E-Bay

That place can be both a buyer's market and seller's. The problem you're experiencing is caused by the huge numbers on both counts plus you're looking for common/new stuff. Sorry to say that you'll either need to keep looking for a "Buy It Now" auction with a low price or just buy from a retailer with fair pricing.

If you sell something that's difficult to find and/or is intended for a niche market then that place is definitely your best option to fetch the most $$$.

eBay is like all attorneys... you hate 'em until you need 'em... and only pretend not to hate 'em while you need 'em.

Why buy used dies when you can buy a new Lee carbide die set for $27?

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/140349/lee-carbide-3-die-set-9mm-luger

https://factorysales.com/html/xcart/cart.php

Patience, patience, patience. Set a price and stick to it. The best trick I've discovered is to get creative with your search terms. If you are the one guy who thought to search for "Lubersizer" when the item SHOULD have been listed as a "Lubrisizer" you will find an auction that is not getting the sort of attention that drives up prices. Keep your sense of humor...it helps to laugh at the idiots who are paying more than new prices for used gear.

Try midsouthshooters.com. Excellent service and good prices.

Why buy used dies when you can buy a new Lee carbide die set for $27?

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I agree. The Lee dies aren't as sexy ad RCBS or Redding but they work just as well for a lot less scratch.

I'm just guessing but from what I see on Ebay you will probably be able to buy Lee dies for less than used RCBS dies after the seller get done adding excessive shipping charges to the dies. Might I suggest going to a local gun show and look for dies. Last set of dies I bought were used RCBS .308 Win dies for only $15. That wasn't too bad even after you add the $6 show entrance fee.

floydster, sent you a PM.

ArchAngelCD said:

I agree. The Lee dies aren't as sexy ad RCBS or Redding but they work just as well for a lot less scratch.

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I like my Lee dies better then my RCBS dies. I've never even seen Redding but I wouldn't call my Lee dies second to any.

I like the prices of Lee dies at Natchez Shooters Supplies or natchezss.com on the net. They have a LOT of stuff and great prices. I only go to Midway if it has to be purchased now as they ALWAYS have it--just for that little bit higher price.

I also always liked Natchez pricing, but now their shipping charges have gone way out of line. Maybe if they offered USPS priority it would be much cheaper for shipping, till then I'll buy elsewhere.

$16.00 dollars to ship a set of dies less than 800 miles when the USPS does the same for $5.00.

Between all the calibers I reload I only have one die that is not made by Lee, and its the worst one I own. I only buy Lee dies.

I wasn't suggestion Lee dies were "bad" dies to own. Most of my dies are made by Lee too. The only other none Lee set of dies I have other than the 308 dies mentioned above are a set of 45-70 dies made by Hornady I bought used at a local auction for a really good price.

floydster,
Hunt around the local gun shops for used dies before you buy new. A lot of shops around here have a shelf with used dies on it and the prices are usually very good compared to new.

ArchAngelCD said:

'Hunt around the local gun shops for used dies before you buy new. A lot of shops around here have a shelf with used dies on it and the prices are usually very good compared to new.'

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+1. I bought a Lee 9mm 3 die set (carbide sizer) used at my local shop for somewhere around $10. I don't like the bell on this die as much as some of the others, but it works fine.

You can occasionally find a good deal on eBay, because sellers frequently have no idea of what they are selling, and what its fair market value is. That's why they'll advertise "reloading stuff", with no manufacturer or calibre noted. The downside is that buyers of reloading equipment also frequently have no notion of what stuff sells for, or where to buy it, and will bid up equipment over the price it would sell for at a gun show, or through a discount Internet retailer. I've found one or two good deals on things like bullet molds in odd sizes, or Lee Loaders that aren't available anymore in odd calibres, but it's very rare. Due to eBay's virulent anti-gun policies, I seldom buy anything gun related there, or anything else, for that matter.
I mostly buy local, if possible. Shipping charges tend to kill any savings over buying retail.

E-Bay, just insane--been trying to buy a set of 9mm dies, (carbide) for the last month,

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I checked Craig's list last night, some guy was selling his Dillon equipment.
I scored a 550B including 45acp, 357mag and 9mm conversions with dies for $100.
He had a CV 500 tumbler too...I offered him twenty bucks and said "fine".

I have no real need for a 550 but it was fun to buy. I'll probably dump it on eBay or give it to my son.

Due to eBay's virulent anti-gun policies, I seldom buy anything gun related there,

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+1
Except I never buy anything there.

Ebay & Pay-Pal got the last penny they will ever get from me several years ago when they went all full-blown nut-case on guns.

Prior to that, I was making a LOT of money selling vintage gun parts, custom & military knives, and antiques on eBay.

I don't even have an eBay link on my computer any more.

rc

>>they are going for more then new<<

I see this a lot on eBay with all sorts of stuff.

Ebay requires some patience to get a good deal.

I have used a combination of tools to get things I wanted in the past.

For one, setup some "saved searches" for what you want and have it email you when new items matching the criteria. TIP: I typically include a "-NOT" in my search terms. A few sellers who think they're being clever will put items that something is NOT to try and rope in extra views. IE, you search for 1911 Trigger and get back "Glock Trigger NOT Ruger S&W Taurus Walther 1911". By putting -NOT you leave out any descriptions with the word NOT in them.

Jump on those as soon as you see them. You may be lucky as an earlier poster indicated and find something with a Buy It Now set well below market.

If you don't do that though, you want to get a good Bid Sniping program. Set it up to not bid on anything until 30 seconds before an auctions end. If everyone relied on proxy-bidding this wouldn't make any difference, but realistically a lot of potential buyers are waiting on competing bids to come and and then go back and forth with them. The later your bid comes in the better chance you have at it.

Setup a max price you want to pay on every instance of the item that is listed, but make sure your sniping program supports bid logic - basically, each bid is only placed pending the failure to win any of the previously listed items. What that means is that the program will bid on everything you put in until you win something, and then it'll stop.

I've gotten a lot of good deals (including die sets) like this before. Several sets of dies I've gotten for well under $10 (lowest I think I've ever paid for a complete die set was $4).

E-Bay is like any other auction, the guy/gal who wishes to spend the most to get the item buys it. It plays no favorites.

Ebay & Pay-Pal got the last penny they will ever get from me several years ago when they went all full-blown nut-case on guns.

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Well, that one way to look at it.
Personally I think it's fun to tweak their noses & intentionally buy & sell gun related items on eBay.

Just my 2¢

Last year I sold a set of 38/357 dies (4 die set) on ebay.
I started 'em at $15 & they sold for $37 & they were used.

Some people just don't know prices & others think if it's used & on ebay, then it HAS to be cheaper than brand new.

ArchAngelCD said:

I agree. The Lee dies aren't as sexy ad RCBS or Redding but they work just as well for a lot less scratch.

I'm just guessing but from what I see on Ebay you will probably be able to buy Lee dies for less than used RCBS dies after the seller get done adding excessive shipping charges to the dies. Might I suggest going to a local gun show and look for dies. Last set of dies I bought were used RCBS .308 Win dies for only $15. That wasn't too bad even after you add the $6 show entrance fee.

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I am surprised that anybody is charging excessive shipping anymore. Since July FeeBay has been charging the Seller 11% of their shipping charges.

In 90% of the stuff I buy off E-Bay I think the shipping charges are VERY reasonable.

In the end, if you don't like the price w/shipping, don't buy it.

Floydster, I hope everything turned out well for you.

I am surprised that anybody is charging excessive shipping anymore. Since July FeeBay has been charging the Seller 11% of their shipping charges.

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I know nothing about their new policies. I haven't bought or sold anything on Ebay since they went all anti-gun and banned sales of most gun related items. (it's been around 4 years)

I know nothing about their new policies. I haven't bought or sold anything on Ebay since they went all anti-gun and banned sales of most gun related items. (it's been around 4 years)

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I understand this feeling. But I wish folks would feel the same regarding buying gas from Citgo stations which receive their gas from our buddy from Hugo Chevaz.

We can use this same logic for so many things, this is one of the big reasons chinese goods are so rampant.

Just saying-------------THINK FOLKS its your future!