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Posted: 9/24/2011 2:41:12 PM EDT
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I was at cabellas picking up some MORE reloading stuff when I got to thinking. Looking at all the different makes of dies I wondered what the difference really is between them all? They all do the same thing in the long run. I've just always used Lee dies. Is there anything about any of the other manufacturers that would make their dies better or different than any others? I almost bought some Hornady 223 dies just to try a different brand lol.
Sorry in advance for any spelling issues, I typed this on my phone. |
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Quoted:
Looking at all the different makes of dies I wondered what the difference really is between them all? They all do the same thing in the long run. I've just always used Lee dies. Is there anything about any of the other manufacturers that would make their dies better or different than any others? I almost bought some Hornady 223 dies just to try a different brand lol. Of all the different dies I've tried, only one feature stands out as unacceptable to me. That is a decapping stem that is held with a collet rather than threads. I believe this feature is found on some Hornady dies. I've used these and found them unreliable. Other than that, the differences lie in concentricity, smoothness of finish, features such as neck bushings,... all things that are more-or-less subjective. One convenience feature I would not want to be without is a micrometer adjusting seating die - a good one like the Redding, not a cheap ne like the Hornady. I use too many different bullets to be "playing games" with a regular (uncalibrated) seater. I have found dies last a lifetime. I buy the best irrespective of the small cost difference between them. For me, that is usualy Redding. I have heard the Forster seaters are as good or better than the Redding Comp seater but I have not yet tried a Forster seater - I've had no need to do so. |
For basic reloading, I also don't think there is much of a difference. As another post mentions, there is a big difference in customer service. RCBS does an awesome job in this respect. Break a decapping pin, they send you a new one. Be a real doofus (not that I would know anything about this  ) and bend the decapping rod, they send you a new one. Also my experience has been (others have not seen the same) is that Lee dies rust more readily than others.
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Lyman: I find these a little 'rough' with regards to manufacture
Lee: Cheap, functional but low grade. Locking rings work but do not allow for easily repeatable settings. You cannot lock one to the die body for future resets. I use lee for calibers I load rarely (ie, 218 bee), or dies used t help friends load once or twicee a year. Not as smooth as others. Most lee works fine but I have found that metals used in many lee products (presses, dies, miscellaneous reloading tools) are softer and tend to wear faster than metals used in other prodct lines. Hornady: Well made, no machine marks. Easily repeatable. Works for me. RCBS: Equal to Hornady. Well made, easily repeatable. Best customer service in the entire world. I had a few thousand 9mm bullets with a funky ogive. Called RCBS for tech help. THey said "mail us three". fair enough. Three week later I have a custom cut seater plug at no charge. RCBS has also replaced worn out or items that have been damaged by my stupidity, not defect. I buy rcbs because of the world class customer service Redding: Nice dies. Well made. No issues. Equal to Hornady and RCBS. CH4D: Worst damn dies I ever bought. Spent something on the order of $140+ for a die set (.310 Martini) and the dies I got were rough, with machine marks, gritty, nasty and barely functional. |
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I like Hornady dies, better features than RCBS dies, and I have both.
Also some Dillon, Lyman and Lee sets. The collet secured decapper is a great feature with Hornady and Lee dies. It's purpose is to raise up if a Berdan case is encountered. The decapper will raise up instead of breaking. |
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I purchased my first set of competition dies recently (Forster Ultra) and I will never by the standard dies again.
forster Ultra .223 |
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For threaded dies only......
Redding is the Rolls Royce of quality and finish. Of course with the more obscure calibers you pay more as you do with other brands. They have a great Micrometer Seater. They own the bushing die market. Their Titanium Carbide dies are second to none. They make a Pro Series that are meant for use with progressive presses. Nothing Better! Forster is the Cadillac of dies. Pricing is the same for any caliber they make. That is problem for some as they do not have a broad offereing.They have a great Micrometer Seater, too. Just a little light on the markings. They offer custom honing for your chamber of sizing dies. RCBS is the Chevy of dies. Lots of models. With varying costs according to obscurity. They are the King of CS. Many like the Competition Seater with the window. Lyman is like Ford of dies. Less models with good quality. Lee is Hyundai. Serviceable, but lacks in Customer Service. They work just fine. |
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Quoted:
For threaded dies only...... Redding is the Rolls Royce of quality and finish. Of course with the more obscure calibers you pay more as you do with other brands. They have a great Micrometer Seater. They own the bushing die market. Their Titanium Carbide dies are second to none. They make a Pro Series that are meant for use with progressive presses. Nothing Better! Forster is the Cadillac of dies. Pricing is the same for any caliber they make. That is problem for some as they do not have a broad offering have a great Micrometer Seater, too. Just a little light on the markings. They offer custom honing for your chamber of sizing dies. RCBS is the Chevy of dies. Lots of models. With varying costs according to obscurity. They are the King of CS. Many like the Competition Seater with the window. Lyman is like Ford of dies. Less models with good quality. Lee is Hyundai. Serviceable, but lacks in Customer Service. They work just fine. You left out Hornady. To use your analogy, I would say they are the Buick of dies. Just a little better than RCBS. Their CS is also excellent. And Dillon dies, how about the Mercedes of dies here, and they cost a little more. They also set the bar on CS. Otherwise I agree. |
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My pistol dies have been RCBS to this point and they have been great. I've been waiting for them to rust (as I've heard they're prone to do), but I haven't seen a speck of anything after more than a year.
I've been trying to make up my mind on .223 dies when I stumbled upon a NIB Dillon set at the local shop for $39. Needless to say, I snatched them up faster than donuts at a weight watchers convention. They seem to be of high quality (that will go hand in hand with their press). Good finish machining, and the inside of the dies are super smooth. I just need to get a reamer/swager, trimmer, and lube and I can actually use the darn things! Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Lee: Cheap, functional but low grade. Locking rings work but do not allow for easily repeatable settings. You cannot lock one to the die body for future resets. I use lee for calibers I load rarely (ie, 218 bee), or dies used t help friends load once or twicee a year. Not as smooth as others. Most lee works fine but I have found that metals used in many lee products (presses, dies, miscellaneous reloading tools) are softer and tend to wear faster than metals used in other prodct lines.
For my 7.5 swiss i do have locking rings on my collet dies, I bought these to lock my swiss dies, they go back to where they are suppossed to be everytime http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=236200 I have Lee, rcbs, and ch4d(havent tried these yet) all work good. As far as CS with Lee the 2 times ive used it has been great. |
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