REDDING DIES - uuuuggg!

[spartan7510]

Recently bought brand new set of REDDING deluxe dies. Wanted something a little more precise than my LEE ultimate dies for 308. What a pain to setup. Had issues with FL size die - causing shoulder denting on the cases. Stuffed a couple of my GGG cases trying it out. Cases were prepped and trimmed to right size before - used LEE deluxe die trim set. I found out that build up of reszing lube is actually the cause of this from what I understand reading an article on REDDING website. Unlike LEE which uses allows excess lube to escape out the top.

The other issue is the bullet seating and crimping die from REDDING. What a painful experience to setup - would appreciate any pointers here from experienced users.
As I understand the height of the die from the shellholder determines the amount of crimp.
The seat plug adjustment independently determines the bullet depth.
- Have to find the right combination of both which is quite tricky. Just found the LEE with seperate crimp and bullet seat to be easier to use and more consistent. REDDINGS rolled crimper seems to be a real pain...

 

[palmer_mike]

excess lube causes shoulder denting in most makes of die.
you can back off the seating die and crimp separately with your Lee crimp if that's easier for you to set up.

 

[Muir]

Recently bought brand new set of REDDING deluxe dies. Wanted something a little more precise than my LEE ultimate dies for 308. What a pain to setup. Had issues with FL size die - causing shoulder denting on the cases. Stuffed a couple of my GGG cases trying it out. Cases were prepped and trimmed to right size before - used LEE deluxe die trim set. I found out that build up of reszing lube is actually the cause of this from what I understand reading an article on REDDING website. Unlike LEE which uses allows excess lube to escape out the top.

The other issue is the bullet seating and crimping die from REDDING. What a painful experience to setup - would appreciate any pointers here from experienced users.
As I understand the height of the die from the shellholder determines the amount of crimp.
The seat plug adjustment independently determines the bullet depth.
- Have to find the right combination of both which is quite tricky. Just found the LEE with seperate crimp and bullet seat to be easier to use and more consistent. REDDINGS rolled crimper seems to be a real pain...

Don't crimp in a Redding die. Buy a Lee Factory Crimp Die and do it properly.

I bought a set of Redding 308 dies and gave them away. I didn't like them.~Muir

 

[Milligan]

Redding dies roll crimp, so only do it if you have a cannelure and it's aligned.
I find them great.

 

[markituk]

I find Redding dies the most accurate out of all die manufacturers but you only use a roll crimp if your bullet has a cannelure. To get your seating depth correct, back out the seating stem as far as possible, then put a case in your shell holder and put the press arm down as far as it will go. Put the seating die in the press and screw it down until it touches the top of the brass case, then back it out half a turn. Once you have done this and locked your die in position, you can then adjust the seating stem to whatever you need the depth to be.

 

[deeangeo]

This

 

[deeangeo]

Redding dies roll crimp, so only do it if you have a cannelure and it's aligned.

This is indeed correct

 

[Jon Smith]

All die manufactures spit out lemons occasionally, I have had crap from all of them truth be told.
I had a brand new redding die that was so rough that it looked like a beaver chewed on it, redding were not particularly helpful in sorting the problem.

 

[Jon Smith]

Went to use my redding 243 dies yesterday...ooof rough as hell, had to polish it out this morning.

I find Redding dies the most accurate out of all die manufacturers

Without quantifying 'accurate' this is just 'redding are most accurate because I use them'.

 

[1894]

I too hate my Redding dies because of the lube on shoulder dents. Forces me to use a different and time consuming imperial wax technique and even then I get them quite often.

 

[Alantoo]

Don't crimp in a Redding die. Buy a Lee Factory Crimp Die and do it properly.

snip~Muir

He already has one in his Lee ultimate die set. Or at least one came with mine.

Alan

 

[finnbear270]

Any Redding dies here get the treatment!,... fine cutting disc on small grinder, cut into case hardening, drill fine vent hole through grinder etch, denting sorted.

 

[munty123]

I'm just about to start reloading, have I made a mistake buying redding dies for my 6.5x55 and .204?

 

[enfieldspares]

I've gone from RCBS dies to Redding for the sole reason that I can buy an aftermarket carbide expander ball for the Redding.

But I've always had shoulder dent issues with too much liquid lube (RCBS Case Lube 2) even with RCBS dies coming, as they all do, as standard with that shoulder hole.

So hole or not too much liquid lube in the wrong place dents shoulders.

The way BOTH RCBS and Redding crimp and seat bullets is common. Lyman, C-H, Pacific all seater/crimp work the same too. All are easy, too, to set up.

Put shellholder in ram. Raise ram. Screw die down until it touches ram. Back off a good 1/2" or more. Back off seater plug all the way.

Loosely lock off die body, enough only, to stop it moving.

Insert your round with bullet and screw seater plug until in contacts bullet.

Now lower ram, screw seater plug down a 1/4" raise ram. Keep repeating, but adjusting seater little by little until bullet obtains desired seating depth.

Still leave die locked die, but now fully back off seater plug as far up as possible. Insert your loaded round. Raise ram, unlock die, screw die down until the crimp constriction "finds" the case mouth.

Lower ram. Now you can either lock off die so you give no crimp OR screw die further into press head to give a crimp.

Again little by little. Raising and lowering your round until desired crimp obtained.

And yes you can even give a very, very, light "roll" crimp to jacketed bullets with neither cannelure nor crimp groove. But very, very light only.

But the dedicated Lee Factory Crimp dies I also prefer as a separately applied "stab" crimp which is actually what they do.

("Stab" crimp used to be used by us Brits on early. 303 and most. 455. It's the two (. 303) or three (. 455) impressed "lines" seen about 1/16" below the case mouth on so crimped military cases).

NOW when that's achieved lock off the die. Then raise your loaded round into the die and finally screw seater plug back down until it finds your bullet.

NOW lock off seater plug. All sorted and subsequent rounds inserted will seat AND crimp identically to each other.

Redding die purchase is never a mistake.

I rate their standard steel two die set rifle dies nowadays as better quality, and a wiser purchase choice... that aftermarket carbide expander option... than currently produced RCBS standard steel two die set rifle dies.