Question about LEE .30-06 Dies (H8 or K2 ??)

[rattletrap1970]

Hello there,
I have a set of Lee .30-06 dies. I have what appears to be 2 separate bullet seating dies. I was wondering if anyone could tell me the difference. One says .30-06 H8. The other says .30-06 K2. What is the difference?

Thanks,

Rich

 

[nateo]

My lee die set has a bullet seater then a separate crimping die. could that be what the other one is? I cant find numbers on mine though...

 

[rattletrap1970]

Really? Mine are stamped into the side of the dies. I suppose it could be a seat and a crimp. Just would like to make sure. Their website is horrible.

 

[nateo]

it looks like my bullet seating die has the letter H and then part of an 8... but I could be mistaken. the die on the left is the bullet seater, the right is a factory crimp die. hope this helps...

 

[rattletrap1970]

Ok, that starts to clear things up. I've seen something on another forum about H8 being a seating die.
So, now I just need to prove out the K2 (I'm guessing it's some kind of crimp die, roll or taper.) not sure.
Thanks for the pics.

 

[Kenny474]

How many dies in the set? I believe you may have the deluxe set, which comes with a collet sizing die, full length sizing die, and a seating die. Or you have the set I have that comes with a FL sizing die, seater, and crimp.

In the pic above, the die on the right is a crimp die, the left is the seat die. The one not shown would be a sizing die, either FL or collet.

I have a Lee catalog in front of me, on the instructions that came with your dies is the part#, it will be on the top left corner of the instructions on the same page that says Lee Reloading Dies. You will have 90880, 90508, 90715, or 90615. give me the number, I will tell you what you have for dies. Also, if you know if you bought pacesetter, deluxe, collet, or RGB dies that will help as well.

Or post a pic and that will make it very easy, just take a pic of all your dies.

Unless you bought them used, as you may have a seat and crimp die and a dead length seating die, but they don't come together in a set from lee.

 

[NavelOfficer]

You got me! Is there any discernable difference as you look inside? Different seater stems perhaps?
Often on mold blocks you'll find additional numbers, but I figure these are control numbers or something to keep matching blocks together; maybe machinist marks of some sort. Could be a similar marking system for die sets.

 

[Kenny474]

You got me! Is there any discernable difference as you look inside? Different seater stems perhaps?
Often on mold blocks you'll find additional numbers, but I figure these are control numbers or something to keep matching blocks together; maybe machinist marks of some sort. Could be a similar marking system for die sets.

I agree that the numbers may have no relevance. Mine are marked C-4 and the crimp die is A-4, so I don't tend to think that mark is any more than a batch or machine number. If they were coded in some way, they would differ from seat to size die, and mine are both the same. Pics or product #'s from the instructions would help more than anything.

 

[rattletrap1970]

well when I unscrew the end of both the H8 and the K2 they both look like seating dies to me.

 

[Kenny474]

well when I unscrew the end of both the H8 and the K2 they both look like seating dies to me.

You probably have a seat/crimp die and a dead length seat die. Without a pic or more info on there is no way of knowing. A sized case will go in flush with the bottom of the dead length seater, and the case will stop with 1/2" or so hanging out of the seat/crimp die as it will hit the crimp portion.

 

[vellnueve]

The left one is a seater. The right one is the Lee Factory Crimp die.

 

[Kenny474]

The left one is a seater. The right one is the Lee Factory Crimp die.

The dies in the pic are not the dies in question. The OP states he has 2 seating dies in his set. I don't know of any set from Lee that has 2 seat dies, though they do make 2 styles of seat die.

Rattletrap, did you buy these new or used?

 

[center442]

I have several die sets that I've bought an additional seating die for. The reason is that I use two (or more) favorite bullets in some calibers. Having an extra seating die means that I don't have to constantly reset seating depth when I change bullets, I just screw in the correct seating die. If your die set was bought used I would suspect that the previous owner did the same thing. Just a WAG on my part.

If you bought them new then I am stumped.

 

[rattletrap1970]

Geez, been so long since I got them. I'm pretty sure I got them used although I don't remember when. Here are some Pics.

 

[Kenny474]

The one on the right is a dead length seater I believe. If you can insert a case flush to the bottom, or nearly so, than I believe thats what you have. The left looks identical to my seat/crimp die.

The dead length is made to bump the shell holder, so as to give you a "dead length"(ie:if the shell holder hits the die, than press flex is no longer an issue, and is said to give more consistent seating depth) as opposed to the normal set up of a seat/crimp die.