Will Lee Dies fit an RCBS press? I have several dies in different calibers, all RCBS. I am planning to buy a 22 hornet and will load my own. I have heard that Lee Dies are really good for the Hornet round, especially since I have frequently heard the recommendation for neck-sizing the Hornet round. Thoughts? Have any of you had experience with neck sizing the Hornet with Lee or RCBS? Both?
Lee dies and RCBS press
- Thread starter Sniper66
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yes, all dies and shell holders were standardized many years ago.
7/8"- 14 TPI on all of them except .50 BMG and shotgun dies they don't make anymore.
No experiance neck-sizing .22 Hornet.
rc
Neck sizing the 22 Hornet will extend case life a little over constant full length sizing. As I understand, chambers in US built rifles are a bit sloppy for the 22 Hornet and neck sizing minimizes the expansion of the case on each firing as the case has been fired formed to the chamber.
In any case, I do get longer case life in my 22 Hornet Contender carbine when I neck size.
Generally, my cases fail due to case head separation before anything else.
Lee dies are fine but I do not like the lock rings. Lots of folks like the lock rings, so your choice. My 22 Hornet dies are RCBS but if I were to buy new dies today, I would probably get Redding.
Oh, yes, what rcmodel says on 7/18-14 dies.
Blue68f100
Member
You will need to replace the locking ring on the Lee dies if you don't want to reset it every time. I like the Hornady Split locking rings the best. Hornady's makes good dies, but I don't have that caliber though. You will need a FL die too.
The Lee lock system, if you can call it that, is not positive enough. It is not if you lose adjustment, it is when.
I used them for many years back in the eighties and started swapping them out when the dies kept moving, and yes I followed Lee's directions.
I do use the Lee lock rings for things that need to be adjusted at each use such as the powder cop die on my progressive and on several of my powder measures.
I also prefer split rings such as the Hornady but the set screw works just fine for the most part as once a die is adjusted, I almost never re-adjust the lock rings.
About the only time I have re-adjusted the lock rings was when I changed presses.
But Lee lock rings work for, that's great.
crankyoldlady
Member
I use Lee dies with a green press.
My Lee dies do the job and are very easy to deal with when a case gets stuck in the sizing die...no "tool" needed. Even with carbide dies, sooner or later a case gets stuck.
My Lee dies do the job and are very easy to deal with when a case gets stuck in the sizing die...no "tool" needed. Even with carbide dies, sooner or later a case gets stuck.
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