Precision .308 dies

gushulak

gushulak

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Looking for advice on what the best dies for reloading .308WIN match rounds that guys are using, including the pros and cons of each.

I am currently using RCBS dies and like them, but feel that I can improve my reloads by using better quality dies designed for long range work.

Thanks for your input.
 
.308 dies

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It depends upon what you want to pay, and how serious you are.
At the bottom end of the scale, I have used a Lee Loader with an arbor press and got excellent loads.

I have used Lee Collet dies to necksize .308, and still use them for 22-250 and 7mm-08 ammunition. They work well, but if you are using a semi auto instead of a bolt gun, you might have to full length resize. Lee even guarantees better accuracy or your money back.

The older Bonanza, now taken over by Forester, sell a set of Bench Rest dies at reasonable prices. These have a full length resizer that you can back off slightly for neck sizing, and a bullet seater that supports the case as the bullet is being seated.

The new Hornady dies have a similar system of seating the bullet. I like the system that supports the case and bullet in alignment. The trouble with ordinary dies is that the bullet and case do not come into alignment until the final quarter inch or so as the case is tapered and not supported at the bottom when being seated. The seating dies that have a sliding chamber that moves up to seat supports the case in alignment.

To go full blown, you need a straight line seating die. This is Benchrest territory, and prices are way up there. You had better be serious.

Ron's suggestion of going to the 6BR.com site is excellent. Just be aware that the dies are only one part of an accuracy system. Primers, powder, bullets, OAL, cases, case trim, neck uniformity, rifle accuracy, bedding and holding are only a few factors that may or may not add to accuracy.

I would also suggest you get a copy of "Precision Shooting - Reloading Guide"
It does not give specific loads, but rather HOW TO MAKE PRECISION LOADS. It is well worth the price if you are serious about target shooting, long range shooting, or long range varminting. There are 8 chapters in it.

Reloading for extreme accuracy.
Reloading for Highpower bolt guns.
Reloading for Highpower gas guns.
Reloading for Benchrest
Reloading for Magnums
Reloading for Wildcats
Pouring and Loading Cast Bullets
Working up an Accurate Load
.
 
Meticulous loading techniques and match grade bullets are more important than the dies. Your regular RCBS dies are fine.
 
Once you get past meticulous loading, dies make a difference.

Forster and Redding are, by and large, the most concentric and easiest to use if you go with the micrometer options.

You can go straight-line (wilson), but you need one heck of a gun and shooting ability to tell the difference between that and a regular press.
 
I am far beyond the meticulous loading, I take my case prep, powders, bullets and rifle to the extreme. Money isn't the issue, I am looking for the best dies that might shrink my groups just a wee bit more, every bit makes a difference.

For the record, I am shooting a heavily tuned Rem 700P, Lapua brass, either Berger or SMK's in 175grs, Fed 210M primers and Varget. My groups are great but loading to the extreme is what I am into and think that their are probably better dies out there for this purpose.

Thanks for input guys, keep it coming.
 
Gushulak, I have a set of Lee Collet dies in 308 Win. Lee guarantees they make the most accurate ammo of any dies. They certainly work in my sporting rifles!

If you would like to try them out, PM me your address and I will put them in the mail to you. Then you can get back to all of us and let us know how much improvement, if any, they actually made. Sounds like you have the equipment and the experience to make this a significant test.

Ted
 
Redding bushing dies are considered the best. They're available in both full length and neck sizing types. The only downfall to these dies is the price. A set of the full length with 4 different bushings set me back $180 here in the US. The neck sizing set cost more.

Most of the guys down here shooting "Practical Long-Range" (aka sniper matches), full length size for both reliability and higher batch-to-batch consistency.

http://www.6mmbr.com/reloadingfroggy.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek046.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek084.html
Note the dies they are using...

You may find these of general interest:
http://demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-equipment/
http://demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-optics/
http://demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-shooting/
http://www.6mmbr.com/norcaltactical.html
 
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I am far beyond the meticulous loading, I take my case prep, powders, bullets and rifle to the extreme. Money isn't the issue, I am looking for the best dies that might shrink my groups just a wee bit more, every bit makes a difference.

For the record, I am shooting a heavily tuned Rem 700P, Lapua brass, either Berger or SMK's in 175grs, Fed 210M primers and Varget. My groups are great but loading to the extreme is what I am into and think that their are probably better dies out there for this purpose.
Click to expand...
If you're shooting (5 shots) 1/2 moa or less with your 700P you might have reached the limit of the barrel with regards to accuracy. Any improvement in accuracy might be how consistently you can shoot.
 
There is some great information provided here. I like bushing dies, especially as RCBS now makes them. For seating, I did tests and found the Forster made more consistent(less runout) rounds than even a Neil Jones arbor benchrest seating die. Did 3 tests with the same batch of neck-turned brass.

Regards,

Peter
 
I've come to really like the combination of a Redding body die, and Lee collet for sizing. It's cheap, has no bushings to mess with, and has produced excellent results for me. I'm using a Redding competition seater w/ micrometer stem, and it works fine, but I'd be tempted to try a Forster next time out, just to compare. Having said that, the lee seater produced great results for me before I got the Redding.
 
I hate the lee collet dies, I have them for .308 and sometimes neck sized brass will not chamber in The 700P I shoot. Take that same brass and FL size it with the die from the same set and it chambers perfectly. I also see variations in OAL with the lee seating dies. You can't go wrong with a redding competition seater and a redding neck die.
 
Terry Perkins said:
If you're shooting (5 shots) 1/2 moa or less with your 700P you might have reached the limit of the barrel with regards to accuracy. Any improvement in accuracy might be how consistently you can shoot.
Click to expand...

Somehow I doubt this statement..

I was shooting with a 700P this past weekend, 168 SMK 43G RL15 Largest group was 5 shots @ .345 inches. Plain old winchester brass, cheap lee dies, no match primers etc... I can't imagine not being able to improve upon this with better materials and equipment
 
I was shooting with a 700P this past weekend, 168 SMK 43G RL15 Largest group was 5 shots @ .345 inches. Plain old winchester brass, cheap lee dies, no match primers etc... I can't imagine not being able to improve upon this with better materials and equipment
Click to expand...
So, my answer to this is...try using fully prepped brass, match primers, etc. Then see if you can consistently outshoot 0.345" at 100 yards. If you can, then you should be using that combination in BR competitions.

By the way, how was the rifle rested?
 
Dies make a huge difference, in my opinion runout is one of your worst enemy when trying to achieve tight groups.

Tighter tolerances of a precision die will maximize bullet concentricity.

I have used the RCBS 308 dies before, they are great but there are better. I now use the Reddings competition seating die, I found this die provides less runout than the RCBS. This isnt' to say Redding are the best but by far better than RCBS

Paired with the competition bushing style neck sizing die with multiple bushing, it allows me to adjust neck tension as needed.

However, the cons of a bushing die adds stress to the brass, a collet die however, will squeeze the brass instead of pulling it.

I just find changing bushings alot easier to adjust neck tension.
 
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