243 dies?

[BishBeCool]

didnt find what I was looking for on the thread search but I apologize if this has ben asked/ discussed already.

I typically have been using Redding master hunter die sets for reloading with good results, typically loading Bergers. for my 243 I plan on loading 95 NBTs, 95 tmks, and trying 108 eldms. wondering if the 108s would be too long for the seater stem in a regular rcbs seating die. can save a lot of money with the rcbs dies versus the redding. what do you fellas think?

 

[Steve300xcw]

You'll be fine

 

[mtnbound]

didnt find what I was looking for on the thread search but I apologize if this has ben asked/ discussed already.

I typically have been using Redding master hunter die sets for reloading with good results, typically loading Bergers. for my 243 I plan on loading 95 NBTs, 95 tmks, and trying 108 eldms. wondering if the 108s would be too long for the seater stem in a regular rcbs seating die. can save a lot of money with the rcbs dies versus the redding. what do you fellas think?

I am not sure about the length issue, as I use Hornady dies, but you may need to use a VLD stem for the 108s.

 

[BishBeCool]

I am not sure about the length issue, as I use Hornady dies, but you may need to use a VLD stem for the 108s.

thank you, that's what I was thinking and trying to avoid

 

[SDHNTR]

Why? I swap the stem out for the VLD seater in all my dies.

 

[BishBeCool]

Why? I swap the stem out for the VLD seater in all my dies.

I should rephrase what I said…not necessarily trying to “avoid” it. Just trying to be cost effective and buy the $45 die set. I agree swapping a vld seating stem would be the fix. I haven’t seen them for sale for rcbs dies anymore and all that comes up when I search is their match seater. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places.

 

[Backcast88]

I have Master Hunter die sets and really like them. Never had any complaints with the results. Yea they aren't cheap but sometimes you get what you pay for.

If you are looking to save a little money on dies, I prefer the Hornady Custom grade dies vs. basic RCBS dies. Being able to swap seating stems is nice and I like the adjustments better on the Hornady dies.

 

[Marbles]

RCBS standard seating die works fine for 108 ELDMs and 112 Match Burners for me.

 

[mtnbound]

RCBS standard seating die works fine for 108 ELDMs and 112 Match Burners for me.

That's good to know. Do they last long? The Hornady ones don't seem to last very long. I have had to replace them both this year in my 223 and 22CM.

 

[Marbles]

That's good to know. Do they last long? The Hornady ones don't seem to last very long. I have had to replace them both this year in my 223 and 22CM.

I don't know. I've loaded only 400-500 rounds of 243.

I have about 3,000 rounds loaded on my 223 dies, which are also RCBS.

My dumb question, how do you wear out a die?

 

[mtnbound]

I don't know. I've loaded only 400-500 rounds of 243.

I have about 3,000 rounds loaded on my 223 dies, which are also RCBS.

My dumb question, how do you wear out a die?

I noticed that after I seated a bullet and cycled the handle to seat the next one, it felt like it hit a brick wall. After several repeated attempts to seat a bullet and some messed-up bullets and/or cases. I removed the seating die, and found the ELDM stem had flared slightly and was getting stuck in the die, so the bullet wasn't being guided straight and would hit the die. I replaced the stem, and everything worked like normal.

 

[nuffgun]

I’m seating 108’s with the standard rcbs seating die. 700 in so far with no noticeable accuracy issues yet. The good Lord only knows how many bullets that die has seated since my dad bought it many moons ago.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've never even heard of VLD and ELDM seating stems until now.......or problems with a seating stem. I just load and go as I always have for every cartridge I load for, with standard RCBS dies. I've been loading the 108 ELDM's and Elite Hunters for my 243. I also just got the basic RCBS 6CM die set last month, but haven't set them up yet.

 

[mtnbound]

I've never even heard of VLD and ELDM seating stems until now.......or problems with a seating stem. I just load and go as I always have for every cartridge I load for, with standard RCBS dies. I've been loading the 108 ELDM's and Elite Hunters for my 243. I also just got the basic RCBS 6CM die set last month, but haven't set them up yet.

I only know about them because they were included with the die set. Once I started looking into it, I found more info, so I decided to use them.

 

[SDHNTR]

I have Master Hunter die sets and really like them. Never had any complaints with the results. Yea they aren't cheap but sometimes you get what you pay for.

If you are looking to save a little money on dies, I prefer the Hornady Custom grade dies vs. basic RCBS dies. Being able to swap seating stems is nice and I like the adjustments better on the Hornady dies.

I agree with this. For basic dies, I prefer Hornady over RCBS too.

 

[nm.otter]

I noticed that after I seated a bullet and cycled the handle to seat the next one, it felt like it hit a brick wall. After several repeated attempts to seat a bullet and some messed-up bullets and/or cases. I removed the seating die, and found the ELDM stem had flared slightly and was getting stuck in the die, so the bullet wasn't being guided straight and would hit the die.

Thanks -- someone mentioned this when I inquired about stem choice for a Custom Grade 6.5 Creedmoor set.

Any idea how many rounds you seated before this happened?

 

[Steve300xcw]

I've never even heard of VLD and ELDM seating stems until now.......or problems with a seating stem. I just load and go as I always have for every cartridge I load for, with standard RCBS dies. I've been loading the 108 ELDM's and Elite Hunters for my 243. I also just got the basic RCBS 6CM die set last month, but haven't set them up yet.

I think this is one of those things. Where you got away with it, because you didnt know any better. Now that you know better. I have no doubt your that rounds will come outta the barrel sideways until you getchu a low drag seating stem

 

[mtnbound]

Thanks -- someone mentioned this when I inquired about stem choice for a Custom Grade 6.5 Creedmoor set.

Any idea how many rounds you seated before this happened?

Around 2k.

 

[mtnbound]

I've never even heard of VLD and ELDM seating stems until now.......or problems with a seating stem. I just load and go as I always have for every cartridge I load for, with standard RCBS dies. I've been loading the 108 ELDM's and Elite Hunters for my 243. I also just got the basic RCBS 6CM die set last month, but haven't set them up yet.

Some light reading.

Do I need VLD Seating Stems?

When loading a Very Low Drag (VLD) bullet or a hybrid bullet, we recommend that you use a VLD seating stem to ensure load consistency.

bergerbullets.com

 

[nm.otter]

Perhaps a 7000-series alloy would have been a better choice there.

OTOH, we're talking about replacing a sub-$15 part every 2,000 rounds.