[Thrash1982]

I have two Lee dies (.223 and 9mm) and was wondering who makes the best dies for the money? Should I stick with Lee or should I try something else? I recently bought a Beretta 96 and would like to get as much .40 reloaded this summer as I can.

Also, I have a small Lee single stage press. Would any other dies still fit and work properly in this press?

Thanks everyone.

[oscar]

I have several different brand of dies including Lee. My favorite is RCBS, but they all seem fine to me. Any make die will work in your Lee press.

[WalkerTexasRanger]

I have had good luck with Redding and Hornady. I did determine, however, Reddings comtetition seating dies do not do well with compressed loads. Otherwise, top notch...

[Fatelvis]

I like Redding.

[euclid]

I think you'll find most reloaders think redding makes te best dies. I have used them all and I can't say there is an appreciable difference between them, in terms of generating more accurate or consistent reloads. I think they all work well.

cheers

[ChairborneRanger]

I like RCBS.

[bogie]

With all due respect to the folks who've spent a lot of $$ on pretty stuff, the Lee dies will work just fine.

The "best" dies are probably the benchrest dies made by folks like Clarence Hammonds and Jim Carstensen, but you don't need those.

[Dave R]

Have not tried Lee, but that will prolly be my next die purchase.

Have used RCBS and Redding, and much prefer Redding over RCBS.

Redding includes a spare decapper pin (part most likely to break) and an allen wrench. Handy.

Of course, I hear that Lee dies include the shell holder, which is even more handy.

[Odessa]

Of the commonly available dies I think Redding and RCBS are about equal. Then I choose Lyman and Hornady, only after I have exhausted the above four choices do I look at Lee. C-H are well made, as are Forrester/Bonanza, but they are much harder to find in stock. Odessa

[444]

I own dies by most of the major manufacturers including Lee. To answer your question of which is the best die for the money I would have to say Lee. They are almost always the cheapest dies out there and they work great. I have used various sets of Lee Dies for 20 years and have no real complaint. That being said, when I buy a new set of dies for a handgun cartridge I buy Hornady. I think all the major die manufacturers make a good quality product that turns out great ammo. So I judge dies by how easy they are to use and adjust. I think the Hornady dies look like they are great quality and are easy to adjust. With that in mind, my least faviorite dies are RCBS. Actually as far as ease of use, Lee is near the top. Lee factory crimp dies are fantastic and I use them for all calibers.

[Smokey Joe]

The Lee Collet Neck-sizing die is most accurate and gentlest on the brass of any I've tried for that purpose. If you're using once-fired brass in the bolt-action which fired it originally, it's great.

For full-length resizing, and "ordinary" seating chores, any of the major manufacturers' dies will do the job. I use mostly RCBS, because that's what is mostly stocked in the local gun shops

If you're going to precision seating, you need a micrometer seating die.

Bogie is right, the benchrest dies are the "most accurate," but he's also right, you don't need them. Until you've spent a zillion $$ on a benchrest gun, a zillion more on Lapua brass and Berger bullets, and the gadgetry to assemble them, and you are desperately trying to get that last .01" off your groups.

[greg531mi]

Redding does make the best production dies, but you get what you pay for, they are steep in price. Lee, is not pretty, but they work wonderfull. RCBS has got overprice in my book, the last couple of years, and the depriming pins tend to break. Hornady, I had one blow up on me. Lyman is like RCBS, got overpriced. The thing I hate about Lee, is their round boxes, they tend to get stuck closed and are a pain to store, and make sure that you keep that paper in there right, so you can see what die set you have. I am about to go out and buy some empty flat boxes and mark them all!!! Also, Lee has limited production dies, that the big boys priced out of sight. I wish they would make one in .401 Winchester. Redding and CH wants $60 for them and RCBS, around $90, go figure...

[444]

You had a die blow up ?