6.5 CM dies for hunting and match grade

bazzturd

FNG
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Jan 9, 2025
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41
Hello,

New hand loader here. Looking to pick a set of dies for making hunting and match 6.5cm with my Dillon RL550. What do you recommend.?

I've heard mixed reviews about crimping hunting rounds. Looking for advice.

Match projectiles will likely be Berger hybrid target 140 and hunting will be Hornady CX or ECX in 120, 120, 140. Living in CA so gonna start with the CX per some reviews I have read for accuracy.

Thanks
 
I'd say a regular Forester full length sizing die and a micrometer-style seating die. Save bushing dies for when you get more advanced. Decide then if there's an advantage to them. Forget about crimping. Not needed for bolt guns and it will just add variability to your loads.
 
I like standard forster FL sizing dies and typically order them honed to not overwork the brass. The tricky part is different brass mfrs have different neck thicknesses so one might not work well for all.

If I had to spec a die for 6.5 creed, I'd order a forster FL sizer honed to 0.2880" neck diameter and i would get an expander ball that is 0.002" or 0.0025" under bullet diameter to give you a little more neck tension. Standard expander ball is only 0.001" under typically i believe.

I typically buy the forster micrometer seating dies too, mostly just because they cost less than redding type S micrometer seating dies.
 
I use mostly Redding type S bushing dies but I often wonder why. I have one set of Forster Benchrest dies and they produce ammo just as good or better than anything else. If I were starting all over again, that’s all I’d buy.
 
I really like the Forster Bushing Full Length Sizing die paired with a Redding Competition seating die. I know the Forster is popular for micrometer seating dies but I like the Redding better since I can get different stems.

But, a regular Forster full length sizing die is a good option for getting started and will serve you well. I would still get the Redding micrometer competition seating die.

My buddy uses RCBS Match Master dies for a few calibers and has no problem making very consistent and accurate ammo. He runs Wilson bushing. I've played with them. They seem to be a good value for bushing dies and work well.
 
Forster full length honed sizing dia and seater. Run a smaller diameter decapping unit in the FL die at station 1, then run an expander mandrel in station 2.
 
I really like the Forster Bushing Full Length Sizing die paired with a Redding Competition seating die. I know the Forster is popular for micrometer seating dies but I like the Redding better since I can get different stems.
I agree that this is convenient to get the Redding VLD stems. Forster will hone a seating stem to any bullet you want but you've got to send in the stuff for them to to it and I haven't wanted to do the hassle so I've just chucked bullets or stems in a drill and used lapping compound on a bullet to get them to fit better.

Forster full length honed sizing dia and seater. Run a smaller diameter decapping unit in the FL die at station 1, then run an expander mandrel in station 2.

I'd probably do this as well if sizing on the dillon. Since i size and prime/charge/seat in separate steps i think sizing is actually slightly faster on my single stage than it would be on the dillon.
 
Buy what gives you confidence in the decision, but regular old standard full length die sets with regular old expander balls that overwork cases and whatnot, will still give good results in a rifle with 1/2 MOA accuracy. Case necks split faster from being overworked, but annealing every 3 shots lets most cases survive at least 10 shots.

If a gun has potential to shoot that good or better I’m a fan of bushing dies, mandrels, neck turning, Wilson seating dies, fancy brass, weight sorting, etc., but on most hunting rifles that is all just waxing the hubcaps on the pickup hoping for better gas mileage.

Reloading is about the fun of experimenting so if something sounds interesting by all means try it out. Many of us do things we know don’t help, but it makes us feel better, and that’s reason enough. I suggest you get used to testing new techniques or equipment to see if it actually made a difference on target, most things do not.

It’s human nature to be drawn to reloading ideas that evolve over time, even if we don’t know why. Each level of accuracy has its urban legends and techniques that work well enough. The current one that stands out is the full length sizing .004” shoulder pushback that everyone repeats from benchrest, to f class, to PRS, to the shooting podcasts, here, and even uncle Jimmy who only plinks at 100 yards. It wasn’t that long ago when necksizing was setting accuracy records, so what happened? The resistance of working the bolt with neck sized brass slightly disturbs how a benchrest or f class rifle is settled into the rest, especially when rapid fired, and one guy started winning with carefully full length resized brass in custom FL dies and it has taken over and has been reinforced with new gizmos marketed everywhere that help measure shoulder setback. Simple neck sizing is still as accurate as it ever was when a winning target may have been .104” instead of .099”. By all means buy the gizmo and aim for .004” setback, but just for kicks, at least once, unscrew the sizing die 1/2 turn to not touch the shoulder, and shoot a group.
 
Great info and thanks for the responses. I'm seeing some consistency with recommendations which is gearing me towards what equipment to get. Likely a combo of Forester and Redding to start. As far as if my rifle can even shoot, that is the question!! I was gonna grab a couple boxes to break it in rather than handloads and see what it does factory.
 
I like dies that size aggressively on the lower half the case to prevent clickers. In my quest to fix oversized brass from a sloppy redding typeS FL bushing die, I tried several. The RCBS matchmaster have sized the most in the web area. This is with creed, gt and Saum cases.
 
I ended up going with the Forester Ultra bushing sizer and ultra micrometer seater. While bushing might be advanced, I'm no Dillard and youtube university drastically cuts down the learning curve. F Class John and Ultimate reloader have great content on this set of dies. It is pretty crazy because I feel like this content is something that would take decades to figure out on your own or even years with a mentor.

One thing I cannot find is load development with lead free ammo. I have the displeasure of living in California when it comes to 2a and other matters. Shooting lead free is mandatory here for hunting. The Hornady podcast has some talks about tight groups with the CX line but no content beyond mentioning it while talking about the CX. There are a couple videos here and there with Barnes but with gas guns.
 
Loading TTSX is just too simple, seat so that the case mouth is in the middle of the top groove and work up to pressure.
 
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