Dies for Reloading 30-06

[whitebear]

I'm going to be setting up to reload 30-06 to feed my new Danish Garand. I have never reloaded rifle cartridges, so I am looking for some advice.

I have a Dillon 550B. I would be really interested to hear what dies other TFL'ers are using for 30-06 in this press.

I KNOW this can be an emotional topic! This is not a "What is the best 30-06 die set" thread. I would just like to know what your experiences have been.

Thanks in advance!

 

[zanthope]

I'm reloading for a Garand using Lee dies. They work for me.

47 grains of IMR 4895 under a 150gr M2 ball pulldown works for me, too.

 

[JM at Work]

Not about dies,

But there have been several good threads here recently about reloading for the M1, so you should search back over the last two months or so.

I love reloading 30-06, I just think that it is a handsome cartridge, nice proportions. My Danish with VAR barrel is a heck of a lot of fun to shoot.

I'm using an RCBS tool to swage the military crimp out of the Lake City brass I collected, and RCBS dies in my Rock Chucker to do the loading.

I tend to be even more obsessive with rifle reloading than I am with pistols, and resize, trim to length (Lee trimmer) and ream/chamfer everything.

-Jorah

 

[David Wile]

Hey Whitebear,

I use more RCBS dies than any other brand, but I have been using the same Lyman full length 2-die set 30-06 for nearly forty years. For most of those years, I used those dies in an RCBS Rockchucker. For the past seven years or so, I have also been using them in my Hornady L&L progressive press when I have a large batch to do, but I still spend more time with the single stage Rockchucker for most of my work. I use the same die set for my three Garands as well as all other 30-06 reloading I do. In my opinion, you will get fine results with any of the well known die companies. However, if you are going to use a progressive press, they can sometimes prefer dies of their own brand. In my case, the Hornady L&L is suce a massive press, some dies are not quite long enough to reach through the press and be adjusted properly. Not all non-Hornady dies are like this - just two calibers I have found so far. The may also be true with other big progressives, and you might want to check on it if you are planning on a really big press.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[alan]

Whitebear:

On presses, I use a Dillon 550 mostly for pistol, though I have loaded 308 Win. on it too. When I was shooting rifle, I used an old RCBS Junior Press, no longer available, it was a single stage press. I have used RCBS dies since I got involved with relaoding, yet to have a problem with any of them, and I have some that go back to 1967.

Personally, I suspect that dies from ANY REPUTABLE MAKER will serve, however regarding minor problems, like breaking a decaping pin, resulting from trying to decap a berdan primed case, missed one once, RCBS people have always been helpful.

Some of the older RCBS dies weren't set up for progressive presses, their mouths are square cornered, rather than radiused, which leads to cruched cases, so look before buying and or using.

I suspect that Dillon dies would be fine to use, however they are priceier than others. One pays their money and takes their choice. As for a press, the Dillon 550 or 550B, current model designation, works fine. I've had one for 20 plus years. Powder measures seem to last 10 years, then they break, but Dillon replaces them at no charge, I'm on my third measure currently.

Do not foreget to lube the cartirdge case bodies, though do not get any lube on the case shoulder. Dry cases, unlubed, might well stick in the sizing die, which makes a mess of things. I don't recall anyone making carbide sizing dies for bottleneck cases. Also, if you are now to loading bottle neck cases, 30-06 is one, do not set the shoulder back to far. Doing so will shorten case life, and can also create an "excess headspace" situation, that could become dangerous.

I shot a Garand in competition for about 5 years, everything from 200 yards out to 1000. If you got a good one, they can be a really excellent rifle. A good glass bedding job, assuming you don't run into a bad barrerl, can help too. Enjoy.

 

[cheygriz]

I would suggest Redding dies. Theyv are about the highest quality dies made.

Lyman, RCBS, Hornady, C&H, Pacific are all very good dies as well, but IMHO, the Redding dies are slightly better. and since a die set is a lifetime investment, why not get the very best?