Reloading dies

Dale · 01-08-2006, 08:55 AM

I'm about to make up some recipes for my new .22-250.

Wanting the gun to be a very accurate shooter I'm interested in opinions on which die (and manufacturer) you think produces the highest quality of die for the money and why and if anyone feels the die has a great impact on final accuracy.

I use a lot of Lee and RCBS and even have an older set of Bonanza dies made by Forster but I have no experience with Dillion, Redding, the new Forster, etc.

I also understand that there are many more factors to a complete accurate round such as bullet choice, powder selection, etc.

Just wondering what the reloaders think.

mr mom · 01-08-2006, 11:16 AM

dies are what you get.... my son has a 22-250 and he picked up a set of lee deluxe dies.. with the neck sizer... so far we have just played with the reguler sizer. the biggest thing is to fined out what the rifle likes...
my son got the savage 12fv .. just like his buddy. his buddy came up with a load useing a v max 55 gr. shoots realy good. but it didnt work worth a crap in my sons.. we ended up useing varget and a 60 gr. v max.. the thing will shoot 1 hole all day long...
so when you start to reload just try every combo you can and keep good note on what worked the best....

Shaun · 01-08-2006, 12:52 PM

Mr Mom says it best regarding find what the rifle likes. I have lee , rcbs, hornady and dillion dies and do not see a difference my 308 is a sub minute shooter with the rcbs and the 375 is the same with Lee's I neck size most of the brass and then factory crimp all the rounds.

Dale · 01-08-2006, 09:45 PM

Yeah, I'm quite aware a large part of reloading is finding out what a particular rifle likes best.

I just hadn't had any experience with the dies that claim 'competition' quality, 'custom' quality, etc.

I'll give the Bonanza (Forster predecessor) a go and see how those dies do.

Thanks, guys, for the replies.

Snakebite · 01-08-2006, 11:06 PM

I also have RCBS and Lee dies.

A long story short. I like the Lee's better.

Forget the "O" ring and crank em down with pliers.

whirlwind · 01-09-2006, 12:37 AM

all ive ever used is rcbs,and in all my rifle calibers i got loads that will shoot under one MOA. they take time to work up but i think about any die will do the same as long as you take care not to use any deformed cases. although i have heard that just neck sizing does creat greater results! but ya cant just neck size ammo that youll use in differant rifles (or so ive been told) i dont have any neck sizing dies at all.

Shaun · 01-09-2006, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whirlwind

all ive ever used is rcbs,and in all my rifle calibers i got loads that will shoot under one MOA. they take time to work up but i think about any die will do the same as long as you take care not to use any deformed cases. although i have heard that just neck sizing does creat greater results! but ya cant just neck size ammo that youll use in differant rifles (or so ive been told) i dont have any neck sizing dies at all.

WW you have been told right neck sizing should only be done on cases shot through a single rifle. Belted magnums need special care to make sure the brass lasts.

Dale · 01-09-2006, 07:31 AM

I also have a .22-250 neck sizer and that's all I am using to size the brass I've shot through the Savage.

As implied I figured I have only one .22-250 and these cases were fire formed in that chamber.

But I'm also thinking that I need to keep an eye on the brass OAL.

mr mom · 01-09-2006, 10:01 AM

dale: 1 thing you might want to know , if you dont already is you will have to run the brass in the fl. die. after a few shots in the same rifle and brass.. i havent realy seen any diffrence in useing just the neck sizeing die...
the thing when i , or my sons shoot we dump all the brass that has been shot. we size it , then run it in the tumbler... i have the kids doing it the way i have for about 40 years... clean out the primer pocket, trim, chamfer inside and out. i like the lee hand tools. we can sit infront of the tv and do all this.. that way all the brass is the same...so when we go to reload its all the same no matter when the brass was fired...
just a side note. took 2 of the boys to a 200 yd shoot yesterday.. we dont shoot as much as we would like, but the kid with the 22-250 beat out 6 other guys for 1st place with his rifle...i didnt think he was going to have much of a chance cause a good stiff wind was blowing across the range. the others were useing .308's and .270's.

Dale · 01-09-2006, 10:32 AM

Thanks, Mr. Mom on the info about resizing after a few runs through the gun.

I'll keep that in mind...fer sure.

As far as the .22-250 outshooting the larger calibers...well, that doesn't surprise me.

I studied and studied the round before I settled into it for prairie dogging and coyotin' up on the rez.

It's a somewhat misunderstood and definately underestimated round.

And, I'm learning more and more about the round as the days go on.

If someone ever comes out with a semi-auto configuration for the .22-250 they'll have a far better shooting platform than with, say, the semi .223s.

OOOO, brother!

dave375hh · 01-12-2006, 11:14 AM

Dale,
I've had good luck with the Hdy. 50gr Vmax over 41.0gr H-414, Win WLR seated .010 off the lands. This load with the Berger 50gr. MEF shoots just as well but the Berger's are expensive. The Sierra 55gr BTHP stock # 1390 over 35gr. IMR 4895, also .010 off the lands is another good one.

I use Redding bushing neck dies, and a Hornady Seating die. Other than new brass I don't full lenght size. I only do the new ones so I can turn the necks to even them up before loading them.

01-08-2006, 08:55 AM	#1
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	Reloading dies I'm about to make up some recipes for my new .22-250. Wanting the gun to be a very accurate shooter I'm interested in opinions on which die (and manufacturer) you think produces the highest quality of die for the money and why and if anyone feels the die has a great impact on final accuracy. I use a lot of Lee and RCBS and even have an older set of Bonanza dies made by Forster but I have no experience with Dillion, Redding, the new Forster, etc. I also understand that there are many more factors to a complete accurate round such as bullet choice, powder selection, etc. Just wondering what the reloaders think. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

01-08-2006, 12:52 PM	#3
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,619 Images: 1	Mr Mom says it best regarding find what the rifle likes. I have lee , rcbs, hornady and dillion dies and do not see a difference my 308 is a sub minute shooter with the rcbs and the 375 is the same with Lee's I neck size most of the brass and then factory crimp all the rounds. __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

01-08-2006, 09:45 PM	#4
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	Yeah, I'm quite aware a large part of reloading is finding out what a particular rifle likes best. I just hadn't had any experience with the dies that claim 'competition' quality, 'custom' quality, etc. I'll give the Bonanza (Forster predecessor) a go and see how those dies do. Thanks, guys, for the replies. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

01-09-2006, 12:37 AM	#6
whirlwind Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: oklahoma Posts: 3,751 Images: 1	all ive ever used is rcbs,and in all my rifle calibers i got loads that will shoot under one MOA. they take time to work up but i think about any die will do the same as long as you take care not to use any deformed cases. although i have heard that just neck sizing does creat greater results! but ya cant just neck size ammo that youll use in differant rifles (or so ive been told) i dont have any neck sizing dies at all. __________________ De oppresso liber !

01-09-2006, 07:31 AM	#8
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	I also have a .22-250 neck sizer and that's all I am using to size the brass I've shot through the Savage. As implied I figured I have only one .22-250 and these cases were fire formed in that chamber. But I'm also thinking that I need to keep an eye on the brass OAL. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

01-08-2006, 11:16 AM	#2
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 222	dies are what you get.... my son has a 22-250 and he picked up a set of lee deluxe dies.. with the neck sizer... so far we have just played with the reguler sizer. the biggest thing is to fined out what the rifle likes... my son got the savage 12fv .. just like his buddy. his buddy came up with a load useing a v max 55 gr. shoots realy good. but it didnt work worth a crap in my sons.. we ended up useing varget and a 60 gr. v max.. the thing will shoot 1 hole all day long... so when you start to reload just try every combo you can and keep good note on what worked the best....

01-08-2006, 11:06 PM	#5
Snakebite Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tucson, Mexico Posts: 1,844	I also have RCBS and Lee dies. A long story short. I like the Lee's better. Forget the "O" ring and crank em down with pliers.

01-09-2006, 10:01 AM	#9
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 222	dale: 1 thing you might want to know , if you dont already is you will have to run the brass in the fl. die. after a few shots in the same rifle and brass.. i havent realy seen any diffrence in useing just the neck sizeing die... the thing when i , or my sons shoot we dump all the brass that has been shot. we size it , then run it in the tumbler... i have the kids doing it the way i have for about 40 years... clean out the primer pocket, trim, chamfer inside and out. i like the lee hand tools. we can sit infront of the tv and do all this.. that way all the brass is the same...so when we go to reload its all the same no matter when the brass was fired... just a side note. took 2 of the boys to a 200 yd shoot yesterday.. we dont shoot as much as we would like, but the kid with the 22-250 beat out 6 other guys for 1st place with his rifle...i didnt think he was going to have much of a chance cause a good stiff wind was blowing across the range. the others were useing .308's and .270's.

01-09-2006, 10:32 AM	#10
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	Thanks, Mr. Mom on the info about resizing after a few runs through the gun. I'll keep that in mind...fer sure. As far as the .22-250 outshooting the larger calibers...well, that doesn't surprise me. I studied and studied the round before I settled into it for prairie dogging and coyotin' up on the rez. It's a somewhat misunderstood and definately underestimated round. And, I'm learning more and more about the round as the days go on. If someone ever comes out with a semi-auto configuration for the .22-250 they'll have a far better shooting platform than with, say, the semi .223s. OOOO, brother! __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

01-12-2006, 11:14 AM	#11
dave375hh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 587	Dale, I've had good luck with the Hdy. 50gr Vmax over 41.0gr H-414, Win WLR seated .010 off the lands. This load with the Berger 50gr. MEF shoots just as well but the Berger's are expensive. The Sierra 55gr BTHP stock # 1390 over 35gr. IMR 4895, also .010 off the lands is another good one. I use Redding bushing neck dies, and a Hornady Seating die. Other than new brass I don't full lenght size. I only do the new ones so I can turn the necks to even them up before loading them. __________________ Dave 375 H&H