Thread: Where do you get your custom dies from

Hi just wondering if anyone has experience ordering custom dies. Where is the best place to get them from is there a NZ option or are they all from the US. I have been looking at Redding and waiting for a response from hornady. I would prefer to keep the wait time under 2 months and be a reasonable price if possible. I see Lee also do custom dies I will contact them next.
Thanks

Try CH4h dies, they have thousands of wildcat dies,

Another option,,,, whidden dies....

@6.5 what is the cartridge?

Zimmer 6.5x55ai 40 degree is the reamer we are hoping to use I haven’t heard back as to weather it’s available yet.

Redding do make dies for them Im just looking around to see what else is available and where most people get there custom dies from.

Yeah Redding do list the 40 degree but it is in their more expensive zone. And then how close will it match your chamber given AIs are hardly standardized like SAAMI catridges. Whether Redding followed the Bob Jordan version I have, I have no idea.

What I did for mine was buy a set of Redding Comp dies in standard 6.5 SM and my smith reamed the sleeves with the chambering reamer. The sleeves are reameable.

The issue then is a FLSing die. I bought a centre bored die blank (yeah good NZ smith's can make them) from Troy Newlon in the States and my smith created a FLSing die from that. Only problem is a die made with finishing reamer won't give enough squeeze for FLSing. The die was electroless nickelled to build it up a bit and does the job, just.

I think Hornady still does custom dies, with you supplying 3 fired cases IIRC. A mate sourced his FLSing die from Hornady, also a hydraulic case former.
Not sure nowadays how easy it is to send 3 fired cases both out of NZ and then into USA.

As for reaming some of the other brands of standard dies, I'm not sure I would be keen to use a nice expensive custom reamer in them as some dies are quite hard, most likely a lot harder then a barrel.

Best discuss with your favourite gunsmith methinks.

I also know where the reamer is that mine was done with if you are interested.

At one point, I wanted a full length sizing die to fit a wildcat reamer. I trudged through the internet and eventually read a thread about making a full-length sizing die from the chambering reamer by reaming a particular type of steel which shrinks when heat treated the right way. The process seems to solve more than one problem but it may be quite technical. I did not follow this up with any gunsmith.

Yes the Redding dies are certainly at the expensive end. It seems to me your paying custom die money but not getting custom dies. It works out similar to get the competition dies and have the sleeves reamed. I will talk to the gunsmith about that. Zimmer how often do you use your full length die? That is a serious question as I have never used the ones I have as I have never needed too. Do you full length size regularly on the ai case?

I will have a look st ch4d tonight, I did look at whidden but I think the lead time was quite long.
Thanks

With my ai I full length sized after 3 or 4 firings. My load is up there. I have never needed to trim for length due to the fact that when you fire form the cases they end up a fraction short. Also the ai with its shoulder angle and very mildly tapered case just doesn't brass flow like other shoulder angles and more tapered cases.

As far as full length sizing goes I have just started off a new 308 with fast twist barrel to shoot 185 Berger Juggenauts. With this rifle I intend annealing and full length sizing after every firing. I have always been in the neck sizing camp so this will be a see how it goes experience.

Re Whidden, I have just purchased their FL Sizing Bushing Die in 308W. The die is superbly made and their service was first rate. I have found that the Redding Body dies which I have always sworn by just don't cut it for runout.

Also my reamed sleeve Redding dies give me 0 to sometimes 1/2 thou runout. The beauty of a custom die.

Don’t Lee do them if you send them two fired rounds 1 made into a dummy round.
Think that’s how it works.

https://leeprecision.com/custom-serv...ding-die-sets/

Been trying to track down a neck die for 7mm blaser mag for a while, found CH4h have them listed

Thanks Zimmer that’s very helpful. I will make sure I get a full length die as well then. Out off interest do you have any lee dies and if so how do they compare for runout? I will email them to see if they could make me some dies and how much they would charge
Thanks

Only used their collet dies which are actually very good. Very low runout. Can't comment on their std dies.

If wanting to contact CH4D I found in the end it was best to phone them and talk to Dave. I rang early evening their time as he apparently comes in late and works thru to the wee small hours.

I've bought direct from Whidden in the States. V.good to deal with.

Whidden are excellent for customer service and product quality.
A custom die will take around 18-20 weeks to arrive though.