nettlle
Contributing Member
I am thinking about buying and adjustable seating die for 9mm. I am partial to Redding dies but wanted opinions before buying.
I like micrometer dies but I have a bunch that don’t have that feature. I built this fixture for them, just as precise and cheaper.
I use a Redding competition seater (has no integral crimp function) for 45acp RN & a standard Redding with their add on micrometer for 45acp SWC. I did however modify/fine tune each stem to suit my preferences.
I use Lee for 9mm and they work just as well really.
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Tell me more about the RCBS w/window...is it a pistol die? Includes or not crimping?I have several straight line seating dies. One RCBS, one Bonanza and the rest are Redding. Truthfully I don't use the micrometer enough to justify it. The Bonanza has no micrometer. The RCBS has a neat window in it that helps setting the bullet in place and has a micrometer. All of my Redding seaters have the micrometer. I don't have any straight line seaters for handgun cartridges, only rifle calibers.
I like micrometer seating stem dies, particularly where I change bullets for a cartridge frequently. If the micrometer setting is recorded, returning to that setting is quick and easy.
It’s a rifle seaterTell me more about the RCBS w/window...is it a pistol die? Includes or not crimping?
I looked at their website and was confused frankly. (My fault not theirs)
I know with my Redding micrometer adjustable seating dies, compressed loads are strictly verboten. Maybe that's not an issue for you but it has been for me when I load .223/5.56 so I buy Forster dies now and they're known to produce very concentric ammunition with their resizer and seater dies.I am thinking about buying and adjustable seating die for 9mm. I am partial to Redding dies but wanted opinions before buying.
I bought the Redding competition seating die primarily for its lack of crimping plus it’s spring loaded stem plus the stem was most easily modified (with a little JBWeld) to only contact bullet nose and not ogive. The micrometer itself is completely unnecessary but it looks cool and does make readjustment to a known value simpler.To be honest, I'm setting here scratching my head looking at the photos of these setups... I would never have thought about an adjustable micrometer seating die for 9mm or .45ACP... or any pistol cartridge, honestly.
Chuck's explanation sounds reasonable... but I'm wondering... do some of you really pull out the stops like that on pistol ammo?
I know with my Redding micrometer adjustable seating dies, compressed loads are strictly verboten. Maybe that's not an issue for you but it has been for me when I load .223/5.56 so I buy Forster dies now and they're known to produce very concentric ammunition with their resizer and seater dies.