inside compared to the Whidden's. Really enjoy using the competition bullet seating die with the micrometer, which has sped up my reloading process. The offered me the Whidden at a slight discount (but still a tad more than the Forster). I've have both Whidden & Redding but in different calibers. I have redding type s and Redding competition and theyve been great. But now have a Redding S die FL 308 die with Forster 308 micrometer seating die. This would have to be checked out. Dies made by Redding for the Ackley version prior to 2011 were marked "280 Rem Imp 40 Degrees." They are still available. I use my 25/06 collet die to size the necks of my 257 Weatherby mag and it works great. Anyone used both and was their much difference in group size? It seemed to me that you could size the neck down with a regular die and then set neck tension with a mandrel. If you are uncertain just email a photo of the cartridge and we can make a determination. Will work with Foster Co-Ax Press. If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue. I had used the same 100 Lapua cases for all of those, so averaging over 20 loads per case and still running fine. Yes. Aug 18, 2020. Yikes! That being saidif there were anything else available in that cartridge Id save the $. The diameter of the expander ball will determine the neck tension. I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway, Barnes vs. Hornady vs. Quickload vs. Hodgdon, Well, Im done Adulting for Today and Tomorrow. You may even be able to use a 270 Win collet die set for your 270AI. They also include a pin retainer should you chose to use your sizer without the expander. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I will likely get the Redding and use those until the whidden custom set is finished(8-10 weeks) if the Redding set does not work so well. . The donor rifle is a Ruger 77, round top, tang safety. Answer: NO. forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/cost-of-redding-vs-whidden-dies.3963683/, Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/103.0.0.0 Safari/537.36. My experience isn't complete with them yet. The depth increments are easily read and will stay that way for years of use. Agree completely. 3. I do like the Forster option of the Forster bushing die with three bushings its like hitting the easy button to me as theyve always been right what I needed without having to source the bushings separately which I like or wait till I get brass to load a round. Make sure the store keep your private information private before you buy High End Die Face Off Forester Vs Redding Vs Whidden Dies Make sure you can proceed credit card online to buyHigh End Die Face Off Forester Vs Redding Vs Whidden Dies plus the store protects your information from fraudulents Make sure the customer support is always there to help you when you place High End . *Please note that the .375 & .408 CT Micrometer Seater is not a sliding sleeve style seater. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You must log in or register to reply here. This allows for a consistent setting from one loading to the next without the need for adjustment. I like the Redding micrometer better than the Forster but i think it's a Ford vs Chevy thing. A phone call to them might be worth your time. Not expanding with a button or expander mandrel? I want full length resize but am open to bushing. In Stock. Thoughts? The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. 224 Valkyrie Premium Series Full Length Die Set. If you call die makers they will give you the specs of the sizing die so you know what would work. The Braves' wrestler is a perfect 3-0 in state competition . JavaScript is disabled. In any case I believe you will need custom dies if your cartridge is the 270 AI then all should be do a great job. I haven't done it so I can't confirm but I've been reading a bunch and I think it looks appealing. For $12 additionally they will hone the neck to the correct size so no expander is necessary. My preference lately is Whidden or Redding.. If you don't like Redding, you really won't like Whidden.. my last set was a polished turd that failed to go through polishing. Replacement Decap Assembly Item #WHIDDCA21308. We can custom match your dies for Factory Rifles as well as Custom Rifles including auto loading rifles. I told him what I was looking for, he recommended Lilja barrels, I was very happy with the suggestion and now he is building my rifle. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Whidden custom VS H. Latest Post: Pay attention to inside neck tightness or inconsistencies. I have way more Forster ultra micrometer and theyve all been great as well. For people who are searching for High End Die Face Off Forester Vs Redding Vs Whidden Dies review. Redding type S fl sizing die with titanium nitride bushing. Lets get started. "Windage and elevation, Mrs Langdon. This really cuts down on case neck run-out. I'd like to get an AMP machine but struggle with the price. Reloading and tunin. Would that make a bushing set pointless? Redding 6.5 Creedmoor Master Hunter Set - The Best Redding Dies 6.5 Creedmoor. A micrometer seating die is also better for many reasons. Today I shot a .1150 group with Redding match dies and I was a bit shaky. " I don't give 2 shits if you anneal or repeat every step to the "T", it changes. Looking for a set of dies for 6.5 creedmoor and wondering which premium die set I should go with. Appreciate Leadburner's feedback. OTM tactical has a decent price on Whiddens and they are usually in stock, I have a set for a 280 Sherman theyre really nice. Should I purchase a match set or custom set. 21st Century Expander Mandrel to set precise/straight neck tension. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Get a price quote first. Everett, WA. I'm planning on Whidden hydroform dies, however not decided on anything else for the reloading dies. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I then bought a RCBS FL sizer and havent had an issue since. Do you have a reamer print or know anything about the chamber reamer dimensions? Wilson bushings. Dont you advently get a donut from this? Tumble (For me, wet via STM). I have slowly started putting my other dies in the corner to collect dust and leave the forsters out where i can easily grab them. Lee Precision Ultimate 4-Die Set - The Best for Lee Reloading Dies 6.5 Creedmoor. I'd like to get the die making process going, Whidden told me that there is a 2-3 month waiting period for the hydro forming dies. Deprime by hand. Dies for the Nosler version are marked "280 Ackley Imp," which is the SAAMI-approved abbreviation.In the past, RCBS dies for the Ackley cartridge were marked "280 Imp 40 Degrees," and they will continue to be so while dies for the SAAMI/Nosler version will be marked "280 . I think when I sent my last one in it was $10.00. These will be for a 7mm STW and a 260 Remington. Die fit can depend on what brass you run and what your chamber dimensions are. The Power-Pac linkage and solid steel arm multiplies the leverage you apply to the handle, making is easier to size cases and reduces fatigue more. Im running a t7 and Redding dies exclusively (minus a custom set of Hornady) and I will say that I wish my Hornady were Redding. So, I am looking to buy a set of dies for a 284 Win. What decapping pin is appropriate for small primer lapua brass with the small flash holes? It gives you what it gives you(too much). The pin was not bent so the decapping rod appears to have been bent from the factory. Quite often we hear the question What is the difference between a bushing full length sizer die and a non-bushing full length sizer die and which is best?. The seating stem has a small nylon bush in the end of the seating stem which pushes against the nose of the bulletin quite far forward of the ogive. I wouldnt hesitate on either one and I think Ive ended up with a lot more Forster because they are less expensive than the Redding but like I said theyre both great and havent given me any issues. In determining neck tension with the non-bushing sizer die, simply change the expander ball size to obtain the desired amount of tension. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Both the Whidden Bushing Die and Whidden Standard Die are manufactured to tolerances that exceed most expectations. Regardless of how much you spend you can only do so much. I do not neck turn, and I do not want to neck turn which is why I use Forster FL sizing dies. It also fully sizes the case neck fully to the shoulder for smoother functioning. You are using an out of date browser. If you want to set neck tension with a single operation to the tension you desire youll need a bushing die. No products in the cart. I would note that I use Lapua and Norma brass almost exclusively which have very consistent neck/wall thickness. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Short Action Customs Sizing & Seating Dies - Evaluation & Discussion, Alpha Class Long Range Scope Review - TT, ZCO, Schmidt, March, Vortex, Doug from Camera Land's Day 2 SHOT Show Report, Camera Land is Prepping for Year End Sales. As the neck enters the bushing the bushing applies a predetermined amount of tension on the neck. $710. .300blk set for subsonic and set for supersonic with 155gr boolit.) IMO, well worth the extra $$$. How many do you want me to post? Im sure it was a fluke, as many people run them without issue, but Ill stick to Redding personally. I'm not sure who made the reamer, however the gunsmith, Olson Gunsmithing, told me that he would send a blueprint copy of the reamer if I wanted one. For some reason I get a little creep in the seating depth after I set it with the Hornady die but the Redding are solid. I posted in reloading forum and may not have been seen. With this method the amount of neck tension is determined by the size of the bushing as it is the only and last area of the die to be in contact with the neck of the case. Is there a difference in accuracy downrange shooting ammo that say has .007-.010 runout from a bushing die vs say a honed FL sizing die that produces runout between .0005-.001 consistently? Rcbs was fine and Hornady broke the recapping rod the first time I used it for no apparent reason. I'm waiting to make a judgment on Whidden dies until I receive the custom die back. I will say whatever brand you pick you have to have one. Shall I start posting them for you?? I prefer to full length size every time and Forster does not make such a die that will FL size and control neck tension. Redding type S Fl sizing bushing die. The tolerances of the Whidden Standard Die give a repetitive measurement time after time. This really depends on the bushing/expander relationship. I have several Whidden Bullet seaters and after reading the post above from DanMac I disassembled one of them. Send a reamer print to the die companies and see if their die will match up with your chamber. I use a lot of bushing dies with great success. The bushings allow for .001 increments in neck tension in a range from .20 to .408 calibers. It's really a toss-up. I have an induction annealer and a hydraulic pressure gauge on my press. Whidden Click Adj Fl Bushing Sizer Die As handloaders have become more aware of shoulder bump and proper adjustment of the sizer die in recent years, there has become a . Lead time for Custom dies is currently averaging 10 weeks from thethe 1st of the following month in which your order was placed and your brass or reamer print was received by us. Access from your Country was disabled by the administrator. Don't feel like sending 100 rounds down the pipe for no reason, hydroforming is also said to result in fewer split shoulders and more consistent brass. Many of our Forum members have started using Whidden dies and they are reporting very positive results. Im also tempted to get the Sinclair expander mandrel (not there yet though). Not at all impressed with Whidden. 224 Valkyrie Type-S Elite Bushing Die Set. This is the reason I solely use Forster honed FL sizing dies. When I can produce ammo with virtually no runout for all calibers I reload for and precision rifle ammo that shoots tiny little groups all day long then I feel no reason to neck turn or use bushing dies. Whidden Gunworks reloading dies are the best way to be sure you are getting the most out of your time at the reloading bench. I have 5 Whidden sizer dies and about 10 to 12 sets of Redding dies. No expander ball. Round. Then after case prep, seating primer, and powder the bullet gets seated with the forster micrometer bench rest seater.. i dont typically check runout anymore because its always .001-.002 these days. All shot out of custom bolt guns with Stiller and Bighorn actions with Bartlein barrels. The beauty of the progressive press is one completed round with every stroke. What are your experiences with these? Presently building a .270 Ackley Improved. I prefer the Forster seating die over the Redding myself. I bought Redding to start but ran into major issues with the FL sizer denting the shoulder of the brass. The bushing size is dependent on case neck thickness and bullet diameter, not the chamber of the rifle. If it were a standard cartridge I would recommend a Redding body die to size the body and bump the shoulder back and a Lee collet die to do your neck. Whidden is asking for 3 fired casings to be sent to them to make the dies, however a blueprint of the reamer will also work. AS AN EXAMPLE: the loaded rounds measure on average .270 at the neck. I was going to wait until I was able to shoot my rifle when I get it back from the gunsmith, however it takes 2 months to get a barrel from Lilja. Hand charge powder using Fx120i and V3 auto trickler; +/- .02 grains. Redding 6.5 Creedmoor Premium Deluxe Set - The Runner-Up. It's the Chevy or Cadillac choice. The bushings also allow the shooter the opportunity to achieve the desired neck tension after neck turning of the brass. I like Redding and Whidden bushing dies but will stick to Redding if I have a choice. Not sure why. Whidden Gunworks manufactures custom dies for you to match your exact specifications for .20 Caliber and larger. I'm waiting to make a judgment on Whidden dies until I receive the custom die back. What Milo says is true, the brass changes because it flows forward and the neck gradually thickens which leads to an increase in neck tension. That is not setting neck tension with the die. Plus Whidden can make you a custom die for your rifle if desired. I have heard this from other folks too how a FLS/ collet/ honed die can result in less runout. On the 3rd firing my ADG brass wasn't getting the web of the case sized back enough and they would stick in the chamber. Point taken. Out of Stock. I have Hornady, RCBS, Whidden, Forster and Lee dies. This is beneficial when changing brands of brass, neck turning brass to achieve different wall thickness and experimenting with different neck tensions in loading. As the sizer die is removed from the case the bushing exits the case neck and the expander ball returns through the neck. This is a con? Ammunition reloading dies and bushings. What if you used a mandrel die to set neck tension? Yeah I am referring to .059" flash holes in lapua brass (namely 6.5 x 47 mm) that milo was referring to. We also made a video on this subject that you can check out here. 4. Dillon Powder Die for RL 450 RL 550 XL 650. The amount of tension is determined by the size of bushing used. I like the die a lot, it does what it's supposed to very well. NOTICE: We do our best to keep all of our standard caliber reloading dies in stock. I was getting terrible runout from both Redding and Whidden bushing dies in 2 different calibers with Lapua fireformed brass that was annealed. Our Custom dies are the best way to ensure you are getting the most efficiency out of your reloading process while gaining maximum precision and case life longevity. First encounter was finding someone who was familiar with, who was good working with Rugers and who wanted to build the rifle for me. The wide knurling on the die and lock ring make small hand adjustments simple. Privacy Policy. 2) I have found with unturned necks, that if I don't hold the case in the die for at least 12 seconds that I get spring back, the less time the worse it is and the more variabiltity in the final case neck sizes. We understand early in a rifle build fired brass may not be available. Just a shiny spot right above the neck in one spot. 13095 450th Ave. Bellevue, IA 52031. I'm not 100% sure about what dies will do the best job for what I intend to do. This radius doesnt allow the sizing of the case neck fully to the shoulder. The sizer will accept Redding or L.E. A forum community dedicated to Mississippi State Gun Owners and enthusiasts. Trustpilot. Upon completion your brass will be returned to you with your Custom Die. Once the die is set, the locking ring is simply secured using an allen head machine set screw. I could always use the Redding for SCAR 17 if I eventually decided to go with the custom whidden set.