[blarby]

They really take all the hack job out of the reloading process.


No more sharpie this, and whiteout that.... Jamming to find the lands, and stumbling off.

Guessing at shoulder bump by feel, and working it out in practice.

COAL shmoal, ogive to the 1/1000th ! On those lands ! *whipcrack*

It really even beats a caliper witha compensator.....I didn't think that was really possible.

I guess you get what ya pay for :)

[USSR]

I guess you get what ya pay for

Yep. But there will be a bunch of guys along anytime now to knock you for using that "high faluting" equipment, when it can easily be done using bubble gum and baling wire.:D

Don

[jaguarxk120]

I would rather pay a little more for die's or presses and get higher quality tooling. But the bubble gum/baling wire guys will just go on tweeking or sending back under the 2 year warrenty fixing dies that should have been right in the first place.

Just as one of the guy's signs off with, "The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory" Aldo Gucci

[ljnowell]

Hmmm, never had a problem with my Lee dies. Guess I am one of those schmucks that just doesnt get it. Never had to use a sharpie either. Maybe I just know how to adjust my dies and get the job done?

[cfullgraf]

I guess you get what ya pay for :)

Like what USSR said.

I like the Sinclair bump gauge over the RCBS Precision mic but the results are the same and the RCBS unit is top drawer.

I use competition seaters for cartridges that I frequently change bullets such as dedicated loads for different rifles chambered for the same cartridge. They make changes and adjustments a snap. A bit overkill where I almost never change bullets.

I have recently been trying a Redding bushing die. Another cool reloading tool.

[ljnowell]

BTW, I sould add guys, i dont shoot benchrest rifle, thats a whole nuther game!

[Blue68f100]

If your reloading for for multiple guns in the same caliber the Precision Mic is nice. You can use shims under the die to adj the needed shoulder setback for each.

[fguffey]

Again, I make tools, and, I am the fan of transfers, standards and verifying the measurement after adjustment, I have two seater dies by BCBS, one Gold medal the other Competition. By changing components I can seat bullets for 4 different chambers, and that cut the cost. My opinion, aligning the bullet with the case when seating is the big plus, then there is the micro adjust, all of my seater dies are adjustable in thousandths, the seater stem protrudes above the seater die, the height of the seater stem can be adjusted if the reloader understands the index of .000, all seater dies can be adjusted 'off the lands' if the reloader understands transfers/modified cases as in using a modified case to transfer the dimension (length of the chamber from the bolt face to the lands/ojive contact) of the chamber to the seater die and has a means of measuring height, like a height gage or dial caliper etc..



The difference in the two seater dies, one has a friction ring, the other uses a detent. I do not have Gold Medal or Competition sizer dies, again, my sizer dies are capable of sizing cases for short chambers and long chambers from .012 thousands shorter than a go-gage length chamber to infinity or a more practical .016 thousandths longer than a go-gage length chamber, and that is .002 thousandths longer than a field reject gage.



F. Guffey

[ranger335v]

"RCBS Competition dies / Precision Mic ------ They really take all the hack job out of the reloading process."

I like the PCM's "headspace" and seating gage very well but never use the 'freebore' tool; it's useless for push-feed rifles, IMHO. Of course my Precision Case Mics are more costly but work no more effective than my more versatile and less costly Hornady/Stoney Point system.

If you like RCBS' GoldMetal/Competition seaters you would LOVE Forster BR and Redding Comp seaters.

[GW Staar]

So, fguffey, do you have a preference between the Gold Medal Seater over the RCBS Competition die, or is the only improvement on the gold medal die the ability to use it on a progressive press...seeing that for nearly all calibers you don't need special tall shell holders.

Is there more to a Gold Medal Seater vs. Competition Seater than that? I have one in .308 (bought when it was on sale two Christmas's ago) but haven't tried it yet....sheesh its been only 18 months...too many projects...too little time.

I have a Precision Mic for .308 also. I like half of it. I Don't care for the "bullet" gauge much. I prefer Hornady's little red stick (O.A.L. gauge) and their modified screw on cases for O.A.L measurements.

But actually neither tool's O.A.L. is all that useful for reloading for AR rifles, since the magazine is usually the limiting factor.

[blarby]

The funny part is, Lee basic dies are just fine. They are as accurate as any other- I have a few sets........ Its how they are used, and how you arrive at the measurements of where to set them that makes the difference.

I like the RCBS comp set and Precision mic because it takes all the handy tricks I've learned and used from THR- and puts them in a non duct-tape and bailing wire package.

It isn't anything new or rocket science....just makes "precise" that much easier to get to and measure....and most importantly, repeat.


I'm kinda glad I learned on duct tape and bailing wire, with sharpie for good measure. It makes me appreciate these tools that much more.