Instead of a bullet feeder, try a RCBS Gold Medal Match bullet seat die!

General Firearms Reloading & Ammunition
1

I considered a bullet feeder of some sort for my newish 650xl for loading 223 as I found seating bullets tedious (especialy flat base) because of the combination of my ham handedness and the fact that I use a RT1200 to trim and size. Since I find chamfering a tedious process I don’t do it. However I didn’t want to give up the powder check station, as I feel I need the extra safety with an auto advance press. Somewhere I saw a video of some one using a RCBS GM seater on a progressive, and I figured that since the die had a window you dropped the bullet into a seating guide, it might speed things up, and allow me to keep my powder cop die.

So today I decided,to load up another 50 cal. can of my 55 gr FMJ practice load, and test out my newly acquired seater. In short, I was highly impressed with how much easier the whole process was. Not only does the GM die eliminate the need to use your fingers to guide the bullet up into the seat die, I found that I could keep an eye on my powder cop, and still drop the bullet into the die from the top of the press using my peripheral vision. I’m so happy with the die I’m buying one for 308!

2

Huh, hash marks for seating depth. Pretty nifty. I never knew these even existed. Can you lock the adjustment in place?

3

Not really but the dial is has enough friction to not have to worry about it moving.

The micrometer scale is cool, you can record your settings for each bullet and dial it in whenever you want.

Dave

4

Great Idea I have been trying to find a better way to load 22 cal bullets on my Hornady LNL.

thanks I will order one ASAP

5

I have the competition set which is basically the same thing with a smaller window, and you can not adjust the stem how you do on the gold medal.

I have a couple questions. Does it hold the bullet when you drop it in? On the competition you raise the ram till the case make contact with the sleeve then drop the bullet, and finish your stroke. Does the sleeve move up with the case, and bullet as the bullet is seated?

Im not sure if Im going to get one od the gold medal or one of the redding bench rest seating dies for my new 550. They both Will work in a progressive, but i like the idea of the window. That is why i bought the competition set. I would have bought the gold medal, but I was told they both required extended shell holders, and for 223 i did not want a bushing set up for neck sizing. Was the gold medal priced like all the other high end dies similar to it? The redding bench rest seater die is a 100$. Do you know if the gold medal seating die available by it self?

6

Yup it holds the bullet for you. It’s smooth, drop the bullet, cycle press, seat primer, drop bullet, cycle press, etc.

I had a couple “double feeds” as I was learning and dropped a bullet in when there already was one. I learned to simply push up on the sleave from the bottom and one of the bullets would plop out, just FYI.

ETA: I bought it by itself. This is the one you want…http://www.midwayusa.com/product/763205/rcbs-gold-medal-match-series-bushing-seater-die-223-remington

7

For clarification, You are dropping the bullet in long before the case is anywhere near? I had thought you had to get your case part way in the die before dropping the bullet in. Maybe my wife was right when she said I was a dumbass.

8

Yes the die will hold the bullet until you bring the case up and seat it.

9

Thanks Dave the competition works in the opposite way. You have to raise the shell to the sleeve then drop the bullet.

Have you checked run out with these dies?

Ill definitely order one for the 223 when i order all my 308 dies.

10

no I haven’t checked runout as I don’t own a device to measure it. in any case I’m loading bulk practice ammo, nothing too accurate.

11

Have you used them to load anything more accurate? I may just go with the redding BR dies. I only load one or two bullets with a flat base, and when there out i Will not be buying anymore.

12

Hmmm, sounds like it works pretty good. I’m going to try one of these.

13

Not yet in 223 but I have some 175 gr Noslers over Varget I loaded up today for my 308 bolt gun using my new seater. May take the long ride to the closest 600 yard range pretty soon. I’m itching to reach out a bit.