Redding competition seater die or lee m die

[CQB45ACP]

It's the combination of dies that I use on my LNL-AP. M-die and Red comp mic die. They do work well together. You'll find once you get a progressive that you can slow way down because you will get one loaded round every handle pull. Sloooow down and take it easy.

With the M-die profile dies you should feel the bullet almost snap into place, when you feel this your using it right.

I went from a slave to loading 9mms on a single stage, trying to keep up to my shooting habits, to now my press sits most of the time, because it is so efficient compared to Rock Chucker that I could afford to slow way down and smell the roses along the way. (and it still sits most of the time).
I load around 800-1200 at a time and run them through in two passes because I want to seat and crimp in two steps and I also want to use a powder check die as a precaution to me getting distracted and not looking in the case for powder or double charge on the way by.
1200 will take me all afternoon with using 2 passes, unless you do like some members we have and Clean, prime, and neck size ahead of time, so all you need to do is pull them out of a bucket when you need them and finish them.
I sort all my brass so that would be a pain for me. If your using all mixed brass that would work well.

I resize and prime on the first pass and neck size, powder, powder check, seat, and crimp on the rest.
View attachment 1177403
This is my 2nd pass die arrangement.

The silver mic die on station 5 is a Lyman Professional taper crimp die I got from Midwayusa for 1/2 off. It is nice for changing settings on the move without having to take the die out to make an adjustment and guessing where you adjusted it to.
Do I really need it? no. Do I really like it, yes. Glad I bought it.

Best move I ever made in reloading is going progressive. I have two progressives that I actively use now.
With my 12hour work days, its the only way I can slow down the reloading process and keep up.

I put a Redding mic die insert in one of my Lyman seating dies for my ABLP (.357mag) and run it with an M-die also, Works well. Both 1/2" x 20 thread. Also use a Redding Dual ring die on it.
View attachment 1177409 View attachment 1177411 RCBS also uses 1/2x 20 threads so the Redding mics fit in them also.

I didn't feel I had much trouble with crooked bullets in my .357s (ABLP press) so I cheated on the mic seating die for it.
My 9mm though got the real deal.

Edit to add: You can buy the Redding mic/seating stems separately from Midwayusa. https://www.midwayusa.com/s?searchTerm=redding+mics

Wow that’s quite a contraption. As grandma said, people are different.

I’m a simple old minimalist (still love the feel of a Muncie 4-speed) working in a double, triple, quadruple duty workshop/reloading room on a T-7. Everything slow, precise, by hand so I can “feel” when it’s right (or wrong).

But you did remind me of Redding’s micrometers for use on “normal” seaters. I have one on a single purpose SWC seater (modified the stem to fit just in shoulder). But have to be careful because their regular dies have built in crimp function.

And that in turn reminded me of something we should tell OP…if you didn’t already know, the Redding competition seater does not have a crimp function. I for one like that a lot, but if you don’t, now you know.

 

[Laphroaig]

I'm currently using an rcbs seater die that came with the die set, I crimp in a separate operation with lee fcd. I read the m die flares the case in such a way to hold a bullet staighter. And the redding die has some engineering voodoo to align the bullet better. I do however plan on getting an xl750 around Christmas, I believe the powder drop mechanism has the flare die built in? So mabye get the redding comp die and call it good? Is there a similar product that's cheaper Than the redding?

I had similar issues when I started loading cast bullets in .45 acp with RCBS dies. I had a fairly high number of non-plunkers which I attributed to less than precise seating in some of the thicker headstamps. My first try was a M-die. Didn't help much. Then I got a FCD that fixed most of the problem rounds. My final purchase was the Redding Comp. seater. Viola, pretty much 100% success rate. My RCBS seater is now used as a dedicated crimp die and the FCD is on the shelf. They seem expensive, but I don't think that you will have regrets.

 

[JHTexas]

I'm mainly repeating what others have said but over the years three things have helped keep bullets straight for me:

Tube Fed Bullet Feeder:
Either the Hornady or the Lee work well to tap the bullet into the case straight. The Hornady takes less space but is more restrictive on bullet diameters that vary from the standard. The Lee works better with diameter variations but on a progressive you may loose a station because it takes more room. If you are okay with the space the Lee takes up I would personally use it.
Hornady Lock-N-Load Pistol Bullet Feeder Bullet Feeding Die
Hornady Lock-N-Load Bullet Tube
Lee Inline Bullet Feeder Kit

M-Die:
I mainly use the Redding Premium expanders. They do a very nice job on their style of the M-Die and have the TiN coated option too. I also us the NOE expanders for bullet diameters that vary from standard or when I need and to expand deeper into the case. I always make sure my expander expands the case just below where the base of the bullet will seat(not as important with jacketed rounds).
The diameter you Bell/Flare to should be equal to or .001:" below the I.D. of your seater die. This will provide the best alignment between the case and bullet in your Redding seater die.
Redding Premium Expander Die
NOE Expanders

Seating Die:
I started using the Redding competition seater dies for rifle reloading and now I have them for all of my pistol calibers. The perform well and also allow you to change settings quickly to another bullets OAL. They are also well built and mine have been used a lot with no signs of wear.
Redding Competition Seater Die

 

[PO2Hammer]

It's the combination of dies that I use on my LNL-AP. M-die and Red comp mic die. They do work well together. You'll find once you get a progressive that you can slow way down because you will get one loaded round every handle pull. Sloooow down and take it easy.

With the M-die profile dies you should feel the bullet almost snap into place, when you feel this your using it right.

That’s well put. With my basic BL550 I can load 9mm carefully and still save time compared to when I ran a turret.
Loading 9mm and 45 auto is no longer a chore.

And he’s right, when you get used to the M die, you’ll be able to feel those jacketed bullets line up with the rim created by an M die.

My BL550 has a Lee sizer, Dillon powder through expander with my Redding 10X on top, Redding comp seater, Redding taper crimp.

Precision without the frustration of a turret.

 

[JHTexas]

No, it took an hour and fifteen minutes to prime 500 rounds on the press. So I guess almost 5 hours start to finish.

I use progressive presses and don’t decapp or prime on them anymore. I use the Lee ACP(now APP Deluxe) for all my decapping/priming.
Without being in a rush we can prime 500 in 15 minutes with good press feedback on the priming. Added the FWArms decapping die to the APP and it just works like a charm. The press is small and doesn’t take up much space either. I’m not advocating rushing your reloading, I just wanted to point this out as an option for time savings.
Depending on how you decide to process it may worth looking into.
FW Arms Decapping Die

 

[Big-bore-bob]

How much do you shoot? Must be a lot.

I try to shoot about 1000 to 1200 rounds total a month between my 4 calibers ( 9mm, .45acp, 357 and 44) but mostly .45 acp (about 500 of those rounds) I've been shooting my 9mm's a bit more lately because I got my new 9mm dies and a sig p210, and have been doing load work-ups and studying ammo types and assembly techniques for several pistol shooting disciplines I'm interested in (action pistol/uspsa, and bullseye/shooting groups), I've been a shooter since I was 6 but only got seriously into it 2 years ago. I guess I've been shooting for 27 years and never learned as much as I have since I started loading and joined this forum. Thanks for all your help everyone!

 

[CQB45ACP]

I try to shoot about 1000 to 1200 rounds total a month between my 4 calibers ( 9mm, .45acp, 357 and 44) but mostly .45 acp (about 500 of those rounds) I've been shooting my 9mm's a bit more lately because I got my new 9mm dies and a sig p210, and have been doing load work-ups and studying ammo types and assembly techniques for several pistol shooting disciplines I'm interested in (action pistol/uspsa, and bullseye/shooting groups), I've been a shooter since I was 6 but only got seriously into it 2 years ago. I guess I've been shooting for 27 years and never learned as much as I have since I started loading and joined this forum. Thanks for all your help everyone!

That’s about twice what I shoot these days. Guess you do need a little quicker production method.

 

[Bill M.]

I do not know anything about loading fast but I switched from my Lee dies to a Redding sleeved seating die and then later to a Redding M expander and my bullets are a lot straighter now. It was a pricey switch because I liked it enough to do the switch in 2 more calibers and had to buy a powder measure to replace the through the die Lees I was using. Now I am sure I am getting the best powder drops and straightest bullets I can so that frees me up to worry about something else. I do think the seating die is worth it even if you do not use the M expander. Maybe the new Lee though the powder M expander is better than the old style?

 

[9mmepiphany]

I use progressive presses and don’t decapp or prime on them anymore. I use the Lee ACP(now APP Deluxe) for all my decapping/priming.

I was pretty much the same way. Converting my ACP to an APP Deluxe was a great investment...almost as nice as the system on the Pro 6000.

I do like the priming system on the Pro 6000 and the system on the Mark 7 Apex-10 seems to be working well also

 

[nettlle]

To me the main selling feature of the Lyman M die is it's ability to get the bullet square and level before going into the seat die. It does this very well.

 

[MEHavey]

truncated cone

I'm using the RCBS set w/ a cast 147gr/TC bullet in my 9's as I type

When expanded correctly, the base of the bullet should enter about a dime's thickness into the case by hand (and easily stay there/straight )
The RCBS set has a TC seating stem. Use it to keep alignment while seating.
Start ram up to where bullet just contacts stem/initially aligns/then ram down slightly to rotate case180 (we're talking 1-second here)
Ram up/home

Seating die body should be screwed down to where it just removes the flare -- leaves mouth at ~0.378/9 when done
A separate FCD crimp step is NOT needed (or even useful)

 

[Walkalong]

Hint hint, flat stems for Truncated bullets.........

 

[MEHavey]

Hint hint, flat stems for Truncated bullets.........

Check. And I normally do w/ all the bigger metplat/calibers.
But the RCBS TC seater fits this bullet perfectly

Bullet Design Details | Accurate Molds

www.accuratemolds.com

 

[Big-bore-bob]

When expanded correctly

I am indeed using the flat/tc seater stem, I believe I could flare just a bit more, mabye that's part of my issue. I'm flaring just enough that I have to lightly wiggle the bullet on to the case to get it to "click" in.

 

[MEHavey]

could flare just a bit more,

Expand (the RCBS m-die doesn't so much "flare" as introduce the 2nd-stage diameter
expansion) enough that the bullet really does easily/fully enter the case that dime's width.

 

[JHTexas]

I was pretty much the same way. Converting my ACP to an APP Deluxe was a great investment...almost as nice as the system on the Pro 6000.

I do like the priming system on the Pro 6000 and the system on the Mark 7 Apex-10 seems to be working well also

I do have a Pro 6000, but because I became so accustomed to using the APP Deluxe I haven’t tried it yet.
Something to put on the todo list.

 

[Walkalong]

But the RCBS TC seater fits this bullet perfectly

Even better when that happens.

 

[AJC1]

After using the bog standard rcbs expander I use their wadcuter stem and all is well. The key for me is to put the bullet in loose and bump it while seating to square up the bullet and then seat. By bump I mean seat a few thousands raise the handle a bit and then fully seat. Never needed any rotation.