Competition Dies
- Thread starter Whitman31
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loadedround
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Unless you plan on doing all the other competition steps such as turning case necks, sorting cases by weight, unifying flash holes, sorting bullets by actual weight etc; you're wasting your money. Buy a quality three die set from Redding or RCBS and neck size your once fired case and you'll accomplish almost the samre thing. 
The "Competition" part really seems to be in the seater die, which does a better job of aligning the bullet to the case. I have an equivalent set of Forster dies and they work fine for high power shooting.
Are they worth it? Dunno. They will cost you an additional 40-50 bucks, but you will have the knowledge that your dies are about as good as they can be. Personally I would go for it, especially if you really intend to shoot high power.
Tim
Are they worth it? Dunno. They will cost you an additional 40-50 bucks, but you will have the knowledge that your dies are about as good as they can be. Personally I would go for it, especially if you really intend to shoot high power.
Tim
Expense, I purchased a 30/06 seater die, an 8mm bullet guide and an extended shell holder for 308 W, with the added parts with the seater die I can seat 30/06, 8X57, 8/06 and 308 Winchester. There are two seater dies offered by RCBS, one (black oxide) with a rubber 'O' ring for resistance, the other has a detente adjustment, one can be used with a progressive press and is offered with different bullet diameter guides, the case neck is centered, the bullet is centered, when seating, there is no mystery as with standard seater dies, place a bullet on the top of a case for the ride up to the top, unsupported, for seating, it is done all the time with success, I like boat tail bullets for that reason. I have a universal 7MM by Lyman that allows loading bullets through the side for alignment, except for the extreme length from short to long cases it works for 7MM.
Weatherby made Universal seating dies with caliber specific guides, I have one in 257 Weatherby, chrome plated, once the case raises the guide and bullet the bullet is held between two centers, If the hand loader does their part installing the case in the shell holder the bullet seats with precision, worth it? not for everyone and not for every cartridge, there are differences between the 3, RCBS, Lyman and Weatherby, The RCBS and Redding offer more neck support.
F. Guffey
Weatherby made Universal seating dies with caliber specific guides, I have one in 257 Weatherby, chrome plated, once the case raises the guide and bullet the bullet is held between two centers, If the hand loader does their part installing the case in the shell holder the bullet seats with precision, worth it? not for everyone and not for every cartridge, there are differences between the 3, RCBS, Lyman and Weatherby, The RCBS and Redding offer more neck support.
F. Guffey
243winxb
Member
RCBS Gold Medal Match Series Bushing 2-Die Set
The RCBS Gold Medal Match Series Bushing 2-Die Set http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=316092 Looks like a perfect set if they are available in 204. I have not tried them, but like my Redding FLRS type S bushing die that i have. The Redding lets me use the expander button if i want or just the decapper.
[/URL][/IMG] Click pic for larger.
The RCBS Gold Medal Match Series Bushing 2-Die Set http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=316092 Looks like a perfect set if they are available in 204. I have not tried them, but like my Redding FLRS type S bushing die that i have. The Redding lets me use the expander button if i want or just the decapper.
http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/Gold_Medal_Dies_Instructions.pdf
http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/Competition_Dies_Instructions.pdf
Two different set of dies, I did not want to miss you, Competition dies or Gold Medal dies?
F. Guffey
http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/Competition_Dies_Instructions.pdf
Two different set of dies, I did not want to miss you, Competition dies or Gold Medal dies?
F. Guffey
RugerOldArmy
Member
I've found both the Redding and Forester competition dies to be worth it. The Forester dies are a particularly good value.
The redding bushing dies are great, if you have neck turned brass.
If you're just going to do basic prep, the Lee Collett dies are something to consider.
The redding bushing dies are great, if you have neck turned brass.
If you're just going to do basic prep, the Lee Collett dies are something to consider.
ranger335v
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- Dec 3, 2006
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RCBS has two very expensive die sets they call premium or "competion" types (Wonder how much they charge for those fitted wooden boxes?). One of their seaters is no more than a side loading short sleeve type that duplicates the obselete Vickerman dies of the late 50s, early 60s. Don't really know much about the other set's design. ??
Side loading seating dies are handy to load with. But, actually they are nothing more than a side feeding Hornady die, which is itself a copy of several dies from the 60s that also failed to survive in the market. The old designs didn't seem to give any better average concentricity than conventional seaters. Nor do the expensive current RCBS "comp" dies, from what I have seen and read of them.
NO one compares the current RCBS seater dies to Forster or Redding full body sleeve, straight-line seating dies.
No one makes a neck sizer that equals Lee's collet die, IMHO.
Side loading seating dies are handy to load with. But, actually they are nothing more than a side feeding Hornady die, which is itself a copy of several dies from the 60s that also failed to survive in the market. The old designs didn't seem to give any better average concentricity than conventional seaters. Nor do the expensive current RCBS "comp" dies, from what I have seen and read of them.
NO one compares the current RCBS seater dies to Forster or Redding full body sleeve, straight-line seating dies.
No one makes a neck sizer that equals Lee's collet die, IMHO.
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