Die impact on rifle accuracy

J

jeffsvice

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For a recently acquired BR rifle (6 PPC, 0.262 nk) - Is there a valid reason to acquire the Wilson "Custom" 6ppc dies if I already own a rarely used Wilson 6 PPC USA die set? Beyond the obvious bushing change - is the chamber between the dies different enough to potentially impact rifle accuracy?

Thanks for any comments.
 
Take 3 cases that have been fired in your chamber at least twice and send them to Harrell's Precision. You will get back a semi-custom FL sizing die and a shoulder measuring bushing. Adjust the die to bump the shoulder back a thou or 2 and you are set [ well , after you order 2 or 3 neck sizing bushings ].
 
Depends

It depends on what level of accuracy you are looking for. It probably won't make a big difference. But depending on the chamber - cases could get sticky.
I agree with crb - Harrels will make you a die that will work beautifully for about $70.

http://www.harrellsprec.com/

If you spent the money on the rifle, bullets, powder, don't go cheap on the die.

Being that you are in Northeast Alabama, you are no more than a couple of hours from Riverbend. We have our next match on July 12th. I'll expect to see you there.

Scott Dittman
 
I always have my dies made from the opppps reamer...
 
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To answer the question specifically

Ignoring the bolt lift force over the expected life of a set of cases - NO. Accuracy will not be affected by the die.

Bolt lift force will affect your aggregate scores. If you find yourself struggling with the bolt even the slightest bit - fix it!
 
Good point----my reamer box has the roughing reamers for the FLS die and the finishing reamers for the Wilson seating die and chambers...

Kiff made all of them to whatever spec Speedy specified for each individual cartridge. Don't know what I was thinking---my Depends must have been full.:eek::D

Am in Nova Scotia until next weekend and my brain is suffering from lobster, scallop and haddock overload sorry.
 
I agree with Wilbur.

BUT.......from the standpoint of one closer to you in my learning curve than to Wilbur (read "a fellow newbie) I will add this, GREASE YOUR BOLT LUGS!!!

Wilson dies are capable of making perfectly aligned rounds provided you use light neck tension and understand that your brass WILL get tighter in your chamber each time you fire.

I have the die in question, the Wilson "6PPC USA Die", as well as a Wilson "real PPC" die and some custom-reamed Wilson-style PPC dies so I can do direct comparisons. The RIFLE makes the case, the act of fireforming properly in a proper rifle makes perfectly straight cases and since the Wilson-style die does nothing to the actual case, it reloads straight ammo.

PROVIDED you use light neck tension.

If you try to use the loose-fitting die for support while sizing necks down for more than .002 or so interference then you will run into problems maintaining linearity. Interestingly enough you'll run into the same problems using any die setup but a truly fitted die coupled with a minimally tapered chamber will allow for "straighter" reloads when using extreme neck tension.

I use the die you describe for varminting. I can take one die along in my kit with a few bushings, a powder thrower and a hand seater and shoot any of my PPC's at full accuracy potential. My standard varmint loads are fairly light, 68-70's running 3250fps and 55gr NBT's @3750. I use H322 for this and the rifles shoot like PPC's.

For many of my rifles I save even this step and shoot fitted necks.....you don't even NEED to reset the neck, just prime, load and shoot.




But remember, even in Ye Heat Of Deadly Battle it must be remembered to GREASE YOUR BOLT LUGS!!!!! :):):) when shooting ns only.

In case you don't understand Wilbur's shorthand this all translates to "your bolt will get tight" .......... I'm adding "GREASE YOUR BOLT LUGS!!!" because I've galled lugs shooting this way.


I once shot with a Hall Of Fame shooter who was proudly showing me his rifle. The first thing he did was to yard out the bolt to show off the beautiful shiny surface of his lugs. "Three buckets of primers thru this thing and look at those lugs!!"

It took me several years to understand what he meant.

al
 
Wilson Die

:rolleyes:I've used both PPC USA, and standard Wilson PPC. I don't think the different die effect your accuracy, but eventually you will need a shoulder bump die and probably a small base die. (And GREEEEZE YO BOLT LUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
 
If you try to Euberize your loads, you'll need a FL die. And you'll need it soon. If I'm shooting crappy, I drop to the low end - Seems like I do a little better with concentration and not getting beat up.

If you shoot at the lower end of the vibrational snafu, a hand die will suffice for most stuff.

FWIW, and I don't know if Bud Mundy has any left, but Skip Otto had some -beautiful- carbide sizing buttons, in half increments... Damn, I miss Skippy...
 
What's Required

The main requirement of a set of dies is to make ammunition that is "straight enough" for the job at hand, and to allow the Rifle to function properly. By function properly, I mean the cases going in and out with out any detramental effort, and are not sized too a point where accuracy would be affected.........jackie
 
Thank you for the comments.

I hadn't considered the need to bump back the body... I Suppose I'll load a few rounds 2 or 3 times with the USA dies and then send the formed cases to Harrells.

I do actually have a redding body die that I use from time to time to bring those old 6 PPC USA cases back into a fit for the chamber of the Sako... having a similar die ground to match my chamber, with the ability to add the sizing bushing sounds like a good thing.

Again thanks to everyone for your help.
 
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