steel reloading dies

Joined
Jun 7, 2020
Messages
689
Location
Mobile, AL
back in the 1970s 1976 to be exact, when I firsr started to learn to reload my own ammo, about the only dies available were steel dies. Back then every case had to be lubed before reloading.
Now steel dies are what I use as back up, and sometimes just to check after sizing and priming, to make sure every thing is good to go. I have steel dies from C H , RCBS, and BONANZA..
Course I am talking of pistol dies, as every rifle die is steel and cases all need to still be lubed, I reload for 32 H & R mag, 38/357 mag, 38 super, 9 mm, 45 acp, 45 colt. in pistol rounds and 45-70 rifle cartridges.
Back before progressive presses got so popular the dies, had a sizing die, deprimer/expander die, and seating die.,
I can use them in my Lee turret press but nix on the progressive press.

What do ya'll think of those steel dies?
 
I have some old ch and bair dies that I occasionally use when dinking around, and other than the lube step they seem to be no more effort than carbide dies. 38 special isn't very hard to load, but it was fine for cast wadcutters to have a Lil extra lube involved...
 
I learnt to reload with steel dies, so lubing is not a problem. Not sure how to remove the lube, but with the steel dies can size, then put them thru the case tumbler, and that seems to work ok.
but with the deprimier and expander being in the same die, have to use them on my turret press and not my progressive press
 
buy I have both a Lee and lyman hand primer system , and that is what I use. I have never set up the priming system on my Hornady lock n load press
 
For 45/70 I have steel dies , yes using them is slightly more work/steps because of having to lube the cases but it’s not a big deal. I just use Berry’s Case lube give them a light spray or two in a half gallon container with a lid tumble them some and put them in a loading block to dry for 5 minutes while getting the press ready to load them and start loading. I just wipe the lube off after sizing/priming and continue the reloading process.
 
I too started out with steel ... carbide was way too expensive . They cost a lot back then !
Then Lee started selling affordable Carbide sizing dies ... so I bought those for 38 Special , 357 Magnum , 45 acp and 9mm luger . Trouble was they tended to oversize and work the brass too much , shortening case life ... and the carbide 9mm luger resized the tapered case ... straight and too small at the base .

Discovered Lee Case Sizing Lube ... a water soluble waxy metal forming lube that wasn't greasy or messy and was easy to wipe off . Went back to my steel dies ... 9mm reloads are now correct and much longer case life with the others . I now use a Lyman A-A Carbide sizer on the 45 acp ... it doesn't oversize , but I still have the steel sizer as back up .
I use the Lee case Sizing Lubricant even when sizing with carbide dies ,,, because it just makes sizing so muxch easier and no mess , easy clean up ... and I like Easy !
Gary
 
The stuff I load a lot of I use carbide dies. My last Dillon carbide .223 size die went 125,000 rounds.

The dies I make for myself and a lot of others I use are steel, they work just fine even if they won't last as long, as I don't use them as much.
 
I started with plain steel, and moved to carbide as soon as they were available. As a high-volume handgun loader, I consider carbide dies indispensable. (And yes, I'm aware of carbide users who still lube. I also am aware of people who think aliens are beaming signals directly into their brains. C'est la vie. :p )

Plain steel handgun dies still work perfectly. If a fellow doesn't mind adding and then subtracting lube, then his results will be as good as any. Personally, my steel handgun dies sit on the shelf as a reminder of how things useda be.
 
Last edited:
As long as they're available I generally use carbide. The price difference is negligible, and while obviously I know how to lube cases (and do so for not only my rifle rounds but also my bottle neck pistol rounds like 7.62 Tok and .357 SIG), its just faster and more convenient to not have to lube them.
 
Why aren’t rifle dies made with carbide?

The "carbide" dies really just have a carbide ring to do the sizing. Which basically means it can only size to one dimension- basically straightwall (or nearly straightwall) cartridges only - not really rifle vs pistol. On a bottleneck you've got to not only size the body and neck, but also adjust/set back the shoulder. On a tapered case you could size to the mouth but it'd have to size it to that size all the way down the case. If its a minimum taper (like 9mm Luger) that works. If its a more significant taper it doesn't.

Its just that most pistol cartridges are straightwall and most rifle cartridges aren't.
 
Way back in the dark ages (60's) I reloaded for 30-30, 38 SPL, and 45 Colt. All were steel dies and I got used to lube on, lube off. Now I'll use carbide for volume handgun loading but for the likes of 30 Carbine and 500 S&W you still need to lube your carbide cases unless you are Popeye!
 
I started loading handgun on std steel dies back in the 70's. All work, just require lube like rifle dies. Since steel dies are actual profile they make a nicer looking cartridge, looks more factory. Now some carbide are full length, so they look like the original steel. As carbide came out I slowly upgraded to them.
 
"What do I think about steel dies"? They work, and as some of the others have said, they have certain advantages. Like sizing closer to the base.

Not having to lube cases by using carbide dies eliminates a step, although a simple step. I lube rifle cases with Dillon lube by putting a few handfuls of brass in a gallon ziplock bag, giving them a squirt or two, rolling them around some and dumping them out to dry. This works great with pistol brass too! To remove the lube I would lay them out on an old towel and give them a squirt of brake cleaner. But this also removes and protective coating and the brass will get dull looking rather quickly.

I will gladly pay the extra for carbide dies if they are available for the cartridge that I'm loading!
 
"What do I think about steel dies"? They work, and as some of the others have said, they have certain advantages. Like sizing closer to the base.

Not having to lube cases by using carbide dies eliminates a step, although a simple step. I lube rifle cases with Dillon lube by putting a few handfuls of brass in a gallon ziplock bag, giving them a squirt or two, rolling them around some and dumping them out to dry. This works great with pistol brass too! To remove the lube I would lay them out on an old towel and give them a squirt of brake cleaner. But this also removes and protective coating and the brass will get dull looking rather quickly.

I will gladly pay the extra for carbide dies if they are available for the cartridge that I'm loading!
One of the advantages of tumbling in dry media is that it provides an opportunity to lube cases while removing oxidation stains. Note that lubricated dry media is less effective at removing carbon grit, heat stains and dust/detritus. I lubricate brass in a second tumble after primary cleaning, if the step is needed. Paraffin based waxes work best. I personally use buffing compound, which is viscous, but dry lubricants can be used also. I use walnut for this step since the goal is even distribution, not Shiny.
 
FWIW; I jus bought some brand new steel dies. Been a while since I reloaded any bottle necked cases but I soon realized I don't mind in the least getting mink oil boot dressing cream on my fingers (my preferred case lube). I am fine with lubing my 357 Sig cases when using my Lee FL sizing die...
 
Besides pistol dies, If you load any quanity of shells in a rifle cal. it would pay to get carbide dies. I have wore out several 223 & 308 dies in the last 40 years, I went to a Carbide die for both. You still have to lube them but the die just dosnt wear out. Its consistant, and CONSISTANCY IS ACCURACY.
 
Back
Top