Deciding on dies: Hornady vs Redding

[FLshooter]

Get the Hornady to start.For the money,it’s a great set.Then get a Forster micrometer seating die,Forster seating die and Forster die set case.The whole deal cost around $150.Comparable to a Redding match die set.IMO,I think it’s better.
Only problem is Forster dies are usually backorder items. I had to wait a few months for mine to come in . But definitely worth the wait . If you shoot 500 yards out or more you will notice a difference .

[Cornbread]

If you really want to do it right get a forster fl sizing die and have it honed to your specs for shoulder bump. I have found that bushing dies can induce runout on non neck turned brass. Bushing dies size the outside of the neck and will push any variance in neck thickness to the INSIDE of the neck.

[Bobke]

Redding Type S. True, the bushing does push neck variance to ID, until you pull the expander button back through, if you use the button. And net neck tension depends on brass temper, neck thickness and diameter of the button itself. I?ve played around a bunch lately with these factors and it?s a little art and science-the numbers don?t always provide a linear result.

[Jakal]

Redding "S" type here. I tried one of Hornadys New Dimension dies in 6.5 Creedmoor and had more issues. Brass was not sizing correctly and the die was very tight even using Dillon sizing spray or Imperial Sizing wax. Bought a Redding replacement and had it set up and running correctly in about 10 pieces of brass.

I'll stick with Redding or Dillon dies.

[lazyengineer]

I wouldn't advise a Redding seating die.


Read that warning label. They can't figure out how to make a seating die stand up to compressed loads.

Hornady can do it all day. And has a nice sliding sleeve for controlled accurate bullet alignment, and to help make bullet insertion and getting your hand out of the way an easier and more pleasant experience.

I've run Hornady and Redding resize dies to the point they needed to be polished. Hornady did it for free, no-questions-asked and payed the shipping for the return. Redding made me pay. Don't get me wrong, Redding makes a good sizing die - I actually like their bushing sizer better than Hornadys sizer. But I would stay away from their weak no-compressed-loads seating die.

[Harpoon1]

LE

I had forgotten about ?compressed loads voids the warranty?. Another reason to go Forster.

Curious if you have checked the runout on your Hornady dies, the sizing dies in particular? I haven?t had a chance to check the seating dies just yet.

I just recieved a runout gauge and checked some of mine, trying to get to the bottom of these persistent ?flyers?. First, some once fired Starline 308 with the Hornady Match Grade dies. Not good, they all increased, some as much as .003! That?s was on a brand new Rockchucker, lock & load bushing and RCBS shell holder. Took 5 more of the same brass and did the same test again, this time on a Co-Ax. Virtually identical results, they all increased, some more than others. Very disappointing.

So, to make sure it?s not just a one off defective die. Tried the test again on the Co-Ax with some Lapua brass from a 6.5 Swede. Same results, all increased at least some, .001, others as much as .003. Bummer.

I cleaned both dies inside and out before hand, made sure the bushing was free to float and adjusted the die so that I was only neck sizing, with as little to no setback as I could adjust them.

Well, so much for self centering bushing dies reducing runout.

[Popeye212]

If you really want to do it right get a forster fl sizing die and have it honed to your specs for shoulder bump. I have found that bushing dies can induce runout on non neck turned brass. Bushing dies size the outside of the neck and will push any variance in neck thickness to the INSIDE of the neck.

What he ^ said. I have the Forster sizing and Micrometer die. No warnings about compressed loads voiding warranty.

[Harpoon1]

What he ^ said. I have the Forster sizing and Micrometer die. No warnings about compressed loads voiding warranty.

Well, I’ve got some Forster dies also, mostly seating dies but, like someone else mentioned earlier, seems they’re always “out of stock” on the size I want...........

FWIW: just ran the same test with a Forster Neck Bumping Bushing die and got the same results. The increase in runout was about half what I experienced with the Hornady dies but, it still increased on most of the cases. So, seems the bushing type dies are the culprit, regardless of the manufacturer.

[Bobke]

Are those of you experiencing runout of various degrees annealing your brass, and if so, with what frequency? I use Redding type S dies almost exclusively in a multiple of calibers and anneal every firing and if I?ve set up correctly, neck and loaded rounds most times are under .002 runout. Pretty good ES/SD?s, as well. Some compressed loads, at that.

[Harpoon1]

Are those of you experiencing runout of various degrees annealing your brass, and if so, with what frequency? I use Redding type S dies almost exclusively in a multiple of calibers and anneal every firing and if I?ve set up correctly, neck and loaded rounds most times are under .002 runout. Pretty good ES/SD?s, as well. Some compressed loads, at that.

No, I don’t anneal. I’m sure it’s beneficial for consistency and extends the life of the brass. I don’t compete, and the primer pockets usually go before I start seeing any neck cracking, so, it’s just not worth the added time/expense for me, at least right now.

And I observed the same amount of runout that you did with the Redding die. Which was about half of what I got using the Hornady dies. So I suppose, that’s where at least some of
the price delta is going, for tighter tolerances?

I can live with .002 or less. It’s the .004 or .005+ that had me concerned.

[plainsman456]

When my brother in law got his Grendle he also got a set of dies from Hornaday.

They have never made a bad round of ammo in the year of use.

I did have an issue with a brand of brass that did not slide easy into the standard shell holder.

And the price is right.

[Popeye212]

Well, I’ve got some Forster dies also, mostly seating dies but, like someone else mentioned earlier, seems they’re always “out of stock” on the size I want...........

FWIW: just ran the same test with a Forster Neck Bumping Bushing die and got the same results. The increase in runout was about half what I experienced with the Hornady dies but, it still increased on most of the cases. So, seems the bushing type dies are the culprit, regardless of the manufacturer.

Pretty much the same results I got in fact probably going to sell my Redding S Bushing Die. Forster full length and seater die with expander mandrel giving me the best results.

[Mark611]

Just My 2ct, on neck sizing, first off I'm not a fan of Lee tools, I use mainly Redding! Lee makes a neck mandrel sizing die! its a special order for the 6.5G, I have used a few of these dies for my 308win and 223REM, I get a run out of less then 1k 99% of the time, I do not use a sizing die that sizes the neck, just the case body only! then neck size! But I also uniform my necks before I ever use the cases, I turn my necks just enough to remove the hi spots so the they have an even wall thickness all the way around! That's how I do it! YMMV!

[Klem]

Just My 2ct, on neck sizing, first off I'm not a fan of Lee tools, I use mainly Redding! Lee makes a neck mandrel sizing die! its a special order for the 6.5G, I have used a few of these dies for my 308win and 223REM, I get a run out of less then 1k 99% of the time, I do not use a sizing die that sizes the neck, just the case body only! then neck size! But I also uniform my necks before I ever use the cases, I turn my necks just enough to remove the hi spots so the they have an even wall thickness all the way around! That's how I do it! YMMV!

Mark, thanks for sharing...(letting you know there seems to be a problem with your keyboard. Every time you hit the full-stop it gives an exclamation mark '!'.

[Mark611]

Klem, thanks for ur feed back