243 A.I. seating die?

[Yotewhacker]

Does anyone know if you can use a standard 243 Win seating die for seating bullets in the Ackley case? Seems like it should not matter with the only difference in the cases being the 40 degree shoulder. :-\

[Joe O]

Some seating dies,like Hornady are not case specific.I have both, 243 RCBS 3 die set (incl neck),and a Redding,bump shoulder,neck bushing,plus body die for my 243AI.I seat bulets with a Vickerman seater and have the 23 and 40 deg shoulder inserts for the die.There may be issues seating the Ackley in a seater other than the 6mm Hornady,or one set up like my vickerman.

[Yotewhacker]

Thanks Joe. I have a forster benchrest 243 win seating die, and I was hoping to use it with the Ackley, just until I can get extra funds together to purchase the proper die set.

[GabbyM]

The AI case will not enter all the way into the sleeve on the Forster die. You can use a chamber reamer to open the sleeve to AI. Have one of those dies and have dropped in an AI case to check fit but never tried to seat bullets in it. It would work to a point but you'd not have full alignment. High price of Ackley die sets was a surprise to me after I built the rifle.

[Joe O]

In that case,I would call Forster and talk to them about reaming/honing your seating die for the ACKLEY 40deg shoulder.They do custom dies and other machine work.It would be easier to seat a standard 243 in the Ackley seating die,but talk to them.

[Yotewhacker]

In that case,I would call Forster and talk to them about reaming/honing your seating die for the ACKLEY 40deg shoulder.They do custom dies and other machine work.It would be easier to seat a standard 243 in the Ackley seating die,but talk to them.


Yep, I will give them a shout. I think they have good customer service if memory serves.

[gotcha]

yotewhacker, F.Y.I. According to Sinclairs latest catalog you can buy a complete set of Wilson dies AND the Wilson reloading press for less than the cost of the Redding deluxe die set. They are running a special on the Wilson Press / die sets. Not cheap, but you also get the press thrown in for future wilson die use in other calibers. .243 AI is a "standard" Wilson die.

[Yotewhacker]

yotewhacker, F.Y.I. According to Sinclairs latest catalog you can buy a complete set of Wilson dies AND the Wilson reloading press for less than the cost of the Redding deluxe die set. They are running a special on the Wilson Press / die sets. Not cheap, but you also get the press thrown in for future wilson die use in other calibers. .243 AI is a "standard" Wilson die.


Kewl! Thanks for the heads up. ;)

[tiny68]

I have purchased 4 sets of non-traditional dies from Bruno's. 22-250AI, 6mm Rem AI, 30BR, and 6-6.5x47L. These were all Redding S-type Competion dies set (S-type FL sizer with micrometer competition seater). Bruno's beat anyone's price by $20 or more on each set. They got me my 22-250AI and 6AI dies in less than 3 weeks and everyone else was stating 6-8 weeks. Luck of the draw I guess. Tim