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Seating die with micrometer


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I am interested in this too on my 650. I have some Lee seating/crimp dies that are micrometer adjustable. My though was just to use the Lee dies, but don't adjust it down enough to do the crimp and just use if for adjustable seating. Then let the Dillon die in station 5 do the final crimp.

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I just bought and installed one to replace a Hornady New Dimension 9mm seating die with the floating sleeve that I liked.

AFTER I ordered the Redding Competition Die I saw that Hornady also sells a "Microjust Seating Stem" for their seating die (currently on sale from Midway for < $30).

394708.jpg

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I just bought and installed one to replace a Hornady New Dimension 9mm seating die with the floating sleeve that I liked.

AFTER I ordered the Redding Competition Die I saw that Hornady also sells a "Microjust Seating Stem" for their seating die (currently on sale from Midway for < $30).

394708.jpg

I will need to get a Hornady die to go with this die stem. Correct?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

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Correct. Midway has then for about $22 + $30 for the micrometer stem = $50 vs. $86 for the Redding competition seating die.

I installed the Redding = OAL variances are reduced vs. the Hornady but probably still +/- 0.003-0.005", not really sure yet if there is another $36 in value there.

I do really like the Hornady floating sleeve design tat helps center bullets and was using it for both coated 9mm and 223 bullets.

Redding uses some type of 'precision fit' stem and spring to supposedly improve concentricity in seating.

I can't imaging the micrometer stems are that different value-wise.

Edited by Beastly
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Correct. Midway has then for about $22 + $30 for the micrometer stem = $50 vs. $86 for the Redding competition seating die.

I installed the Redding = OAL variances are reduced vs. the Hornady but probably still +/- 0.03-0.05", not really sure yet if there is another $36 in value there.

I do really like the Hornady floating sleeve design tat helps center bullets and was using it for both coated 9mm and 223 bullets.

Redding uses some type of 'precision fit' stem and spring to supposedly improve concentricity in seating.

I can't imaging the micrometer stems are that different value-wise.

Thank you. I take it you meant to say "+/- 0.003 - 0.005".

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But that's about right for a 550, regardless of dies, +/- .004" due to seating pressure differences from bullet OD and case ID variations. A micrometer rolls at 40 threads per inch and standard dies are 14 threads per inch, you can easily get to the same value. My experience on a progressive is you haven't gained that much using a micrometer seating die. Now on a single stage press for precision rifle, yea, that's different.

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But that's about right for a 550, regardless of dies, +/- .004" due to seating pressure differences from bullet OD and case ID variations. A micrometer rolls at 40 threads per inch and standard dies are 14 threads per inch, you can easily get to the same value. My experience on a progressive is you haven't gained that much using a micrometer seating die. Now on a single stage press for precision rifle, yea, that's different.

After 20,000 rounds on a Dillon 650 in 9mm, I agree with you. The Dillon die wasn't any less accurate than the Redding in maintaining OAL. It's just much easier to set the value with the micrometer die.

That said, for flat-point slugs like this 125gr Black Bullet I find that the Dillon die, when flipped to the flat-point side, does a much better job of seating bullets straight. If I don't pay attention with the Redding to keep them very straight as the lift into the die, it'll flop sideways and shave some of the moly coating off as it's pressed into the case. That didn't happen with the Dillon.

For round-nose profiles the Redding does terrific.

Edited by MemphisMechanic
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+1 for the Redding die. Great when changing bullet weights or styles-IF you remember to have written down the correct setting.

There was a time when they had a problem with an epoxy joint but it is easily repairable, also they will replace it with a phone call. Just like Dillon!

Howard

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Correct. Midway has then for about $22 + $30 for the micrometer stem = $50 vs. $86 for the Redding competition seating die.

I installed the Redding = OAL variances are reduced vs. the Hornady but probably still +/- 0.03-0.05", not really sure yet if there is another $36 in value there.

I do really like the Hornady floating sleeve design tat helps center bullets and was using it for both coated 9mm and 223 bullets.

Redding uses some type of 'precision fit' stem and spring to supposedly improve concentricity in seating.

I can't imaging the micrometer stems are that different value-wise.

Thank you. I take it you meant to say "+/- 0.003 - 0.005".

Correct. Fixed my post.

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I am interested in this too on my 650. I have some Lee seating/crimp dies that are micrometer adjustable. My though was just to use the Lee dies, but don't adjust it down enough to do the crimp and just use if for adjustable seating. Then let the Dillon die in station 5 do the final crimp.

yep. I do this on my 650. works great for me. you have to get the seating die up a fair way but it works just fine. you can see here how high up the seating die is in the tool head:

Edited by BeerBaron
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... My experience on a progressive is you haven't gained that much using a micrometer seating die. ...

I understand the limitation of a Dillon press, and I am not trying to achieve any greater consistency by using a seating die with a micrometer on it. I find myself playing with different COLs lately. I think a micrometer would help me mark and record the seating depth in my experiment.

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The Hornady is difficult to read. Not so with the Redding. At least with these old tired eyes.

The Redding has a hole in the top of the die so you can adjust to zero/zero anywhere you want while the die is facing forward. Then use the Micro on the front of the die to adjust for different bullets.

By the time you have spent the money on the Hornady seating die, and then the add on Micrometer, you could have almost bought a Redding.

I bought the add on Hornady for a new caliber to save money, and regret it. (I have several Redding bullet seating dies and wish I had gone first class from the beginning. But I saved enough money to take the wife to Burger King )

Edited by RonofVa
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The Hornady is difficult to read...

By the time you have spent the money on the Hornady seating die, and then the add on Micrometer, you could have almost bought a Redding.

I bought the add on Hornady for a new caliber to save money, and regret it. (I have several Redding bullet seating dies and wish I had gone first class from the beginning. But I saved enough money to take the wife to Burger King )

I'm using a Hornady with a micro just that I was using on my single stage. I'd have gone with the Redding die if I didn't already have the Hornady from before the press upgrade. Mince you already have the Dillon dies, add the Redding and you'll be set. The microjust is definitely easier the play around with OAL than the Dillon seating die.

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