Redding competition seater die or lee m die

[Big-bore-bob]

Hi all, apologies if this has been discussed before but I'm having some issues seating my 9mm bullets perfectly straight into cases when i get moving too fast on the press, I want to go faster and keep the same level of quality. I read into the redding seater die and the M die, both are supposed to do what I need. Which is better? Is a combo of both the best? Thanks.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Hi all, apologies if this has been discussed before but I'm having some issues seating my 9mm bullets perfectly straight into cases when i get moving too fast on the press, I want to go faster and keep the same level of quality. I read into the redding seater die and the M die, both are supposed to do what I need. Which is better? Is a combo of both the best? Thanks.

The seater is a seater, the M die an expander. Different animals.

I’ve got both and they each do what they are supposed to do.

 

[nettlle]

What seating die are you using now?

 

[PO2Hammer]

When I first started loading 9mm, I got a lot of tilted and/or scraped bullets. (Lee ‘deluxe’ 4 die set)
For 9mm I’ve found a good seating die is more important than the expanding die.
The Redding comp seater works with all 4 expanders I’ve used, Lee, Dillon, Lyman and Redding.
It will even seat a jacketed bullet straight with no expansion or flare at all.
The micrometer head is a nice plus, speeds set up, and it’s repeatable.
If you’re going to buy an expander as well, Lyman or Redding, both are M style.

 

[nettlle]

It doesn't get much better than a Redding Competition Seating die and an M-Die. I do have both and used them in the past on a turret press. I now reload 9MM and 45acp by the thousands on my Dillon 550C using a Dillon seating die and a Dillon flare die. I reload both coated SWC and jacketed hollow points with these dies with no issues.

 

[Walkalong]

It doesn't get much better than a Redding Competition Seating die and an M-Die.

Yep, an “M” die, or an “M” die copycat die with a good sleeved expander is the best combination I have used.

That said, you still have to start bullets straight for the best results, start them crooked and you’ll still get crooked rounds, they just won’t be as bad.

There is no free lunch to seating bullets if you want very straight rounds.

That said, I recommend that setup.

 

[AJC1]

You posted a specific list of products that can be accomplished by many. The m die was the original two step expander. Rcbs dies and several others now employ this technology in their expanders. I use noe expanders in the Lee universal die body. A seater with a good bullet fit of the seating stem is king. A sliding sleeve helps keep things straight. I prefer flat meplat bullets to make the seating stem a non-issue. The rmr match winners are cheap and excellent. They make all three weights.

 

[Big-bore-bob]

What seating die are you using now?

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?

 

[AJC1]

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?

Is your 9mm set in the gray box? If so it has the two step expander aka the m

 

[Big-bore-bob]

Is your 9mm set in the gray box?

It's is indeed the gray box, good to know it's the m style already. I guess it's just me rushing things and not getting the bullet placed straight enough on the case.

 

[CQB45ACP]

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?

The Redding competition seating die is great. (I use for 9mm and 45acp)

It really does help keep the bullet straight but it’s not voodoo—as @Walkalong said, you have to do your part and start the bullet properly. And expecting it to permit you do do things faster might be voodoo.

 

[Big-bore-bob]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I'll slow it down a bit and make sure I'm placing the bullet as straight as I can. I just got on a marathon of loading and rushed several bullets that ended up a wee bit crooked and shaved a bit of copper off the jacket...ugh. I'll get the redding die as soon as my budget permits. It took me 3.5 hours to do this.

 

[koz4guns]

What shape bullets are you using?
I find that I have a harder time seating truncated cone style bullets straight, SWC’s are the easiest and round nose next for me.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I'll slow it down a bit and make sure I'm placing the bullet as straight as I can. I just got on a marathon of loading and rushed several bullets that ended up a wee bit crooked and shaved a bit of copper off the jacket...ugh. I'll get the redding die as soon as my budget permits. It took me 3.5 hours to do this.

Very nice. That would take me 3.5 days

 

[Big-bore-bob]

What shape bullets are you using?

They're the 124gr rmr matchwinners truncated cone. I think I just got sloppy though. If I take my time they go in straight. I just wanted more speed on the turret press, though it sounds like I can't have my cake and eat it too. I see a progressive in my future.

 

[ballman6711]

Very nice. That would take me 3.5 days

Me too, if I was in a hurry. 4+ days to do it right.

Nice job @Big-bore-bob but don't be in a hurry. If it's worth doing it's worth doing right.

chris

 

[CQB45ACP]

They're the 124gr rmr matchwinners truncated cone. I think I just got sloppy though. If I take my time they go in straight. I just wanted more speed on the turret press, though it sounds like I can't have my cake and eat it too. I see a progressive in my future.

No, no, not the dark side!

 

[Otto]

It took me 3.5 hours to do this.

25 seconds a round on a turret while charging the cases off press in impressive. Did that include priming?

 

[Big-bore-bob]

Did that include priming?

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

 

[Big-bore-bob]

No, no, not the dark side!

Haha! I'm not getting rid of the turret... but for practice ammo in the quantities I shoot a progressive makes sense. For revolver ( .357 and .44) and accuracy loads for 9mm and .45 acp. I'll rely on the turret.

 

[NMexJim]

I sold all my RCBS pistol dies and went Hornady New Dimension. I like their bullet seaters Especially for 9mm. For rifles, I’m using Redding and Hornady. Redding die’s are beautifully made, but the Hornady load very well too.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I read into the redding seater die and the M die, both are supposed to do what I need. Which is better? Is a combo of both the best? Thanks

They're the 124gr rmr matchwinners truncated cone. I think I just got sloppy though. If I take my time they go in straight. I just wanted more speed on the turret press, though it sounds like I can't have my cake and eat it too. I see a progressive in my future.

I finally bit the bullet with more specialized dies when I started loaded coated bullets for my .38Spl competition ammo and they started shaving. Of course I sort of went overboard and also started trimming them to get a uniform roll crimp. I added the Lyman M-die to hold bullets straighter between stations on my Hornady LNL AP and the Redding Competition Seating die to hold the cases and bullets in alignment as they were seated. I liked the Redding dies so much that I added the Redding Dual Carbide Ring sizer and their M-profile expander. I certainly solved my issues with shaving coating.

For 9mm, I load the 124gr MatchWinners and the 147gr Heavy MatchWinners. Being jacketed bullets there isn't much worry about them shaving but getting them started straight is still a good thing. I'm using a Redding Pro set including the Competition Seating die. I've added their Expander, a Lee Universal Decapping die, a Lee In-line Bullet Feeder, and an RCBS Powder Check die. What's nice about the bullet feeder is that the bullets drop down straight (gravity) and are held in the "cup" formed by the expander (you can invert the case and the bullet won't drop out). after crimping with the regular Redding Profile Crimp die, all my loaded cartridges case gauge in my Hundo unless there is a flaw at the rim or extraction groove.

The only PTX I use is Lee's new stepped (M-profile) expander, that replaced a Lyman M-die, in the Lee Pro 6000 that I use to load .45ACP. It forms a nice "cup" for the bullet also and holds it securely as it moves around to the Redding Competition Seating die I've added to the press

 

[9mmepiphany]

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?

If you do get the XL750, you can get the powder through expanding insert from Dounble Action Alpha (DAA) which has the M-profile. I helped a friend set up his 750 and the DAA insert really helped hold the bullets securely between stations during his 1500-1800 round loading sessions. He had the Dillon case feeder and the DAA Mr Bullet Feeder, so all he had to do was refill the primer tube when the alarm went off

 

[CQB45ACP]

Haha! I'm not getting rid of the turret... but for practice ammo in the quantities I shoot a progressive makes sense. For revolver ( .357 and .44) and accuracy loads for 9mm and .45 acp. I'll rely on the progressive.

How much do you shoot? Must be a lot.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

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.

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.
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