Best Dies for .308

G

GunLocators

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Without breaking the bank whats the best for the money competition grade .308 die sets I will be loading on a single stage press for a rem 700P sniper rifle i just purchased and want to squeeze every ounce of accuracy out of it and want great reloads
 
As with most any tooling, you get what you pay for.

The Redding micrometer head bushing dies are pretty dern nice. I sure like mine.

It's that or Wilson dies used with an arbor press.
 
I was thinking redding any particular set get a crimp die yes no? full length sizer? neck sizer also whats the best place to get a arbor press
Dont mnd spending on quality stuff if worth it Any help is appreciated
 
A really really nice arbor press (as in WAY overkill) is the one Nesika used to make. I think they still have a few floating around the shop. It'd be worth a phone call. Ask for Richard. 605.347.3220
 
Redding Competition Collet dies

I think you would find these dies to be superb!

I was having a run-out problem and went to these dies and a Forster Co-Ax press and the run-out problem was solved. The micrometer seating die is especially nice as I reload for different guns and can adjust the seating length with a simple twist. Also the body die is great for setting the neck back and resizing the body from time to time.

Love them so much I have three sets - 223, 6mmBR, and 308.

George
 
308 Dies

GunLocators: Forget about crimping if you are interested in accuracy. I've loaded thousands of rounds for an M1 Garand, and several ARs', used them in match competition, never had an ammunition-related malfunction, and not a single round was ever crimped. If your end result is accuracy, match bullets ( Sierra, Berger, etc) do not have a crimp groove, so crimping is a moot point anyway. The only time I will crimp is for my silhouette, lever-actions that have tubular, spring loaded magazines. There is no need to crimp for a bolt-action, or for that matter, most other rifles. I've always liked and used the Redding dies ( "standard" for factory chambers, neck bushing for tight, no-turn necks), and the Forster Ultra Benchrest micrometer seaters. Those combinations have served me well over many years.
 
 
OK, just to be clear, die fit is not about PRICE........ in fact, when it comes down to the odds of a factory produced die fitting your factory produced rifle, it's only about LUCK.

There is no "better die," there is no "better press" which will produce "straight reloads"...............

If you want your rifle to perform well you must either "neck-size only" which will soon produce tight rounds, or you must have a custom die built to fit your rifle.

Or you must get LUCKY and serendipitously luck into a die which closely matches your chamber.

Another way......if you're just a casual shooter who won't be buying a barrel every year or two....... is to FIT your die to your chamber. This is accomplished by buying a die (ANY brand) and honing/polishing out either die die or the chamber until fittage is achieved.


If you want straight reloads then the body of your die needs to be .002 smaller than your chamber. . . . . . . .Whatever it takes.


DO NOT get sucked into the misinformation spiral which states as fact that Forster or Redding or Wilson or Nestor's New And Improved Hand Machined Sliding Sleeve Billet Titanium Dies "Will make straight reloads for yer gun."


They won't.

Unless you get LUCKY!



al
 
Agree and disagree....

GunLocators said:
Without breaking the bank whats the best for the money competition grade .308 die sets I will be loading on a single stage press for a rem 700P sniper rifle i just purchased and want to squeeze every ounce of accuracy out of it and want great reloads
Click to expand...

In my opinion, any major brand of reloading die will give excellent performance including the moderately priced Lee dies. There are so called "benchrest" dies that may offer more adjustment convience, but in my opinion are no more accurate. Custom dies made with the same reamer as a custom barrel are the exception.

For all out accuracy with any rifle there are specific areas that will drive most of its accuracy. They are:

1. Yourself with the ability to read the existing conditions
2. A custom barrel fitted to a custom or properly tuned action.
3. Proper action bedding
4. Custom bullets and components properly loaded to your rifles liking.
5. Much advertised additional components which will add about .000001 percent to additional accuracy.

With your above cited equipment, you may expect with everything being perfect, to achieve from about .380 to .500 inch accuracy at 100yds.

Just an opinion...virg
 
Following on what virg & al have said, I've found that the most valuable tool available for loading in standard chambers with generous SAAMI tolerances - ones like you'll find in your factory rifle - is the Lee collet neck sizing die. With that tool properly adjusted, you will find that you seldom need to size the body of your fired cases, but more importantly, you'll have cases prepped with the minimum runout that is expected of custom chambers & dies. John Valentine has written a lot here on these dies. Have a look at this thread in particular:

http://benchrest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49899&highlight=collet

If you save money going that route than you could invest some of those savings in a Forster or Redding competition micrometer adjustable seating die. I use both successfully, but be careful with the Redding. It's tolerances are so close that you can damage components if you use it to seat long projectiles on compressed loads.

John
 
John,

I've recently started using my Collet dies again... seems like I go in stints - usually until it eats another case or two in the course of normal use and I set it in the back corner of the reloading shelf again... ;) When they work, they work really well. When they don't work... they can wreck brass like nobody's business.

Monte
 
Ok if someone wants to help me do some decision making I want to budget $250 MAX for dies or whatever else needed I am placing a order with midwayusa.com for some gun parts. If you were placing a order with them can anyone tell me the exact dies or set to get from them I noticed on .308 in various brands there are different models so some what confused best to go with. I do not have to spend the $250 on just dies but I sold a set of couple sets Dillon Dies and a xl650 conversion kits and have that much play money in my paypal so I can use my paypal mastercard and blow some funds before wife sees it :)
 
oh btw I have a XL650 I do not plan to load these on but dug out a Old Texan Press I figure it should do ok for loading unless someone disagrees and suggest me get another press but I already have that one and it seemed to load rounds fine 5 years ago.. :)
 
If it were me...

Forster Ultra micrometer seater. Toss up between this and the Redding Competition micrometer seater as far as I'm concerned (have both, in several calibers), and this one costs a little less and works just as good.

then either:

Redding Type 'S' F/L bushing die with 2-3 bushing depending on your brass neck thickness, and order the add-on carbide expander ball

OR

Lee Collet die + Redding body die. You may not need the body die for a few firings (depending on how hot you load 'em) but you will need it before too long.

Good luck,

Monte
 
Get a set of Hornady New Dimension .308 Winchester Dies. You'll like them optional Micrometer seater stem can be added if desired.
 
milanuk said:
If it were me...

Forster Ultra micrometer seater. Toss up between this and the Redding Competition micrometer seater as far as I'm concerned (have both, in several calibers), and this one costs a little less and works just as good.

then either:

Redding Type 'S' F/L bushing die with 2-3 bushing depending on your brass neck thickness, and order the add-on carbide expander ball

OR

Lee Collet die + Redding body die. You may not need the body die for a few firings (depending on how hot you load 'em) but you will need it before too long.

Good luck,

Monte
Click to expand...

I will agree with the above and add that I have recently had the best luck with Redding FULL LENGTH dies sent back to Redding with a couple of fired cases so they can hone the neck to match your chamber.

I understand that Forster does this as well for 1/2 the price. I prefer Forster over all the other 1"-14 dies. You will have lots of money left over if you go this route.

I don't like bushings on some cases as the bushings only size a portion of the neck. I like the entire neck resized and this is better done with a regular die. The worst dies I have ever used are standard neck dies that you get in a 3-die set. I base this on run out measured on rounds loaded with each method. You don't need custom Neil Jones dies and an arbor press for a 308 sniper rifle. You will be wasting a LOT of time and considerable money.
 
Well looking at availablity whats the best options Midway seem out of a lot of dies unless I am missing the ones recommended.

Option 1-
RCBS Gold Medal Match Series Bushing 2-Die Neck Sizer Set 308 Winchester
Product #:
995869
Status:
Available
Currently
13
available at this price
Dealer Price:
$139.99
PLUS ADD
RCBS Gold Medal Match Series Bushing Full Length Sizer Die 308 Winchester
Product #:
910401
Status:
Available
Currently
2
available at this price
Dealer Price:
$53.99

OPTION 2-
Redding Competition Bushing 3-Die Neck Sizer Set 308 Winchester
Product #:
792423
Status:
Available
Currently
17
available at this price
Dealer Price:
$189.99

Option 3-

Redding Type S Match Bushing 3-Die Neck Sizer Set 308 Winchester
Product #:
357095
Status:
Available
Currently
4
available at this price
Dealer Price:
$149.99

OPTION 4-
Forster Ultra 2-Die Set 308 Winchester
Product #:
851964
Status:
Available
Currently
3
available at this price
Dealer Price:
$84.99
PLUS
Redding Type S Bushing Neck Sizer Die 308 Winchester
Product #:
428412
Status:
Available
Currently
1
available at this price
Dealer Price:
$45.99


I am looking at options they have in stock I may be missing something.
 
GL.
Get the Lee 3 die set. Once in the full len. sizer. 3-5 times in the Collet die. The brass is done.
.308 Win. 168 gn SMK, 41.0gn IMR-4064. To start. Not hot. Work your way up.
Then save your money. When you have 3K buy a custom firearm. Might get a used one cheaper.
And it's a whole new world.
I am sure you won't believe me. But, I could show you the bills.
3 yrs ago. I did not know anything about Benchrest. After seeing and shooting a custom rifle.....
 
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