6.5 creedmore com dies

[ky hunter]

Who makes the best competition and why? Looking to get some to reload for my son that has just got in to competition shooting. Thanks for your in put in advance.

[MarkCO]

Whidden, Redding, Forster all make very good dies. I have sets of all of them. The Redding Competition Shell holders made a big difference for me. Even used with Lee or RCBS, they make the loaded round better tailored to your chamber. Pick a set because you like their adds, box, colors, and you will be fine.

It's not really the dies, but how you set them up and what you do to keep the processes consistent, that matters most. There are a lot of old wives tales mixed in by folks when it comes to reloading quality match ammo.

[nhyrum]

Like has been said, the dies don't really make that much a difference. I got the best loads from my creedmoor using Hornady dies. Once I got my whidden dies I think I ended up playing around with things too much. The click micrometer is nice, but I don't think you need to spend 200+ on a set of dies to get competition ammo. I think money is better spent on a decent bushing die

I've moved to Redding dies

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[tangolima]

I have Hornady bushing die. I quite like it. It hasn't won me any trophy as I have yet to compete. Can't afford it.

-TL

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[oldmanFCSA]

NO dies exist for the 6.5 Creedmore

BUT there are many dies available for the 6.5 Creedmoor

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by nhyrum

Once I got my whidden dies I think I ended up playing around with things too much. The click micrometer is nice, but I don't think you need to spend 200+ on a set of dies to get competition ammo. I think money is better spent on a decent bushing die

I've moved to Redding dies

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If one considers themselves to be a highly accomplished handloader, it's nice to have a Whidden in a favorite caliber.

I do now have more Redding die sets than anything else. 2nd is RCBS, because that is what my Dad and wife's Stepdad had. Many of the rest are mixed sets...It is not not bad to have individual dies. In .243 Win, I have 6 dies of 4 brands in my T7 toolhead. I don't use them all for all loads. Some I use for full-length sizing on hunting rounds that might get used in one of 3 rifles. Some are for one rifle I shoot at matches. I have maybe 5 calibers that I have a FL sizing die of one brand, a Lee Universal decap die, a Whidden or Redding seating die and a Lee FCD.

[ky hunter]

Thanks for being so smart. oldmanFCSA U helped me with my search.

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by ky hunter

Thanks for being so smart. oldmanFCSA U helped me with my search.

Got to just pass right over the chaff.

[oldmanFCSA]

Do a search using his original spelling : creedmore.com

And the,
Do another search using the correct spelling : creedmoor.com

Note the different response using the correct name.
Then you can easily sort out the chaff.

[Rimfire5]

Ky hunter,

For competition dies, I would only consider micrometer dies.
I have both Foster and Redding micrometer dies and both are good quality.
The only difference I find it that the Forster micrometer dies change the seating depth 0.025 thousandths per complete turn of the micrometer head and the Redding dies change the seating depth 0.050 thousandths per complete turn of the micrometer head.

The wider increments on the Forster dies are easier to set for my old eyes, but I have to turn them more turns for really big differences in seating depth.
I load for three different 6.5mm Creedmoor rifles with very different chamber depths so each needs a different seating depth range for each barrel, so initial set-up can result in a number of turns to get the right setting to match the desired jump each different barrel chamber.

If you only have one barrel and don't jump around using multiple bullet weights, you probably wouldn't need to make major changes in seating depth.

[Unclenick]

If you have trouble seeing the Redding graduations, I think the Forster is a better choice, but the Forster is more likely to need a special seating stem for your bullet choice. The Redding has just two available (standard and VLD shape). The Redding has a patented floating stem design that self-aligns a little better, though if you get Forster to cut a stem for your particular bullet, it will work as well for that bullet, I think. The Redding is a bit more delicate because of the small contact area the top of the floating stem has with the adjustment point, so they state not to load compressed loads with it. The Forster is what you want for compressed loads.

[Nathan]

I thought I answered this. Forster dies will give you the most accurately sized brass and straightest bullet seating compared to anything else I’ve tried.

[zeke]

A vote for Redding comp seating die, although have never used a widden. And imo, the differences in seating dies certainly does matter. However, currently have many mixed sets, as differing brands offer can offer various advantages over others. Also agree setting up and using a sizing die can mean more than the brand, and as always there be exceptions.

[jetinteriorguy]

I have two Forster micrometer seating die’s in .223 and 6.5CM, and a Frankford Arsenal universal micrometer seating die. I’ve tested them against each other with identical results and really like the Frankford Arsenal die due to the side loading window.

[Nathan]

I have two Forster micrometer seating die’s in .223 and 6.5CM, and a Frankford Arsenal universal micrometer seating die. I’ve tested them against each other with identical results and really like the Frankford Arsenal die due to the side loading window.

How did you test them? Do you have data you can share?

[jetinteriorguy]

Originally Posted by Nathan

How did you test them? Do you have data you can share?

I didn’t record the data. When I first got the Frankford die I checked the seating depth consistency using the Hornady comparator and it seated bullets with the same consistency as the Forster die. Then I checked them for runout using the Hornady concentricity tool and the results were the same. I didn’t record the data since I was satisfied enough with the results that it suited my needs, and for that matter I’m merely passing along my personal experience, if you don’t like that you can take it or leave it.

[Nathan]

Thanks @jetinteriorguy. I really just appreciate that additional information. I am not demanding, just interested in other peoples methods.

[jetinteriorguy]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Thanks @jetinteriorguy. I really just appreciate that additional information. I am not demanding, just interested in other peoples methods.

My apologies for the snarkiness, must have been in a bad mood that day. Probably needed more coffee.

[akinswi]

From my experience, I have used Lee, RCBS, Dillion , Forester and Redding Dies.

But when I got serious about accuracy, I ditched my Lee press and went with a Dillion and a Forester Coax.

One die I do recommend as other have pointed out is the Redding Competition Seating Die. It will definitely help with Runnout. My Runnout was actually worse using a Forester Benchrest Micrometer Seating Die . It doesn’t have the spring loaded sleeve like the Redding Die does.

In short, you can buy the best dies in the world and they wont help if your current press is sloppy, if the load isnt tuned right etc etc.

[Nathan]

My Runnout was actually worse using a Forester Benchrest Micrometer Seating Die . It doesn’t have the spring loaded sleeve like the Redding Die does.

That’s weird as all of my Forster dies have the sliding sleeve….benchrest and standard.

[Rimfire5]

I have 6 Forster Micrometer dies and all have a spring-loaded sleeve.
My Redding Micrometer die also has one.

[Unclenick]

Redding makes a micrometer adjustment you can add to their standard seating die. I don't think Forster has a micrometer head on any seating dies other than their Bench Rest dies, which have the alignment sleeve. So does the Redding Competition type seater.

The Forster die design is one they acquired the rights to that is described in a 1969 patent. The patent expired in 1989, at which point Redding introduced their Competition Seater, which copied the sliding case alignment sleeve and added a self-aligning floating seating stem and got a patent on that addition. The patent claims the floating stem addresses one situation in which the older Forster design can fail to achieve alignment. Perhaps that situation has arisen in the case of the Forster die making runout worse. Forster says, IIRC, about 10% of bullets require a custom seating stem to work properly in their die, and this may have been one of those cases. Redding has two floating stems, regular and VLD designs, but doesn't rely on custom stems.

[akinswi]

Correction, The Forester Does have the sleeve but not the free floating stem like the redding.

I just took apart both. The Redding keeps me around 1 thousandths or less on runnout both on dillion and coax. The forester is between 2 and 3 thousandths even in the coax. Probably has to do with the stem.


I use primarily 168 SMKs so the stem on the redding seems perfectly honed to that bullet

[RC20]

I would scratch Forster off the list.

While they are well made dies, they also have some issues. The floating spindle breaks if it encounters a slightly bad primer situation.

Seating wise, I had issues with my 6.5 x 47 (sure don't want to misspell Lapua!) and what I found was the seater nose part was soft and bending leaving a ridge.

I solved that with a file down and a heat treat and its ok not but not as good as RCBS (6.5 x 47) is a bit tough to find competition dies for.

I have an RCBS comp seater on the way and those have done well for me.

RCBS has always been solid for me and the price is good. Maybe a serious competition shooter would benefit from more expensive dies but for something around 1/2 MOA the RCBS has done the job and I expect you have to be bench rest class A to see any difference and I am sure not that.

Yea, sometimes I get 1/4 MOA groups but day in day out 1/2 is more the norm and for a late in life casual bench rest shooter that is as good as I expect (I figured anything under 1 MOA was good so 1/2 is sweet)

[Nathan]

The Redding keeps me around 1 thousandths or less on runout both on dillion and coax.

I’d like to see that. I have only found one sizing die in my life that consistently gets the neck runout under 0.0015”. Every Redding die I’ve used gets the turned neck to 0.002” neck runout. So, maybe with 0 runout in the seater, I could get 0.002” runout at the bullet tip.

I measure with the 21st Century tool which shows near 0 runout on my gage pin.

Can you explain how you get those results?