Dies for precision 308 rounds

[Gliden07]

Been messing around with a Savage 308 that I bought from Dicks on the cheap 11VT, bolt with a crummy stock and optic. Mounted it on a Bell & Carlson stock with the aluminum bedding block, Falcon Menace Scope and a 20 MOA base. Want to start loading some rounds to up my game out to 600 yards at least. I have assembled some parts for this (had to take some time off though for some Family issues), bought a Lee Classic Cast SS press and am looking into dies. I've always had good luck with Lee Dies and was thinking the Yellow 4 die set? Was considering the Forster or Redding dies with the Micrometer adjustments for the bullet seating. Seems it would be easier to get set up and if it ever got out of whack after developing a round easier to reset. Just wondering about what some of you guys think about any of these die choices? Or if you have other suggestions.

[jimkim]

I saw an article a while back and the most accurate rounds the author managed to load were loaded with a hybrid set. He used a Lee collet die, and a Redding(it could have been Forster, but to my memory, it was Redding) benchrest seating die.

Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk

[OS OK]

Depends on just how accurately you want to make the cartridge. You can go off the chart on that idea like benchrest shooters do. I bought a book published by a benchrest shooter that addressed all their concerns just so I could be aware of all the little things that can be done. In the end I bought a set of Hornady dies and have been very pleased with 1/2 MOA results.
My cases weigh in at +-2 grains, Varget powder is auto dispensed and trickled to exact weight, boolits, HPBT's are set .010" off the lands in a single stage press and all these primary concerns get most attention. I keep concentricity to a max of .005" and all is well.
You can go to fire formed cases and neck size only but at some point you have to decide just how OCD you are going to allow yourself to get over this.
You need remember also that you as the shooter are the weakest link in this chain.

charlie

[MT Chambers]

The benefit of the Redding, Forster, or Vickerman dies is the "in-line seating" of bullets, critical to concentricity and therefore accuracy. RCBS also sells Comp. in-line bullet seaters with micro. adj......For my most accurate cast bullet shooting all reloading for all calibers use these types of dies/sets on my Co-ax press. I also like the bushing dies which allows you to expand necks to diff. dias. with no expander ball defeating your efforts. Your mileage may vary!!

[M-Tecs]

The benefit of the Redding, Forster, or Vickerman dies is the "in-line seating" of bullets, critical to concentricity and therefore accuracy. RCBS also sells Comp. in-line bullet seaters with micro. adj......For my most accurate cast bullet shooting all reloading for all calibers use these types of dies/sets on my Co-ax press. I also like the bushing dies which allows you to expand necks to diff. dias. with no expander ball defeating your efforts. Your mileage may vary!!

Same method and setup I use for all my long range ammo except I have never used Vickerman dies. http://www.vickermandies.com/

I would also recommend getting a RCBS case mic http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/574297/rcbs-precision-mic-308-winchester

[Karbon24]

I personally have the Redding Type S Match Bushing 3 piece die set, Redding part number 38155... set includes Type S Bushing Neck Sizing Die, Body Die and Competition Seater Die which has the micrometer for fine tuning seating depth... I also turn my necks so using one bushing gives me very consistent neck tension. It's a very nice set indeed.:drinks:

[ioon44]

I use the Redding Type S Match Bushing 3 piece die set for .308 and .22-250 and Sinclair neck turning tools. I can get under 1/2" MOA with this setup.

[lightman]

I guess I dare to be different. I don't like bushing dies for use in a factory chamber or with unturned case necks. I recommend a die set with a standard full length sizer and a competition style straight line seating die. The micrometer top is nice but is not necessary and adds to the cost. Forster, RCBS, Redding and Whidden all offer these. Then buy a few hundred Lapua or Norma cases, some Sierra Match King or Berger bullets and some 4064 or Varget powder.

[sparky45]

I guess I dare to be different. I don't like bushing dies for use in a factory chamber or with unturned case necks. I recommend a die set with a standard full length sizer and a competition style straight line seating die. The micrometer top is nice but is not necessary and adds to the cost. Forster, RCBS, Redding and Whidden all offer these. Then buy a few hundred Lapua or Norma cases, some Sierra Match King or Berger bullets and some 4064 or Varget powder.

Pretty much as I do things, except I have the Wilson in-line seating die. Then I follow that with a quick check on the concentricity gauge. Very seldom do I have to tweak the finished product because the Wilson is a fantastic die.

[ole 5 hole group]

All depends on how much time you want to spend reloading and how much money you have to spend. You can never go wrong with Wilson hand dies and an Arbor press such as those made by Sinclair, Harrell etc - lots of benchrest shooters use them and reload after each relay.

You really need to start out with good brass such as Laupa and go from there - not all rifles can shoot sub MOA groups with match grade ammo, not all riflemen can shoot consistent sub-moa groups with a sub moa rifle and match grade ammunition.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I use the Redding Type S Full Length Bushing Die, mostly so that I work the neck less for longer case life. It also allows for less resizing when using cast boolits of .310, .311 diameter. I do use the LEE Dies in most reloading. When seating bullets I often seat the bullet about half way then turn the give the case a half turn in the shellholder before completing the seating stroke, just because. (maybe straighter bullet seating?) For full-length sizing I always use a Redding Competition Shellhoder selected for the least amount of sizing for that rfile. I set the full-length die to bump the appropriate shellholder. (hoping to keep case head square with body) and minimize working of brass, both when resized and then when fired. The push-feed ejector on Savage should stabilize the case for the firing pin strike. Straight snug fitting (but not tight or binding) cartridges work best for most everything.

[MT Chambers]

I guess I dare to be different. I don't like bushing dies for use in a factory chamber or with unturned case necks. I recommend a die set with a standard full length sizer and a competition style straight line seating die. The micrometer top is nice but is not necessary and adds to the cost. Forster, RCBS, Redding and Whidden all offer these. Then buy a few hundred Lapua or Norma cases, some Sierra Match King or Berger bullets and some 4064 or Varget powder.
"Sierra Matchking" "Berger".......what is that??

[r1kk1]

One unique service that Forster offers is that if you send in three fired cases and buy one or full length sizer dies that are Forster, they will hone the dies with the neck tension you want.

Another great company is http://www.warner-tool.com. They make great dies but they are 1-¼" dies which are no problem for me. I have single stages and a turret press that can handle these.

Take care

r1kk1

[.22-10-45]

I have a pre-WW1 German Sporting rifle by H. Scherping in 7X57. Groove dia. is .289..std. loading dies would reduce fired cases undersize just to need expanding again..too much working of brass. I sprung for custom Redding bushing type dies. In my Hornet & .222 Rem. I use Redding bushing dies for neck sizing & seat with Wilson chamber type seaters with Sinclair micrometer tops.

[Preacher Jim]

i use redding or wilson for all my bench rest shooting.

[country gent]

I went to the redding full length bushing dies years ago, Just after they came out. In 308 they made very accurate ammo didnt over work the necks ( proper bushing size allows cases to be sized correctly with out expanders. Te Seating die does a very good job of loading concentric and straight ammo. Otherwise an small arbor press and wilson stright line dies ( Perferable the bushing version again.I have used RCBS standard and match grade, Lyman, and a set of Lees in 7/8 14 dies and the reddings outperformed them all. In straightline dies the wilsons are very good and Neil Jones offers a custom die set made to 3 of your fired cases. I bellieve Warner also offers this service. I have used the wilsons and a custom straight line set I made. The straight line dies are slower but can be very precise. The drawnack is these dies are only as good as the press shellholders and accesories used with them.

[Gliden07]

The Lee Classic Cast press from what I read is a very good press? I'm sure there are better ones but this should work fine.

[OS OK]

There is a simple test to see if your single stage press is good or not…'Does it flex? No. Then it's a good press.
"Yeah but…mine can hold a .50 cal!"…"So what…Mine doesn't flex."

[r1kk1]

The Lee Classic Cast press from what I read is a very good press? I'm sure there are better ones but this should work fine.

Its the best Lee makes. I didn't care for it. It will handle dies up to 1-1/4".

Take care

r1kk1

[HawkCreek]

My RCBS full length .308 die set has given me some phenomenal ammunition. I'm relatively new to reloading but I just use the inexpensive Lee trimmers (chucked in a cordless drill) and the RCBS beam scale that came in the kit.

[troyboy]

Good quality new brass.Lee collet neck sizer,Redding body die,Forster seater.Lee trimmer.Quality bullets.Concentricity gauge to check your product.

[Doc Highwall]

For my 308 I have the Redding competition bushing neck sizing die, and the full-length bushing die. For expanding the necks I modified a Forester seating die that has the sliding chamber to use a floating expander. I have a Redding competition seater die for jacketed bullets and a modified Forster seating die for cast bullets.

[silverjay]

Take a look at Whidden Gunworks. They don't make as many calipers, but what they make is excellent. Priced very competitively as well. I run them in a 6.5 creedmoor and find they produce straighter ammo than my Forster 308 dies.

[Gliden07]

Take a look at Whidden Gunworks. They don't make as many calipers, but what they make is excellent. Priced very competitively as well. I run them in a 6.5 creedmoor and find they produce straighter ammo than my Forster 308 dies.

This looks like nice stuff!! Thank you for the info!!

[Whiterabbit]

The Lee Classic Cast press from what I read is a very good press? I'm sure there are better ones but this should work fine.


There is a simple test to see if your single stage press is good or not…'Does it flex? No. Then it's a good press.
"Yeah but…mine can hold a .50 cal!"…"So what…Mine doesn't flex."


Its the best Lee makes. I didn't care for it. It will handle dies up to 1-1/4".

Take care

r1kk1

All great points. I own the classic cast and it's a GREAT press. I wouldn't ever buy a lee turret or any other lee press (except the hand press for re-seating rounds at the range, or other remote loading needs, but that doesn't count due to the specialty nature...) but the classic cast does not flex and manages primers excellently. Bonus for flipping it upside down for push through bullet sizing.

These days it sits on my bench more often than my also-great RCBS press.

[Gliden07]

All great points. I own the classic cast and it's a GREAT press. I wouldn't ever buy a lee turret or any other lee press (except the hand press for re-seating rounds at the range, or other remote loading needs, but that doesn't count due to the specialty nature...) but the classic cast does not flex and manages primers excellently. Bonus for flipping it upside down for push through bullet sizing.

These days it sits on my bench more often than my also-great RCBS press.


I did a lot of research prior to buying the Lee. Other presses I considered were the Forster Coax and RCBS Rock Chucker. I saw no real advantage of the Rock chucker over the Lee, and at the time of purchase no one had a coax press in stock!! I think I'll be fine with the Lee just trying to decide on Dies now!! To many choices and I don't feel I have enough experience to make an informed decision right now so I keep reading!!

[EDG]

Dies are only half of the issue. If you have huge sloppy factory chamber dies may do very little for you.

If you have a chamber in which the brass only expands the neck .002 to .004 when fired then you have the beginning of a chance at top accuracy.

I think a Forster FL die is probably the best deal because Forster will hone the neck out until you have the amount of neck sizing in the die without the need for an expander.

If you have a truly tight neck chamber L E Wilson hand dies will do a good job. They are pretty much standard bench rest equipment but they require a small arbor press since they are
not threaded.

If you have some other die that you want to torture you can lap one out using this process to get a precision fit neck.

https://rickaverill.com/projects-past-and-present/lapping-reloading-dies/

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have read all of this, and I have read just about everything pertaining to loading Super Accurate Ammo. I have a friend who is a very highly place BR shooter in CA. Won several State Championships.

The technology of barrel making and the machines involved and the Technology of Bullet making and the machines involved have evolved dramatically in the last 15 years. We are now seeing very inexpensive rifles that are capable of delivering sub MOA Accuracy with Factory Ammunition. This is solely due to vastly improved Manufacturing Techniques and Machinery.

What dies you choose are way down the list of things that really matter in loading ammo. A really good barrel is by far the most important factor, if you don't have that it really doesn't matter how you load your ammo. Bullets are next but I have to say they are less responsible than the barrel. I would say with confidence that you couldn't tell the difference between 2 batches of ammo with exactly the same components, loaded with either Redding Dies or Lee dies.

What is important is consistency in your loading. I have used the same 100 Federal .308 Cases in my Ruger Scout for all my shooting. They have been loaded 13-14 times and have been trimmed once The load is 45 gr of IMR 4895 with a pulled M80 Ball 147 gr FMJB,,, .13 cent bullets. It is my most accurate rifle delivering < MOA groups consistently. Some day I want to load some Berger Bullets and see what the gun is actually capable of. I'd bet with good bullets it would be 1/2MOA easily.

I use a RCBS X-Die to F/L Size them in the Rockchucker, and an RCBS Comp Seating Die to seat bullets, and an RCBS Seating die with the stem removed to crimp. All these bullets are shot from the magazine so that is why I crimp.

Point being: Nothing I am doing is Bench Rest Quality,,, tooling, components, loads, or even the gun, and yet excellent results are there.

There are so many variables here that singling out one factor is mute. If you are going to be a real live Bench Rest Shooter and you actually want to win, then you need to do everything, but you need to do them in an order of importance and you need to keep track of everything you do down to the last IOTA.

For anything less you need to address the primary components of accuracy first, IE: the barrel on the gun and bullets and find a load that works pretty well,,, and then pick away at the nitts until you get to where you want to be.

Pretty good idea to shoot a lot too, since it doesn't matter if your ammo is capable of all going thru the same hole at 1000 yards if you can shoot in the first place.

Randy