Author Topic: Reloading dies - Hornady vs. Redding (Read 1843 times)

BruceP · « **on:** December 17, 2003, 08:16:19 AM »

It is getting closer to time to buy dies for the 35 Whelen AI that I am having built. I have narrowed the list down to Hornady or Redding. I have used Hornady dies before and I really like the design of the seating die with the floating sleave to keep the bullet in line while it is being seated. I have not used Redding dies before but I know they are well thought of. I really want to hear from those who have used both and can compair the two, not just those who have only used one or the other.
BruceP

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2003, 10:35:41 AM »

Some people seem to think of Redding dies as premium quality and a cut above most of the rest. I'm not one of them. I've used Redding dies and like them fine but when loading same round for same rifle on them and other brands I've not been able to see any superiority to them yet they will usually cost more to buy. I've not needed to sent one back for repair so don't know their policy on that.

I've sent lots of stuff back to RCBS and they always fixed it even when my fault at no cost to me.

So far everything I've had to sent back to Hornady has been handled exactly the same way as RCBS. Free of charge. I've really come to love that Hornady seater and especially with the Micro Just added. I'll take it over any other seater I've used so far. I'm not quite as fond of the sizer deprime die. I could really live just as well or better without the collet feature thank you. But I've learned to live with it and found that if you properly clean it and tighten it down good it works just as well as even if no better than anyone else's. Give that I generally get Hornady for most everything these days given a choice.

Still I have dies from Lee, Lyman, Forster, Redding, RCBS as well as Hornady I use and ya know what? If ya do the job right all of them produce ammo that shoots as well as any of the others do.

GB

BruceP · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2003, 03:05:40 PM »

Some added info just to throw a new wrinkle at this thing. I called Hornady today and asked about the 35 Whelen AI because I did not find it on their website. I found out that this chambering has to be a true custom made die set as they do these as ordered. I will also have to send three cases fired in my rifle for them to go by. The good news would be that the dies should be cut to fit my chamber perfectly. The bad news is that the cost is a little higher than I had hoped for. With shipping it would be right at $100. But then I am having a custom rifle built. Even though it is not costing me much more than a new factory Remington BDL.
BruceP

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2003, 04:17:34 AM »

You could just order the FL sizer die from someone like RCBS or Redding if it is a stock item and get the Hornady bullet seater die with the MicroJust and come out a good bit cheaper I suspect and still have the best of the Hornady dies at least in my opinion. I really like that Hornady seater but can take or leave the sizer they make with the collet. I use so many of them now I haven't the problem with them I used to but can't honestly say I prefer the collet deal more than the more convential thread stems.

GB

grizz · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2003, 04:40:12 AM »

I have tried Hornady dies and ill choose rcbs or redding any day.. It may have been just bad luck but on every Hornady die that I have used has giving me problems.. I had a 25/06 die that would stick cases for no reason at all.. I polished just like my other dies and still would get them stuck. Tried 3 different lubes but nothing I tried seem to work so I called Hornady and they said send them in and we will take a look.. Before i sent them back I went down to my local shop were I bought them and asked the guy that recommended them to me what he thought.. he took a look and said i'll send them back for ya but here take a new set and I will keep these.. Thought ok this is great went home with the new set and ran into the same trouble.. By now im getting really mad and needed to load this ammo.. So I left and went to my dads and borrowed his rcbs dies.. After resizing all my brass I decided to use there seater because like you guys I thought hey thats a slick idea.. Well I wasnt impressed at all.. No matter what bullet I tried what weight I tried the die would always ring my bullets not just a little ring either but enough to make it VERY noticeable.. So maybe it was just that run on 25/06 dies because I always heard good stuff from people that use them but my first take on them was just horrible.. Since then I havent been brave enough to buy another set becuse I really dont want to go through the hassel again.. I can say this I never had a problem like that with RCBS or Redding dies. I have damaged RCBS dies and like GB found out RCBS's customer service is the best there is even its your fault the will replace it no questions asked.. I dont think they would let you pay for it even if you wanted to lol..

grizz

BruceP · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2003, 04:16:00 PM »

Graybeard, do you swap your Microjust from one die to another or do you just buy one for each seater die? Just wanting to know how easy it is to swap and then reset for each die.
BruceP

Graybeard · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2003, 05:22:33 AM »

Bruce, I have several of them but fewer than I have Hornady dies. I prefer to have one per die set but if you have as many sets as me that gets expensive. So I leave them on the die sets I use most often and on the ones I seldom use I just swap one around on them. IF you take it off and put it back on you'll have to reset it each time. It is a little bit of a hassle so moving one from die set to die set is not ideal. If you keep a dummy or sample round to use to reset it then it is no problem. Other wise it is a trial and error processs again.

GB