I did not know that. Good info!
Hornady custom grade dies look really nice.
- Thread starter CoalCrackerAl
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I did not know that. Good info!
Smaug
Member
What press have you got incoming, coalcracker?
Smaug
Member
They sell the lock rings separately; might be worth buying some for my Lee dies...
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1165236200?pid=236200
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1165236200?pid=236200
AJC1
Member
I'm my 4th 6 pack.... if you lock dies for sizing on a single stage they are wonderful. I don't use them on pistol seating dies because I need to move them in for crimp after seating. They are also great for locking in expander settings.
Smaug
Member
Lately, I've been swapping between my single stage press and my old (non breech lock) Lee Hand Press, but I think it would be worth trying a set anyway and just commit one set of dies to one press or the other for that caliber.
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ballman6711
Member
Curious here, do you not lock your seating die at all, or do you just not use the Hornady lock rings? Or maybe you use lock rings, and tighten them, but don't tighten the set screw for ease of adjustment for crimping.
chris
AJC1
Member
I don't "lock" it. I load 38, 357 both and make adjustments to crimp every time. I just tighten it down for the batch cycle and readjust for the next process. I use a loaded round to get the seating really close and then only have to shorten oal a few thousandths to be right on.
SingleActionAndrew
Member
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- May 28, 2021
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You guys/gals who like the Hornady rings must have more room around the toolhead than I do. On the Redding T7 and Dillon 750 especially the lock rings are too wide in some positions that they interfere with the toolhead locating pins and since they only have two slats cut on the side (***??) they can only be wrench tightened from lucky angles. The angles where my other dies and powder measure or toolhead locating pins are. And like Redding if they don't get a good wrench tighten they are soon backing out on me. I spare no expense on dies, have the Redding dual ring and everything microsdjust competition etc, but IMO the Lee premium rings are where it's at, and Redding and Hornady can have fun together in the bottom of a drawer somewhere! Their rings and universal decapping die are about all I recommend from them, so not Lee biased. Just love those rings. Clamps the die like the Hornady but can be tightened from any angle and don't need to be over tightened to stay put.
markr6754
Member
I'm with you...except I quit crimping while seating. I found Hornady Taper Crimp Dies for all of my pistol loads (9mm fits 380 Auto and 9mm Luger), so I crimp last. Adds just a bit more time, but I'm not in a hurry. I sent all of my non-Hornady die lock rings to a guy on another forum a while back...happy to reduce the clutter. Sadly, I had to give away 4 Hornady lock rings when I gifted away my Lee 9mm dies. I'd love a 20 pack...or at least a quantity greater than 6.
AJC1
Member
I definitely seat and crimp in different steps. I shoot mostly cast and have not had the issue with the Lee fcd sizing bullets. Besides shifting between 38 and 357 I also shoot the 154 noe and 180 sil so I have to swap stems. I'd need at least 3 seating dies to lock them down.
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