Competition Seating Dies for .223

[jstone]

The seating stem on my Redding does not fit long ogive bullets very well, it does the job but you'll know for sure if the brass isn't annealed or the neck tension is too tight. It is way too thin to modify with my limited skills and I'm simply too lazy to try and find a replacement

you can use something like JB weld or another similar substance to fix this. I used to do this for the most common bullets I loaded. Get your bullet and coat it with mold releasing spray or wax. Put enough of your chosen filler material in the seating stem, and then put the bullet in the stem and ensure there is a nice fit that is well aligned. allow the compound to dry and remove the bullet.

The other way is to take lapping compound put it on the bullet where it makes contact with the stem and go to work lapping them.

[sinister]

I hadn't thought of contacting Forster. In fairness, I ran the piss out of that die on the dillon and can't complain about the wear out. I can only guess there's at least 30k rounds on that thing.

I do the same. 30,000 is a lot of ammo!

The seating stem on my Redding does not fit long ogive bullets very well, it does the job but you'll know for sure if the brass isn't annealed or the neck tension is too tight. It is way too thin to modify with my limited skills and I'm simply too lazy to try and find a replacement

I load magazine-length 5.56 with a Forster seater in one Dillon 550 head, with long-range 80s in another, separate head.

I anneal all brass for consistency, which softens the brass more than those necks that have been work-hardened over several firings and sizings. For a long time I loaded compressed powder charges (to fill the case to max with little air space).

Redding seating dies tended to leave a deep annular ring around the ogive of Sierra and Berger match bullets. i don't think that did a thing for aerodynamics and smooth air-flow.

[markm]

I do the same. 30,000 is a lot of ammo!

Yeah. For the last 10 plus years, I've been loading for 2 shooters. I think I have that die in pieces. I couldn't even get it back together.