RCBS Die Question...

[Rodentman]

I was reloading 50AE yesterday. It's been several months since I have reloaded that caliber. I have the RCBS dieset #22210. I noticed that I have a seater/TC die and another identical die without the seater stem. I am quite sure that I bought a second seater/TC to crimp in a separate step. I know the set did not come with 2 such dies.

I reload 25 calibers so I honestly cannot remember every die I buy, nor do I keep a file on such purchases because I don't have room.

My question is the wording on the dies.

One says: RCBS 50 A-E TC SEAT 13
One says: RCBS 50 A-E TC SEAT 11

I had removed the seater stem from the die I use to crimp, but I don't know why one is 11 and the other 13. Here are photos. Note that I changed the lock rings.





The dies work fine, but I cannot find any reference to the meaning of the numbers 11 and 13.

Any info is appreciated. Thx.

 

[rcmodel]

I seem to think it is the last two of the year it was made.

Could be wrong though.

But my RCBS dies I bought in 1970 say 70 on them

Ones I bought in 1995 say 95 on them.

rc

 

[Rodentman]

Phew, thanks! That makes sense! Clearly there isn't any difference in the dies. I'll check some of my other dies.

Edit: Yes, the sizing die also says 11 so the number isn't connected to the type of die...

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I'm glad RC responded as he did, I sure as hell didn't know. I'll have to look at my RCBS dies to see if this corresponds.

Cool!

 

[witchhunter]

The numbers are the year of production on RCBS dies.

 

[witchhunter]

Now, everyone is going to their reloading room to check what year their dies were made! Start a new thread, let's find the oldest ones....

 

[gamestalker]

Yep, I have multiple RCBS dies of the same caliber, and that number is the one distinguishing characteristic that seems to relate to the year they were manufactured.

I would say RC nailed this one, yet again.

GS

 

[Rodentman]

I found some others with "10" so clearly I'm not gonna have the oldest die! I have some with no description nor date code, so that doesn't count!

 

[Randy in Arizona]

IIRC I have some RCBS dies with letters instead of numbers for the production code.


411

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I think the oldest RCBS dies I have are from 1972. (bought used)

 

[Blue68f100]

My oldest is dated 65.

 

[mstreddy]

IIRC Up until sometime (don't know when) RCBS used letters for the date codes. Then they switched to the 2 digit year. It's stamped on each die as shown above.

Found this on Castboolits site:

RCBS stamped the top of their dies with a letter beginning in "A" in 1949 and ending with "P" in 1965. There after that used the last two digits of the year, 66, 67, 67 and so forth. I have not bought any new RCBS dies lately but all I have are dated either with a letter or two digits.

 

[GBExpat]

My JR3 is date-stamped (19)74 and my oldest-marked die (.223 decap/resize) is a 73 ... the year that I could legally order & consume mixed drinks in VA.

 

[FROGO207]

The bushing on the top of the Rock Chucker press is marked similarly mine is 67.