• You are using the old High Contrast theme. We have installed a new dark theme for you, called UI.X. This will work better with the new upgrade of our software. You can select it at the bottom of any page.

carbide sizing die

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

doubleh

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
7,427
Location
NM- far south of I-40
It had been an extremely long time since I reloaded any 44 magnum loads but the purchase of a Taylor & Company 44 magnum revolver got me back to working up light loads for the new gun as my supply was pretty short. I quickly discovered my sizing die was so old that it was steel, not carbide, and took considerable oomph on the press handle to use plus cleaning off the lube when done. I had forgotten that I still had any steel sizing dies left but quickly realised that is was on the first case that I tried to size. I really don't have much oomph anymore and despise wiping case lube so I went internet shopping and found a Lee carbide die at a nice price. Yesterday afternoon I ran 40 cases thru my old single stage RCBS press using the new die. It was so smooth and easy that I even used my 60% length handle I made for the press. I did use the original handle for a few cases for a comparison and decided it didn't make enough difference to justify all the extra movement and went back to the short handle which increases speed a little.
 
I got my Lee 44 Magnum/Special die set in about 1990 and have reloaded everything from 123 gr. balls to 310 gr. ingots for my 5, 44 Magnums. Never a problem I could blame on the dies...

Yep, small tasks that used to be nuttin' are now a job. I forgot how hard it is to rack the slide on my Ruger P90 or how heavy my Dan wesson 44H is... :cuss:
 
They still make non-carbide pistol die sets and I much prefer them. The slight taper they create makes for a much better chamber fit and no ugly wasp waist cartridges.

I don't wipe lube off. A few minutes in the tumbler gets it off for me.

If you want to sell those steel dies, shoot me a PM.
 
lightman said:
Even with carbide dies I still lube cases like 38 Super and 10MM. 9mm, 38/357, 41, 44 and 45 don't seem to need the extra help but some of those hot 38 Super loads can be tough to size.
Click to expand...
I didn't until I started sizing on the Lee APP. The X-PRESS shell holders aren't grabbing as much rim and I've had them let go on a sticky piece of 9mm. Probably needed to toss them pieces of brass anyway, tho.
 
While lubricating cases when using carbide dies is not a requirement, it does make the sizing process go easier.

Since I tumble cases after sizing, cleaning the lubricant off a cases is not an issue. I find sizing the larger cases such as 45 Colt, 44 Magnum, etc. lot easier with a spritz of alcohol/lanolin lubricant.

I've begun to lubricating 40, 38, and 32 caliber cases as well.
 
Last edited:
Walkalong said:
I feel your pain brother, I feel your pain, very few .41 & .44 Mags for me these days, and I have started lubing 9MM cases in a carbide die, others may be forthcoming....... *Sigh* :)
Click to expand...
Yup. Tylenol and Advil are part of my breakfast and dinner routines, along with heart meds and blood pressure meds. If I’d known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself when I was young.
 
Apparently I have more oomph than I realised. I have never felt a need to use lube with a carbide die, 380 to 45 Colt. I do take a couple of aleve in the morning but it's more for running gear problems, the reason I gave up hunting.
 
doubleh said:
Apparently I have more oomph than I realised. I have never felt a need to use lube with a carbide die, 380 to 45 Colt. I do take a couple of aleve in the morning but it's more for running gear problems, the reason I gave up hunting.
Click to expand...
i Know what you mean, my oomph is still there but mostly in mind, as far as my body mechanics go pretty worn out, i chose not to go hunting this year for the reason i did not want to suffer for the next week after dragging a deer half mile out of woods. To better health and safe shooting.
 
I tend to be grumpy about "new and improved" but I like carbide dies and have replaced my plain steel dies wherever I can. I find carbide better in just about every conceivable way - and the only time I use lube with them is for the .500 Mag.
 
I wish I could put a spritz of lube in both shoulders, both knees and my back. However, I give all cases a roll on an RCBS lube pad that still has some residual lube.

I use Carbide sizing dies on all straight-wall cases and even .357 Sig. It adds an extra step to the Sig sizing but makes it go a lot easier.
 
Patocazador said:
I wish I could put a spritz of lube in both shoulders, both knees and my back.
Click to expand...
My wife goes in for a cortisone shot in her shoulders every couple of years. It seems to relieve her pain for about 1 1/2, then she suffers with the pain until she's not sleeping well.
I went through 3 MRIs, X-Rays, a CT Scan, and 6 months of expensive physical therapy, rather than just follow my wife's suggestion to just get a cortisone shot. Nothing at all worked...and so multiple $1000s in billings later (thank God for insurance and health savings accounts), I asked for the $90 cortisone shot. That was 6 years ago...and I feel another shot is in my future. Spritz of a different nature...but it worked for us.
 
markr6754 said:
Nothing at all worked...and so multiple $1000s in billings later (thank God for insurance and health savings accounts), I asked for the $90 cortisone shot. That was 6 years ago...and I feel another shot is in my future. Spritz of a different nature...but it worked for us.
Click to expand...

My 1st cortisone shot was 20+ yrs. ago. It worked for about 12 years then the other shoulder. I have now gone to the well too often and they don't work for long.
Arthroscopic surgery worked well on my knee 6 yrs. ago but now it's acting up again as well as the other one. Naproxen helps but Voltaren does better topically.

I still climb trees and ladders while hunting but it gets harder every year. At 78 I don't want to complain because all of my friends have already passed on.
 
Herniated discs,scoliosis,recently torn miniscus(waiting for surgery in January),pseudo gout in the left shoulder along with other ailments too numerous to mention took a big bite out of my hunting season,but I've been able to resize brass for my new 10MM I bought a week ago with my old Spartan press and RCBS carbide sizing die without lube.
I asked one of the nurses at the Dr. office if they do people like people do cars and just say this worn out piece of junk ain't worth putting any more money in.She just laughed and said I'm getting close to that point.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

L
  • Locked
Carbide Rifle Dies in a Dillon 550B
Replies
11
Views
1K
loadedround
L
L
  • Locked
Redding Dual-Ring Carbide vs Steel Dies
Replies
19
Views
2K
748
748
J
  • Locked
How to Identify Carbide Sizing Die?
Replies
9
Views
599
.308 Norma
.308 Norma
SC_Dave
  • Locked
An Elementary Question About a Sizing Die
Replies
22
Views
917
LiveLife
LiveLife
C
  • Locked
Need advice on dies for 223's in progressive
Replies
8
Views
998
RustyFN
R
Back
Top