Pacesetter dies-question

Hirsch_Creek

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Got my new pacesetter dies for 30-06 today. I knew it was a 3 die set but I don't understand why there isn't an expander die to make flat base bullet seating easier. Do I just have to chamfer the brass to get the bullet seat started???
 
Case flaring dies are typically a separate die you would buy. The dead length seating die does a good job of standing the bullet up square to the case mouth.
 
Case flaring dies are typically a separate die you would buy. The dead length seating die does a good job of standing the bullet up square to the case mouth.

Weird thing is that my Lee dies that are in 375 Winchester came with a expansion die in the 3 pack.

375 dies - decapper die, expansion die, seating die
30-06 dies - decapper die, seating die, crimping die

Both are Lee dies
 
Ah, that is because the .375 is a non-bottleneck cartridge typically used with flat based bullets that will vary in diameter depending on construction (jacketed vs. cast) while the .30-06 is more often reloaded with jacketed bullets whose diameter will be a consistent .308". An expanding die is included with die sets for cartridges like that while bottleneck dies typically do not include an expanding die as they're often not needed unless you're loading cast bullets. And yes, some inside chamferring is all you need. The .30-06 seating die (Lee dead length seating die) is not a crimping die, it has a portion that stands the bullet up better than a roll crimp die to align the bullet with the case mouth. They work good with flat based bullets and tend to eliminate crushed cases and egged out case necks.

Weird thing is that my Lee dies that are in 375 Winchester came with a expansion die in the 3 pack.

375 dies - decapper die, expansion die, seating die
30-06 dies - decapper die, seating die, crimping die

Both are Lee dies
 
Ah, that is because the .375 is a non-bottleneck cartridge typically used with flat based bullets that will vary in diameter depending on construction (jacketed vs. cast) while the .30-06 is more often reloaded with jacketed bullets whose diameter will be a consistent .308". An expanding die is included with die sets for cartridges like that while bottleneck dies typically do not include an expanding die as they're often not needed unless you're loading cast bullets. And yes, some inside chamferring is all you need. The .30-06 seating die (Lee dead length seating die) is not a crimping die, it has a portion that stands the bullet up better than a roll crimp die to align the bullet with the case mouth. They work good with flat based bullets and tend to eliminate crushed cases and egged out case necks.

Okay. I kind of thought maybe it had to do with the bottleneck/straight wall thing. That expansion die just made it so dang easy to pre-seat the bullet I was flustered when it wasn't a step of my '06 process too. Thank for clearing it up for me!
 
You don't need a flair die to seat jacketed bullets in the 30-06 Just make sure you chamfer the neck a bit both inside and outside.

If you are planning on shooting cast bullets in your 30-06 then by all means get a flaring die.
 
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