Worst Reloading die brand?

[Darth-Vang]

Okay, what are the worst die set brand that I should avoid? Or dies that won’t do as advertised?

 

[AJC1]

We generally dont get to bad mouthing products. All major brands work well, and even the least expensive Lee does a fine job.

 

[bersaguy]

I think they all work as advertised. Lee is the least expensive, and good work gets done on Lee equipment everyday.

 

[Skeptic13]

I think that any of the major brands of dies will work just fine. All of my reloading dies are Lee and they work great.

 

[George P]

Funny that everyone immediately assumes Lee....................................

 

[reddog81]

Any die maker would be out of business pretty quickly if the dies didn't work at all. Lee dies can have issues that other don't but even they work.

 

[.38 Special]

I think Lee is generally the lowest quality stuff. That said, the only thing of theirs that genuinely did not work for me was their Pro 1000 press. Outside of that, everything of theirs I have tried was adequate at worst.

 

[Hockey7711]

I use lee dies, no problem at all.

 

[cfullgraf]

It has been 4 or 5 years but I had some issues with Hornady size dies and mouth expansion dies. The ability to add a micrometer seating stem to the Hornady seating dies is a nice feature.

Lee dies work well but I do not like the o-ring locking ring. An okay feature if using a tool head but does not hold setting if dies are scewed into and out of the press at each use. Lee now has some lock rings that clamp to the die which is nice. I do not know if they come in the die sets or not.

My favorite dies are Redding with RCBS as an alternate second.

Dillon dies have a good reputation but for handgun, the powder measure station does the mouth expansion. That does not fit with my method of using a progressive press. Maybe someday I’ll actually try some Dillon dies.

I have one set of Lyman dies. They work fine but a small sample size. The M die is great for expanding case mouths for cast bullets.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I try to stay with RCBS dies, I have other brands of dies and switch them out when I buy the same caliber in RCBS.
i don't do much lee stuff because I don't like thier customer service and I don't like the way he slaps his own back all the way threw his book.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Lee dies were cheap at one point - but I would buy whatever is cheapest... it’s all the same

 

[kcofohio]

I have both Lee and RCBS, both work fine.

 

[Jonny V]

Curiously, I really like the Lee trim setup with the stem that goes in the case and then the cutter head (I mount mine on a Makita drill)....

I would put Lee, most RCBS, and most Hornaday in the "regular" category (roughly all equivalent), and they work well for folks looking to re-create factory type loads. I have many sets of regular dies. You won't notice anything amiss unless you get into one of the more demanding shooting sports. I shoot long range (350-1200 yards) with my 45-70 running cast bullets. Other guys are into F1, bench rest, LRP, what have you. If that kind of thing is the direction you want to go, my advise would be to run the regular dies for all you can get out of them before you go and order up a $400 set of custom dies. If you merely want "better than average", I would add a sleeved seater die to a regular set, Forster makes really nice seater dies.

 

[NMexJim]

Never run into a bad die.

 

[mokin]

I have Lee, RCBS, Dillon, and Lymon. They all work. Some are better for some things than others - or maybe some guns just like cartridges loaded by certain dies. Lots of variables.

 

[Obturation]

The only dies that I don't prefer are the lee expander dies. I have lee dies for every cartridge I load and they work great, I have some rcbs dies too. The expander plug on the rcbs is good and I've heard the Lyman m dies are even better. The lee expander can really over expand if the case length isn't consistent , not the end of the world especially of you're lengths are consistent. That's really the only gripe I've got with any die I've used to this point.

 

[Zygodactyl]

I've used RCBS, Lyman, Herters, Dillon and Lee dies and they all work. Lately I've only bought Lee dies because of the price, selection and the quality is good. For most I don't use the Lee powder through expander because I use a Dillon 550 powder system. I do use it on a single station for 25 acp and 577/450.

 

[swg1]

I prefer Hornady in general, but have a lot of Lee dies as they make affordable dies for all my odd-ball chamberings.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I only like Lee, because I hated them, not finey finished, roughly everything... but was once $30 a 4-set die. I bought 5 sets and learned to really like them. especially the FCD

 

[DocRock]

I have Lyman, Lee, Hornady, and RCBS dies. I tend to buy the cheapest when I acquire a new caliber. Some were second hand. Never had a poor die. Early on in my reloading career, I did bugger up a 30-06 Lee FLS die through some stupidity of my own design. And I did have a decapping pin break on a second hand 222 RCBS FLS die. I think they sent me a new pin free of charge, though they had no responsibility to do so whatsoever.

Years ago, I used a Lee Zip Trim and that was pretty flimsy. I have some Frankford Arsenal tools that are a bit sub par.

But I see no material difference in dies themselves.

 

[FROGO207]

All dies currently available new are going to make good ammo. The major differences are fit and finish, lock rings, and warantees. Other than lock rings parts are not interchangable between brands so many stay with one brand. The older sets (40 or more years ago) in the handgun variety were often not carbide. They also decapped and expanded in the same die. They worked but were not the best setup and I avoid purchasing those when I see them.

 

[Akula69]

I've not had any problems with any dies I own. That being said, most all my dies are Lee, mainly because they offer a fourth Crimp die (in most sets) that other manufacturers make you purchase separately. While this hobby has been mostly "ala cart" I appreciate Lee's inclusion of something useful.
I do have some RCBS specialty dies, and a single Hornady rifle set I got at a estate sale.

 

[Lafitte]

Most any brand of die will work fine if you follow instructions for THAT brand. Don't try to load with brand X by following brand Y instructions. Also, be careful about following BUBBA instruction.
Lafitte

 

[film495]

it is about fit and finish, and there are some nuances of how some of the various die brands work, so - personal preference. this thread might be more valuable if it morphs into why people prefer one brand over another, or - say, for single stage, turret, or progressive press use. I just use an old singe stage, so - all the same to me there, but think there are nuances people prefer for different uses. for whatever reason I kind of like the floating Hornady seater stem, but - no idea if it actually work better, but it makes sense it would help keep the bullet aligned as it feeds up into the die. RCBS in my few expreiences, has just sent me pieces when I got stuck and asked them a few questions, they just sent me differerent expanders to try them and I didn't even ask, so - was pretty impressed with that.

 

[George P]

My favorite dies are Redding with RCBS as an alternate second.

I have both and also like Forster