Redding Pistol dies

umstud · January 9, 2000, 04:39 PM

I have a Dillon RL550b progressive press and will be loading .45 caliber rounds. I have seen ads for the Redding pistol dies and want to know if these dies will give improved accuracy in the reloading process. I am reloading for IDPA competition and for bulls eye shooting. Will these dies show significant improvement over the Dillon dies.

anyrange · January 9, 2000, 06:06 PM

I just started shooting and reloading for a 45 ACP. Lots of fun to shoot. I got the Redding die set and very pleased. I also use Redding competition bullet seating die for match ammo in 308 and 223. I also got one for the 45 ACP, it is a little over kill but if you what to move the bullet up or down 0.005, than just turn the micrometer. The dies only come with correct 45 ACP tapper. Get the regular die set plus the competition bullet seating die. Use the normal seating die for crimp and the competition die to seat. Be happy and never look back.

**Bud Helms** · January 9, 2000, 06:55 PM

Umstud,

You said "... loading .45 caliber rounds." I understood you to mean .45 Colt, but after reading Anyrange's post, he thought you meant .45 ACP. Which is it?

Anyrange,

What do you mean by, "The dies only come with correct 45 ACP tapper."?

Also, what did you mean by, "Use the normal seating die for crimp ..."? Does the Redding come with a taper crimper? I have some Redding dies, but not in .45 ACP.

BTW, I love the Redding dies with the competition seater, for rifle. But for my .45 ACP, I like the Dillon for its ease of partial disassembly for cleaning without affecting adjustments.

umstud · January 9, 2000, 09:12 PM

Sensop, I was referring to .45ACP.

**Bud Helms** · January 9, 2000, 11:53 PM

Well, with the reference to IDPA, anyone with half a brain would know that. Unfortunately for me ...

Matt VDW · January 10, 2000, 02:33 PM

Do you have a set of .45 ACP dies now, or will this be your first set?

Redding makes some very nice dies. Dillon's are great, too, though, and they give you what you need to reload on a progressive machine.

For a 550B, you want a sizer/deprimer, a seating die, and a crimping die. (You don't need an expanding die -- the powder measure takes care of that.) If you buy the Redding dies, you'll wind up with an expanding die you don't want and you'll still need a crimping die.

After about five years of reloading .45 wad ammo for Bullseye competition, I've found that ammo loaded with my Dillon dies shoots as well as anything else. The most important factors in making good Bullseye ammo are:

1) Bullet selection

2) Consistency and quality control

3) Finding the combination of powder charge, overall length, and crimp that will produce the best reliability in your pistol

I say buy the Dillon dies and start loading practice ammo. When you're shooting 98-4X slowfires and looking to get the competitive edge over the other high master shooters, then it's time to worry about your dies.

WESHOOT2 · January 11, 2000, 08:10 AM

5.5g W231, any case (prefer IMI), CCI300, 200gLSWC (prefer NorthEast Bullets, but D&J or Bull-X are excellent), OAL 1.255" (or whatever YOUR gunrequires for 100% functioning).

Any die set should be able to do this.

Might consider finishing with a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die.

------------------
"All my ammo is factory ammo"

January 9, 2000, 04:39 PM	#1
umstud Member Join Date: July 19, 1999 Posts: 31	I have a Dillon RL550b progressive press and will be loading .45 caliber rounds. I have seen ads for the Redding pistol dies and want to know if these dies will give improved accuracy in the reloading process. I am reloading for IDPA competition and for bulls eye shooting. Will these dies show significant improvement over the Dillon dies.

January 9, 2000, 06:06 PM	#2
anyrange Junior Member Join Date: January 9, 2000 Location: Taylor, Michigan, USA Posts: 3	I just started shooting and reloading for a 45 ACP. Lots of fun to shoot. I got the Redding die set and very pleased. I also use Redding competition bullet seating die for match ammo in 308 and 223. I also got one for the 45 ACP, it is a little over kill but if you what to move the bullet up or down 0.005, than just turn the micrometer. The dies only come with correct 45 ACP tapper. Get the regular die set plus the competition bullet seating die. Use the normal seating die for crimp and the competition die to seat. Be happy and never look back.

January 9, 2000, 06:55 PM	#3
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Umstud, You said "... loading .45 caliber rounds." I understood you to mean .45 Colt, but after reading Anyrange's post, he thought you meant .45 ACP. Which is it? Anyrange, What do you mean by, "The dies only come with correct 45 ACP tapper."? Also, what did you mean by, "Use the normal seating die for crimp ..."? Does the Redding come with a taper crimper? I have some Redding dies, but not in .45 ACP. BTW, I love the Redding dies with the competition seater, for rifle. But for my .45 ACP, I like the Dillon for its ease of partial disassembly for cleaning without affecting adjustments.

January 9, 2000, 09:12 PM	#4
umstud Member Join Date: July 19, 1999 Posts: 31	Sensop, I was referring to .45ACP.

January 9, 2000, 11:53 PM	#5
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Well, with the reference to IDPA, anyone with half a brain would know that. Unfortunately for me ...

January 10, 2000, 02:33 PM	#6
Matt VDW Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 1999 Posts: 1,315	Do you have a set of .45 ACP dies now, or will this be your first set? Redding makes some very nice dies. Dillon's are great, too, though, and they give you what you need to reload on a progressive machine. For a 550B, you want a sizer/deprimer, a seating die, and a crimping die. (You don't need an expanding die -- the powder measure takes care of that.) If you buy the Redding dies, you'll wind up with an expanding die you don't want and you'll still need a crimping die. After about five years of reloading .45 wad ammo for Bullseye competition, I've found that ammo loaded with my Dillon dies shoots as well as anything else. The most important factors in making good Bullseye ammo are: 1) Bullet selection 2) Consistency and quality control 3) Finding the combination of powder charge, overall length, and crimp that will produce the best reliability in your pistol I say buy the Dillon dies and start loading practice ammo. When you're shooting 98-4X slowfires and looking to get the competitive edge over the other high master shooters, then it's time to worry about your dies.

January 11, 2000, 08:10 AM	#7
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	5.5g W231, any case (prefer IMI), CCI300, 200gLSWC (prefer NorthEast Bullets, but D&J or Bull-X are excellent), OAL 1.255" (or whatever YOUR gunrequires for 100% functioning). Any die set should be able to do this. Might consider finishing with a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die. ------------------ "All my ammo is factory ammo"