jsflagstad
New member
Lee dies have worked the best for me. I have bought other brands, but have eventually replaced them with Lee. I find the Lee dies easier to adjust.
JSF
JSF
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Brands of dies--differ big or small?
- Thread starter Sevens
- Start date
I have used about every brand of dies available including some old Herter's but no Harell Bros. I find the Lee dies work fine for general use. I don't use any other brand except in those calibers I load to match tolerances. Lee equipment in general tends to be innovative, but not necessarily built to be idiot proof. As far as the collet neck dies Lee makes go, I have found them to work just fine in every caliber I have tried including the 8mm Mauser. Some people who have had problems with them have not screwed them down far enough in the press. People who have had problems with the factory crimp dies (mainly the rifle version) also have not screwed it in far enough. However, there can be problems if you screw the FCD in too far and apply too much crimp, especially if you are crimping a non-cannelured bullet.
In match dies I like Redding and Forster.
In match dies I like Redding and Forster.
wncchester
New member
I can demonstrate that no common brand is significantly "better" than another, in that the ammo it produces is consistantly any better than other brands. Redding and Forster/Bonanza dies are exceptions, THEY ARE consistantly very good at sizing straight cases and seating bullets properly, ditto for their presses. All other brands of dies, and presses, are pretty much tied for second place, IMHO.
There are a few design feature differences between dies that make some a little easier for some people to use but, if you turn the situation around, the things one guy likes another may not! Mostly it's personal taste but a large part of it rises from differences in manual dexterity and mechanical apptitude. (Ever notice how some folks need the maker's customer service to replace a LOT of broken stuff? !!)
All of our makers produce very usable tools so don't worry too much about it. The major difference between so called "cheap" dies and much more expensive ones is the external finish. You will never get MORE than you pay for, but you can easily get less!
There are a few design feature differences between dies that make some a little easier for some people to use but, if you turn the situation around, the things one guy likes another may not! Mostly it's personal taste but a large part of it rises from differences in manual dexterity and mechanical apptitude. (Ever notice how some folks need the maker's customer service to replace a LOT of broken stuff? !!)
All of our makers produce very usable tools so don't worry too much about it. The major difference between so called "cheap" dies and much more expensive ones is the external finish. You will never get MORE than you pay for, but you can easily get less!
Travis Two
New member
Reloading dies are a lot like cars. All of them will get you to where you are going; some just get you there in a little more style and not as tired at the end of the trip. Having reloaded for over 25 years I started with RCBS and upgraded to the Redding Titanium Carbide Pro series for my progressive presses. The dies feature enlarged openings to facilitate speed on progressives and the Titanium Carbide is super smooth and requires less effort to size cases over conventional dies.
The same thing is true with the Dillon carbide .223 and .308 dies . Even though you still have to lube caes the effort required to size the case is cut in half. These things are important to me especially when I'm doing long loading sessions. For these two calibers I also use the Redding Benchrest seat dies to get the best results possible and the ease of setting the O.A.L. for different bullets; so those features are important to me.
Since I load for a wide variety of calibers and have different presses set up for different calibers I also have some Lee dies and some of the Lee Disc powder measures and they work just fine for calibers that I don't load a lot for. I even use the Lee factory crimp die for my .223 and .308 loads but I don't like them nor see a need for them in the pistol calibers. A lot of this is personal preferance and some of this does make a differance in the final product that you produce. Expierance will teach you what works well and what doesn't for a given application.
The same thing is true with the Dillon carbide .223 and .308 dies . Even though you still have to lube caes the effort required to size the case is cut in half. These things are important to me especially when I'm doing long loading sessions. For these two calibers I also use the Redding Benchrest seat dies to get the best results possible and the ease of setting the O.A.L. for different bullets; so those features are important to me.
Since I load for a wide variety of calibers and have different presses set up for different calibers I also have some Lee dies and some of the Lee Disc powder measures and they work just fine for calibers that I don't load a lot for. I even use the Lee factory crimp die for my .223 and .308 loads but I don't like them nor see a need for them in the pistol calibers. A lot of this is personal preferance and some of this does make a differance in the final product that you produce. Expierance will teach you what works well and what doesn't for a given application.
RugerOldArmy
New member
Die Preferences
My die tastes have evolved, and I have definite preferences.
Pistol Dies (Size/Decap and Seater): Dillon carbide dies. I like their seaters that provide for LSWC or HP/RN, and their sizers are great.
Pistol Dies (Crimp): Lee FCD.
Rifle (Seater): Redding or Forster Micrometer seaters.
Rifle (FL Sizer/Decapper): Redding or Forester
Rifle (Neck Sizer, when neck turning): Redding Bushing dies
Rifle (Neck Sizer, when not using neck turned brass): Lee Collett dies.
My die tastes have evolved, and I have definite preferences.
Pistol Dies (Size/Decap and Seater): Dillon carbide dies. I like their seaters that provide for LSWC or HP/RN, and their sizers are great.
Pistol Dies (Crimp): Lee FCD.
Rifle (Seater): Redding or Forster Micrometer seaters.
Rifle (FL Sizer/Decapper): Redding or Forester
Rifle (Neck Sizer, when neck turning): Redding Bushing dies
Rifle (Neck Sizer, when not using neck turned brass): Lee Collett dies.
I've usec LEE, RCBS, Redding and Dillon. I'm using all Dillon dies right now and they've performed very well. If you read all the various company's literature on their dies - they may say it eliminates primer drawback, etc ...... but I can't say that I've ever had a problem with a die - yet the last thing I wanted to do with a good press was to skimp on the dies.
Dillon's no BS warranty - is good enough for me - although I've never had a problem with one of their machines or their dies.
Dillon's no BS warranty - is good enough for me - although I've never had a problem with one of their machines or their dies.
wncchester
New member
RugerOldArmy - "My die tastes have evolved, and I have definite preferences.
*Pistol Dies (Size/Decap and Seater): Dillon carbide dies. I like their seaters that provide for LSWC or HP/RN, and their sizers are great.
*Pistol Dies (Crimp): Lee FCD.
*Rifle (Seater): Redding or Forster Micrometer seaters.
*Rifle (FL Sizer/Decapper): Redding or Forester
*Rifle (Neck Sizer, when neck turning): Redding Bushing dies
*Rifle (Neck Sizer, when not using neck turned brass): Lee Collett dies.
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I strongly concur with an exception, the "best" Pistol Dies are both Lyman AND Redding because of their GREAT expander plug design.
The Lee FCD, rifle and pistol, is very good too.
*Pistol Dies (Size/Decap and Seater): Dillon carbide dies. I like their seaters that provide for LSWC or HP/RN, and their sizers are great.
*Pistol Dies (Crimp): Lee FCD.
*Rifle (Seater): Redding or Forster Micrometer seaters.
*Rifle (FL Sizer/Decapper): Redding or Forester
*Rifle (Neck Sizer, when neck turning): Redding Bushing dies
*Rifle (Neck Sizer, when not using neck turned brass): Lee Collett dies.
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I strongly concur with an exception, the "best" Pistol Dies are both Lyman AND Redding because of their GREAT expander plug design.
The Lee FCD, rifle and pistol, is very good too.
629 shooter
New member
For most of my pistol reloading I have the Dillon Square Deal which uses their unique style of die inserts.
I still have my set of Lee carbide dies for 357/38 and 44 which have worked well for me.
For rifle I used a Redding full length sizer with carbide neck "bushing". And for seating a Forster benchrest seater. The combination of these two dies have loaded some extremely accurate ammo.
A new comer to my rifle loading is my Lee Collet Die I was skeptical but for around $16 I said why not? Plus if it really turned out to be a dog I could send it back to them.
No need for that! The accuracy of the ammo I loaded using the Lee Collet Die continues to impress me! So much so that my old Forster neck sizer is pretty much in retirement.
I still have my set of Lee carbide dies for 357/38 and 44 which have worked well for me.
For rifle I used a Redding full length sizer with carbide neck "bushing". And for seating a Forster benchrest seater. The combination of these two dies have loaded some extremely accurate ammo.
A new comer to my rifle loading is my Lee Collet Die I was skeptical but for around $16 I said why not? Plus if it really turned out to be a dog I could send it back to them.
No need for that! The accuracy of the ammo I loaded using the Lee Collet Die continues to impress me! So much so that my old Forster neck sizer is pretty much in retirement.