[F. Guffey]

rowiggy, I understand your question, “I notice that every manufacturer has their standard die set along with a much more expensive "Competition/Match/Gold/etc...." back to standard die set, I have seating dies only, I do not have the full length sizing dies "Competition/Match/Gold/etc.., expensive? yes, the 30/06 Gold Medal seating die can also seat 308 W and 8mm06 with a small investment in an extended shell holder and bullet guide. Benefits? The guide centers the case with the bullet, bulging the shoulder of the case when seating bullets is eliminated.

Expensive full length bushing dies with bushings at $30.00 each for both Redding and RCBS dies, rather than spend the money I had rather spend the time on fundamentals as in learning to use the press, a friend called and informed me he was told his chambers in his bench rest rifles were too large in diameter, having an inquiring mind I questioned the answer. I ask him about the accuracy of his bench rest type rifles, his answer was “One hole groups, all of them shoot one hole groups” I suggested he stay off the Internet, his response, “I do not have a computer”. Then I suggested he learn to smile and nod his head approvingly when he is talking to ‘Internet reloaders’ and learn to say ‘Fantastic, simple fantastic’. Why fantastic? Responding with ‘fantastic’? There is a chance someone could be lead to believe you attended finishing school. Anyhow, I boxed up a few dies and went for a visit. We reduced the difference in diameter between the neck of his chamber and case neck .006”, for our efforts do you think his one hole groups will become 1/2 hole groups? No! I do wish I had taken some case lube, I am not allowed to disagree with his use of certain case lubes, forming his cases with his choice of one of three lubes was a work out for his A2 RCBS press.

“but I have no intentions of shooting competition or making 1000yd shots. I do however want to have the confidence in my ammo to take a 300-400yd shot on a deer”. Back to all you ‘gotta’ do is etc..

I have two 300 Win mags, One will accomplish the 400 yard shot with new factor Federal Gold Medal ammo, the other, a Winchester Model 70 will not group under 5” at 100 years with the same ammo, fired cases from the more accurate rifle will chamber in the Winchester Model 70, fired cases from the Model 70 can not be sized with my dies without fear of rendering the dies scrap. To those that suggest I should purchase a collet die I respond with “fantastic”, If the case was full length sized by what ever means the chamber is still to large in diameter. I did ask Winchester for a set of dies that fit their chamber, In the beginning I wanted a chamber that fit my dies.

Then I have a different kind of rifle, $120.00, it is ugly, my kind of ugly, 12 boxes of reloads with 12 different combinations of cases, powder, bullets. cases? New, military, commercial R-P, fired etc.., all full length sized, The chamber was/is go-gage length. None of the groups opened up, all groups could be covered with a quarter, some groups shared the same hole. Then there was heat, I allowed the rifle to cool, took most of the day, I know, some think waiting for the rifle to cool could lead to an anxiety attack, I took 10 rifles, I was not bored.

I have no ideal why it is necessary to recommend someone “I have been reloading for just a few months” that has been reloading for a few months, suddenly go into a dead run. I suggest practice, practice practice, and remember, practice is said to make perfect “fantastic”. I believe correct practice makes perfect, practice ‘it’ wrong you could get it wrong every time. Take your time.

Trigger time, barrel time, lock time? Time is a factor.

F. Guffey