Die recommendations

[Gunfighter25]

I got varying results with the Lee set. Biggest problem was that even with the die screwed down to the shellholder, the shoulder didn't get pushed back enough to close the bolt. Was told to use the Redding Type S full length die because I was using the AR platform but was still experiencing the occasional failure to close. Finally got the Redding Competition shellholder set and played with it until I got to the .006 shell holder. Five shellholders from .002 to .010 and a space for the regular shell holder too. No issues with Lapua, AA, Hornady or fire-formed IMI 7.62x39 brass since.

Gunfighter

[65man]

+1 on the Forster Competition set. That was the only thing that was in-stock when I had to start loading for the 6.5 Grendel.

I'm really liking the concentricity concept for the Lee Collet sizing die as I also load on a Rock Chucker. I have friends at the local machine shop that can/will do any modifications that I can't handle myself.

Good thing the Lee dies are cheap. I may end up going through a couple during this experiment....

can't find "Forster Competion dies" on midway usa. there is another name for this?

thanks

[Drifter]

I got varying results with the Lee set. Biggest problem was that even with the die screwed down to the shellholder, the shoulder didn't get pushed back enough to close the bolt.

I'm not using the Lee sizing die much, but with the one that I have, there's ~1/8" gap between the die and shellholder when set properly. If your die is screwed all the way down touching the shellholder, it's possible that the case is getting crushed. This will form a ring or bulge near the case head, preventing it from chambering. (On the contrary, my Redding S-type die does contact the shellholder.)

Color an ill-fitting case with a black sharpie pen, then press it into a case gauge. Punch it back out, and there should be tell-tale marks showing which portion of the case is problematic.

[stokesrj]

I also have a Dillon 550 but don't load the Gredel on it, I see they do make a shell plate for it though which is nice. You probably know that Dillon recomends Redding dies for calibers they don't make their dies in. I have the high end Redding Competitition setand just their regular FL die set as well. I think the Redding FL die set is a more senible buy unless you just like the cool stuff http://www.midwayusa.com/product/948...c=S016ID759032. If you are going to be loading only Lapua and AA brass the standard dies are fine. I sometimes form brass or load Wolf brass so the bushing dies come in handy then. I load all my Grendel on either my Redding single stage press or Wilson hand dies. I get less than .002 bullet run out with any of them.
Bob

[stokesrj]

65man,

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/696834/forster-bench-rest-2-die-set-65-grendel?cm_vc=S016ID759032

[BenchRider]

can't find "Forster Competion dies" on midway usa. there is another name for this?

thanks

Sorry, I don't think they have a formal "Competition" series. I was trying to convey that I'm using the higher end Forster dies. For the Grendel, I *believe* I'm using their Benchrest Full Length Sizer die and their Ultra Micrometer Seating die.

In another caliber, I've got three different Benchrest seating dies set for the varying classes of bullet weight, ie. 55-60 gr, 63-69 gr, and 70gr and up. The dies are marked with tape and set for the bullet that I load most out of each group.

Never got a bad die from Forster.

A friend is using the Hornady dies and was concerned that he could only set the shoulder back to 1.218 as measured with a Case Comparator with them. Turns out, he's fine as his fired brass (Hornady right now) measures 1.220 to the shoulder out of an AA upper.

[65man]

thanks br & stokesrj for the link

[elkbow]

65man,

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/696...c=S016ID759032

actually this is the set:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/759032/forster-ultra-2-die-set-65-grendel

[bobke]

i'm about to embark on loading for the grendel, with an ill fated set of redding comp s bushing dies. have read a handful of threads regarding runout issues with any dies other than lee collet die for neck sizing and am somewhat second guessing my acquisition of redding dies, until i've actually loaded and shot the by product of same. unfortunately, at this time i don't have tool to measure runout, so is somewhat a moot point, but the redding dies have worked very well for me in a noveske 223. question is...what is typical runout of factory loaded ammo? can't find any to buy, and can't measure either-yet, but with all the concern for runout, what is it with properly loaded factory, whether hornaday or other?

[bwaites]

I use Redding S Comp bushing dies and have minimal runout. I actually bought the Hornady Concentricity gauge, but after running about 500 bullets through it seldom use it anymore, since the runout was so little it was taking me as long to chuck them up as it was to measure and correct.

I never ran any of the factory ammo, but I guess I could, just of fun, if someone wants.

[stokesrj]

i'm about to embark on loading for the grendel, with an ill fated set of redding comp s bushing dies. have read a handful of threads regarding runout issues with any dies other than lee collet die for neck sizing and am somewhat second guessing my acquisition of redding dies, until i've actually loaded and shot the by product of same. unfortunately, at this time i don't have tool to measure runout, so is somewhat a moot point, but the redding dies have worked very well for me in a noveske 223. question is...what is typical runout of factory loaded ammo? can't find any to buy, and can't measure either-yet, but with all the concern for runout, what is it with properly loaded factory, whether hornaday or other?

Rest assured, the dies you have are among the best available. I have them and several others as well. Runout hardly ever exceeds 0.002" which is a non issue. I also have Wilson hand dies which are preferred by the bench rest crowd and they produce rounds with identical runout and more importantly results on distant targets.

Bob

[bobke]

please excuse a bit of sarcasm regarding the redding dies-they've served my very well with 223, but after reading all the of negative feedback about runout with redding bushing dies and how well the lee dies dealt with same issue, began second guessing my choice-or more so, how redding could miss something like this so profoundly, according to more than a few findings in some of the precision loading sites out there. i'll try to work through whatever comes up, and have found a wealth of knowledge here to draw from to keep me on the straight and narrow-appreciate the good guidance and counsel.

[stokesrj]

Here is a ten shot group fired by a 6.5 Grendel from the bench at 100 yards. This ammo was loaded on Redding Competition dies with no load development. The first group shot from this gun.[IMG][/IMG]

[bwaites]

This is a 5 shot group shot with 107 SMK's the first time that I had my 28" rifle out. I loaded the bullet to mag length, with 4 different charges of XBR 8208. This was the 28.5 grain load. Not as impressive as Bob's since its a 5 shot group, but then, I'm not in Bob's class as a shooter either!

I didn't do anything special but load them up.



This was from brass with multiple firings and no special brass prep. All sizing and loading done with S Type competition dies.

[bobke]

bwaites/stokesrj-
care to share the loads? that's excellent work! mine is a 24" satern 8.75" twist, but have had no opportunity to load/fire/locate factory rounds, so am accumulating a variety to work with. have 120 nosler bt, 129 hornady and some speer 120gr spitzers from my days with a 6.5 JDJ contender barrel, so have a start with those and 123 smk's coming. have tac/8208/blc2/rl15/others to work with, as well. thx.