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The Redding 44-40 Winchester Competition Bullet Seating Die is built for handloaders who want their rounds as straight and consistent as they can get them. Instead of guiding the bullet from the top like a standard seater, this die uses a precision ground sliding sleeve that completely captures the cartridge case and bullet before seating begins. That full support is what drops runout and keeps your ammo concentric, which is the kind of detail that shows up on paper at distance. It carries Redding's part number 55188 and threads into any press with standard 7/8-14 die threads.
The internal sleeve is cut with a one-piece reamer much like a rifle chamber, so it holds the 44-40 case in tight alignment the moment it enters the die. The spring-loaded seating stem then floats down to meet the bullet ogive, biasing everything into line before any real pressure is applied. Handloaders like to show off the fact that the stem fits the alignment bore so closely it will actually float on a trapped column of air. All that translates to straighter rounds with less effort on your part.
The micrometer head is the feature you'll reach for every session. Each mark equals .001" with a full revolution moving things .050", so adjustments are precise and repeatable with zero guesswork. There's also a zero-set feature that lets you lock in a favorite depth and return to it, which is a real time-saver when you're load testing or swapping between bullet styles.
Worth knowing up front: this is a seat-only die with no crimping ability. Competition handloaders generally prefer to crimp as a separate step anyway, and Redding builds a Profile Crimp die for the 44-40 if you want to pair the two. On its own, this die does one job and does it about as well as any seater on the market, whether you're running a single-stage, turret, or progressive press.
No. This is a seat-only die with no crimping ability by design, since competition handloaders typically get better results crimping as a separate operation. If you want to crimp your 44-40 loads, Redding offers a Profile Crimp die that pairs well with this seater.
The big difference is the internal sliding sleeve. It is cut like a rifle chamber and captures the case and bullet, aligning both before seating starts, where a standard die guides the bullet only from the top. That sleeve plus the floating seating stem is what gives you straighter, more concentric ammo with less runout.
Yes, it uses the industry standard 7/8-14 thread and fits single-stage, turret, and progressive presses. The die body is slightly extended to allow full thread engagement of the lock ring, which is handy on progressive tool heads where space is tight. You'll need the correct shellholder for 44-40, which is sold separately.
Each micrometer increment equals .001" and a full revolution moves seating depth .050", so you can make fine, repeatable changes without guesswork. It also has a zero-set feature that lets you lock in a preferred depth and return to it later, which is great for load testing or switching between bullet types.
| UPC | 611760551888 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 55188 |
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