Quality Reloading Dies?

[Patriot]

Anyone got an idea about the relative quality of the relaoding dies
of these manufacturers? Dillon is always touted as high quality but
I was wondering about the others as well and what makes them
inferior/superior to one another.

Dillon
Lyman
RCBS
Others?

I would guess that someone, somewhere must have done a review on the
various dies on such topics as precision, longevity, wear, repeatability,
mantainability, etc. that would answer this question. If anyone knows
of a link to an article I would appreciate it.

TBP

 

[bpm990d]

I think they can all be good, but it how good they are depends more on what exactly it is you are trying to do with them and how well their specs match that. I like Reading dies for rifles, but that is because I can get a bushing to size the neck the exact amount I want. Most of the others don't make something like that.

What are you trying to do with them? Pistol, rifle?

B

 

[Lugnut]

I'd like to know more about this as well. I have RCBS dies now and they seem to be of great quality. I don't like their locking rings though. The brass screw always comes lose. I bought a bunch on locking rings from Hornady- they are MUCH better- they work more like a clamp.

 

[Patriot]

I think they can all be good, but it how good they are depends more on what exactly it is you are trying to do with them and how well their specs match that. I like Reading dies for rifles, but that is because I can get a bushing to size the neck the exact amount I want. Most of the others don't make something like that.

What are you trying to do with them? Pistol, rifle?

B

All Pistol, one rifle.

.32 H&R
.380 ACP
.38 Special*
.357 Mag*
.44 Mag
.45 ACP*
.45 LC

30-06 SPRFLD

*most used calibers

I currently have a mix of dies for these. Most are Dillon, but some are
Lyman and RCBS. I haven't done enough reloading yet to make a determination
on my own so that is why I am looking for some additional information. If
in the process of loading ammo and I run into some issues I would like to
know if I am running up against the stops with a particular die set or I have
an operator problem.

TBP

 

[bpm990d]

I think it is hard to beat RCBS. If it gets broken, they will fix it, but the application is more important than the name brand. A lot can depend on the type of bullet you want to load, and does the seating stem come with the appropriate profile for that bullet. Also it depends on your chamber and the brass you use.

For instance, what rifle do you use the 30-06 for? Is it a semi or a bolt or both? Are you looking to reload for accuracy or just want the ammo to function in multiple rifles.


B

 

[Patriot]

I think it is hard to beat RCBS. If it gets broken, they will fix it, but the application is more important than the name brand. A lot can depend on the type of bullet you want to load, and does the seating stem come with the appropriate profile for that bullet. Also it depends on your chamber and the brass you use.

For instance, what rifle do you use the 30-06 for? Is it a semi or a bolt or both? Are you looking to reload for accuracy or just want the ammo to function in multiple rifles.


B

Are you inferring that the quality of the manufactured die depends on what I
am using the die for? I wasn't looking for that level of detail. I was looking
for information on the specifics of manufactured quality and die longevity.
Manufactured quality depends on a number of factors but I don't think that
any of them depend on what I am doing with them. The 30-06 use is for
a Rem 700 BDL bolt action rifle used primarily for hunting deer. I usually load
a 150 grain bullet, sometimes a 165 grain.

TBP

 

[Len-2A Training]

I liked RCBS dies and used Lyman locking nuts with them.

 

[Dick]

I load a number of different calibers and have accumulated dies by a variety of manufacturers (except Dillon, only because I don't own one their presses) over the years. RCBS is the only brand I've been completely satisfied with - never the slightest problem of any kind, and I've never had to have a die replaced because it started scratching my cases or the carbide sizing ring fell out, etc., as I have with other manufacturers.

 

[bpm990d]

Are you inferring that the quality of the manufactured die depends on what I am using the die for?

Sorry if I'm coming across as obtuse. I don't think I articulated my response well. I think most dies are pretty well made and can load good ammo. Of course there are some (like the ones that bench rest shooters use) that are like Cadillacs and cost a lot more than regular dies, but unless they meet my intended use, then the quality is really secondary.

How well you match that individual die up to the intended use is more important that the brand name or the quality of the die.

A full length 30-06 die from Reading and RCBS and Lee are each their own animals, and will do slightly different things to the brass, depending on the brass thickness and what it was shot out of. Like chambers they are all cut slightly different.

B

 

[EddieCoyle]

Disclaimer: I load only pistol, but I load a lot of it. I load in 1000 round runs.
I've tried all of the dies on your list and more. My favorite are Hornady (the high-end sets, I forget what they call them).

Here's why:

1. The resizing dies are carbide with Titanium Nitride coating. TiN is a gold-colored, extremely hard coating (harder even than the carbide) originally developed to increase the life of metal stamping dies. If the TiN coating allows a die in a 1000-ton press to stamp out twice as many bus frames between sharpenings, then I'm all for it.
2. The bullet seating dies are the best I've ever seen. There's a sliding "sleeve" that drops down below the die about 1/2" that makes it very easy to seat the bullets. If you can get the bullet nearly upright in the vicinity of a belled case, then this die will seat it.
3. The crimping die is short enough to work in my press. The Lee's are too long.
4. Hornady dies have the best locking rings. No doubt.

BP, try these out. It'll be payback for the KKM barrel recommendation.

 

[BIG GUN]

I use RCBS, Hornaday, Lyman, Herters, Dillon, and Lee dies. They all work well. The sliding sleeve on the Hornaday's was introduced by Herters, who went out of business after the national gun law of 1968. I use a lot of The Lee collet dies because they do not require case lube, and only resize the neck of the case. I have had to turn the mandrel down .001 or so on occasion, just to get a tighter bullet tension. They also use an o"ring for locking the set point, and it works very well.
Dillon dies are great when using a progressive press, because the have a slight radius ground into the sizer, that allows better alignment between the case & die. RCBS is an old standard that works well.

 

[Plink]

I like Lee dies they're carbide, inexpensive, and guaranteed for life