Lee vs Bonanza vs Hornady dies

[troyboy]

The support equipment used is listed in my previous thread. The dies used in todays test are Bonanza full length and standard seater, Lee full length resizer and seater and a Hornandy seater with the sliding sleeve. The results are as follows for .223

Bonanza full length sizer and standard seater: .0049 avg runout and .0008 seating depth variation for 10 cartridges.


Lee full length resizer and dead length seater: .0036 avg runout and .0002 seating depth variation for 10 cartridges

Bonanza full length sizer and Hornady sleeve seater: .0029 avg runout and .0008 seating depth variation for 10 cartridges.

Lee full length resizer and Hornady sleeve seater: .0035 avg runout and .0004 seating depth variation for 10 cartridges

[EDG]

That is a very interesting learning experience.
It seems there are variations caused by each die in the set.
Were you unable to try the Bonanza sizer crossed with the Lee Dead Length seater?

[troyboy]

Never thought about that. I'm still set up so trying your idea will not take much time. After this exercise it will be Rcbs and Lee.

[Love Life]

Did you sort your bullets with a comparator before doing the test?

[troyboy]

All the bullets were out of the Sierra box. None were sorted. Range brass fired by unknown rifle RP headstamp.

[troyboy]

As suggested by EDG.

Bonanza full length sizer and Lee dead length seater: .0044 runout and .0004 seating depth varation for 10 cartridges

[MtGun44]

Hornady sizer and seater gives me a very low runout, and I am not as
worried about LOA variations as it seems less important on the target
than runout. IME Lee collet sizer also gives extremely low neck
runout. Seating can mess that up unless with a good die, like Bonanza
benchrest or Hornady with sleeve.

[Rory McCanuck]

How are you measuring OAL? To the tip or with a comparator?
I've had variations of more than 0.010" measuring from bullet base to tip, but put a seating plug the pushes on the ogive and measure from bullet base to top of plug, less than 0.002" variation.
If you haven't pre-sorted your bullets, you're just generating bad data.
Are your dies and shellholder free floating, as in a Co-Ax, or are they being forced to line up in a rigid set-up, like a RockChucker?
Just stuff to ponder.

[troyboy]

Sorting bullets is the least variable in this random die exercise

[EDG]

I don't have a run out checking fixture. I ran a lathe about 7 years and I can see .003 run out easily. I test my ammo by rolling it cross a smooth table top. The longer the bullet the easier it is too see at the tip of the bullet.
It would be interesting to test with an indicator because I have a lot of dies and some duplicates (some duplicates of the same brand too) that could be tested against each other.
I have several test calibers that I have accumulated a wide array of loading tools for. I have both Wilson hand dies and Forster Bonanza for these. I also have a few Redding Competition seaters, one of the RCBS Micrometer Vickerman seaters and a few hand made tools that exhibit closer tolerances and finish than any factory made dies.