You're Ultimate Die Selectiion

[9mmepiphany]

Well, maybe not ultimate...maybe optimal.

I know most folks start of with a complete set of dies for their selected caliber...usually from the manufacturer of their reloading press. Folks who have been reloading a while will commonly have a varied selection of reloading dies from different manufactures...that they have acquired over time.

What I'm asking about is, if you could choose between the reloading dies commonly available (nothing custom/benchrest), which would be your selections....from Dillon, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Redding, RCBS. I'm not looking for what I great experience you've had with one set from one manufacturer, I'm looking for experience from folks who have experience with multiple manufacturers and can comment on individual dies.

Specifically, I'm looking at loading mainly 9x19mm and .45ACP...eventually on a progressive press

1. Resizing/Decapping
2. Expander
3. Seating
4. Taper Crimping

I've heard:
1. Dillon makes a superior Sizing die because the Carbide insert is longer.
2. Hornady makes a superior Seating die because of the free floating guides

Thank you for any input

 

[zerobarrier]

I have used lee, rcbs, hornady, and redding. I am partially to hornady mainly because of the seating die, it goes in straight every time. I use the lee FCD with all of my sets. I load 9mm, 40s&w, 45acp, 44mag, 50ae, 223rem, and 308win. I have changed out all of the seating dies to the hornadys. So for 9mm I run lee sizer, hornady ptx, hornady seater. rcbs lock out, and lee fcd. For 45acp its the same but with a redding sizer. I don't really notice a difference between the sizers except how the deprimer is attached. I use hornady ptx expanders with their powder drop in the LNL. I like the PTX(powder thru expanders) because I have a station avalible for the rcbs lock out die for my pistol reloading. When I buy a complete die set now its hornady with lee FCD

 

[plmitch]

Cheap used lee are just as good. Save your money.

 

[Walkalong]

My 9MM die set is a Lee carbide sizer with a long tapered insert. (I don't know if they still make them that way.) My expander is a Redding two step style borrowed from Lyman (Think M Die). My seater is a Hornady, with a micro top, and the taper crimp die is a C&H.

I am sure many other combinations will work just as well. I seriously doubt I could shoot the difference in ammo made from one brand die set to the next. I have RCBS, Redding, and Lyman dies, with a couple of Lee sizers. I do not like the Hornady "Nitride" sizers, nor their expanders, but the seaters work fine. The sleeve doesn't really do much though. Start it crooked, it seats crooked. Most of my expanders are Lyman m Dies or the Redding two step. They sure do help seat bullets straight.

Hard to beat RCBS for handgun die sets.

 

[LiveLife]

For 40S&W, my Lee carbide resizing die will resize cases further down and to slightly smaller diameter than my RCBS carbide resizing die.

This is useful when resizing slightly overly expanded cases as they do not require being push-through resized using the FCD and will readily fully chamber in even tighter Lone Wolf barrels. For these reasons, I know of some reloaders who will use Lee resizing die with other brand 40S&W die sets.

 

[oneounceload]

I really hate the shoddiness of Lee. I know that places me on the hit list of a majority of folks, so be it. I prefer RCBS, Forster and Redding with Hornady a close fourth depending on the cartridge. The first three make some of the best non-custom (well, they also make custom) production dies available that have always turned out consistent and perfect ammo.

JMO, YMMV - I own all of the ones mentioned including Lee - and there is no comparison

 

[Jim Watson]

I'd get the EGW/Lee "U" sizing die if loading jacketed bullets.

For lead, all seem comparable in the sizing job.
I'd just get the Dillon for a Dillon progressive because of its easy entry.
My old RCBS .45 sizer has a very square bottom, might be touchy starting the cases in a sloppy progressive shellplate. Old Lymans are better. Don't know about other makes.

I am loading on a Dillon and am therefore pretty well stuck with the Dillon "powder funnel" qua expander.
Otherwise, the Lyman M die is hard to beat.

I'd like to have a micrometer seater like Redding or at least one more easily adjustable than the Dillon. I have a Lyman on the 1050 and its finer thread and closer fit are a help. The CH Speed Seater has a huge entry at an angle that straightens out a hastily placed bullet very well.

I have used Lee (both regular and CFC), Dillon, and CH taper crimps. All work.

 

[LiveLife]

9MM ... Lee carbide sizer with a long tapered insert. (I don't know if they still make them that way.)

They still do. I helped set up several new reloaders recently and the sets I bought last year still have the long tapered inserts.

 

[greyling22]

I would run a dillion 9mm sizing die, a lee powder die (I really like the auto disk, what can I say with the 9mm insert if jacketed and the 38s&w plug is lead and I have no opinion on seater.

45 - I would just buy lee to save $$ or use what came with your progressive press of choice. the short straight walled case doesn't seem to care how smooth the carbide insert is like the tapered 9mm does.

I do like the way the lee dies decap primers though, with the collet allowing the pin to slide up and broken pin replacement easy. And even pounding out a stuck case simple. With the occasional 9mm berdan primed case that missed culling you might encounter, that might be a consideration.

 

[cfullgraf]

My preference is Redding with RCBS a close second.

That said, I also have some Hornady dies in service but I have some issues with one or two sizing dies and expander dies. So I no longer buy Hornady dies sets.

I like micrometer seaters for cartridges that I load different bullets at different times. Where i rarely, or never change bullets, the standard seaters are just fine. They get set once and rarely need adjustment as long as i do not change bullet.

I have an RCBS Gold Medal seater die for loading 204 Ruger on the progressive and it's the cat's meow being able to drop the bullet through the side of the die.

 

[wrench]

I load most of my pistol ammo on a Dillon 550b. I have 9mm dies from RCBS and Lee, I use the Lee sizer/decaper, the Dillon expander, Lee seater, and a Lee taper crimp die (not the Lee factory crimp).
I load a lot of different bullets, and I like the easy adjustment of the Lee seater die.
Exact same for 45acp.
I hear the Dillon dies are nice, but I have zero complaints with what I've got.

 

[Walkalong]

They still do. I helped set up several new reloaders recently and the sets I bought last year still have the long tapered inserts.

Then that is the way to go for a sizer.

 

[Walkalong]

I like micrometer seaters for cartridges that I load different bullets at different times. Where i rarely, or never change bullets, the standard seaters are just fine.

Same here.

 

[ess45]

For resizing/decapping. I like Dillon because it's easy to remove the decapper for cleaning.

For expander and powder thru. I use Lee with Pro Autodisk, easy to adjust and empty. It's what I use in my Dillon press.

For seating. For lead bullets, I use Lee. Easy to adjust the OAL especially if using different bullets profile. For JHP, I use Hornady because it pushes the bullet at the ogive.

For crimping. No preference. They all work for me.

 

[9mmepiphany]

They still do. I helped set up several new reloaders recently and the sets I bought last year still have the long tapered inserts.

Well, that negates the Dillon advantage

I like micrometer seaters for cartridges that I load different bullets at different times.

You mean, I won't have to use guesswork and feel...and throw away the ones where I overdid it a bit on the adjustment?

My expander is a Redding two step style borrowed from Lyman (Think M Die).

I like the look of that a lot

For JHP, I use Hornady because it pushes the bullet at the ogive.

That must be what is causing the ring around the bullet of my last batch. I don't foresee loading anything except jacketed bullets...maybe some plated in the future

I guess a little more information is appropriate.

My main concern at this point is 9mm, because of the slightly tapered case...I went through several that got stuck when pushing them through a Hornady sizer. They slipped into the Lee sizer without a problem.

I really like the Hornady powder measure much more than the Lee Autodisc

I've been loading of machines belonging to friends, so I've had a chance to try out the Lee Progressive, Dillon 550b and the Hornady LNL...3-500 rounds throough each

I know getting a set is easiest, but I'd rather get the optimal dies the first time to have one less thing to worry about...buy once, cry once

 

[cfullgraf]

If you record the setting on a micrometer seater, it is easy to get back to it the next time you load that bullet.

Also, when setting up the seating depth, you seat a little long, measure, then it is easy to adjust the seater stem with the micrometer. Note, bullets seated in several small steps will not seat to the same depth as one pushed to the final position in one stroke.

The Hornady micrometer seater stem is pretty economical when compared to the other manufacturers.

 

[ClarkEMyers]

For a progressive press loading handgun cartridges I tend to prefer Dillon and Redding. Dillon tends to be more self-aligning and easier to clean in the tool head. Redding offers dual ring carbide and other such which I like. The Redding micrometer top is easy to adjust in the tool head, easier than some other brands for seating and for crimping (as separate operations). Notice I didn't say anyplace that Dillon or Reading does a better job I said they are easier to use in a progressive press.

For say a Forster CoAx press doing precision rifle the Forster dies do just fine though even there I tend to use Redding because I have more not because Redding is better.

For lead bullets and some other purposes I very much like the Lyman Type M expander but in a progressive I tend to use a powder through setup. The Lyman Type M hand held is a useful tool for making sure the necks are round on bulk packed new or some previously used brass.

 

[oldreloader]

I'm with walkalong and bds.. Lee works great for me. I did order an extra Hornady Seating die. I keep the Lee set up for round nose bullets and the Hornady for flat nose.

 

[LiveLife]

Tip for using Lee dies with other progressive press - you can use the lock ring under the tool head so the dies will be low enough.

 

[blarby]

you can use the lock ring under the tool head so the dies will be low enough.

I have enough of those damn things, I KNEW there had to be a use for them.

 

[Blue68f100]

I have RCBS and Hornady pistol dies sets. I had a Lee 9mm and sold it once I got my Hornady set in. With a progressive you want a large radius on the sizing die to make it align and start easier. Hornady, Dillon and I think Redding has this feature. I did discover that the TiNi insert that Hornady uses reduces the sizing force required by almost 50% over RCBS and Lee carbide. I ran into this just by accident. With a progressive doing multiple things at once it just made it smoother to run. The Hornady seater is hard to beat with the drop down alignment sleeve.

They all work but by choice for pistol is Hornady.

 

[mstreddy]

OP, for 9mm I have RCBS, Lee, and Hornady die sets. I'm loading on a Hornady LNL AP and what I found was that the RCBS mouth was a little narrow on the sizer and it would give me some issues. The Lee worked pretty well, but I was not able to get it down far enough to size some brass enough for my Lone Wolf barrel. The Hornady works fairly well, it will size the brass enough, but I find it not too smooth for me. I had sent it in to Hornady, they polished it and sent it back. But it's still a little "rough" or seems to bind on releasing. I'll note that it does work a little better with some lube on the brass.

So, what am I using? The Hornady set. I do like their seater and the sizer will size the tougher brass better than the Lee will.
I may have to try putting the lock nut on the bottom on the Lee and see how that works for me.

 

[fguffey]

My Ultimate Die Selectiion

I do not have a selection, I have a collection. I spend more time using them than I spend looking for fault.

F. Guffey

 

[kostner]

Have used Lee dies for over twenty-five years and have NEVER had a problem. These being the carbide style not the steel.Saved the money for primers & powder.

 

[ess45]

I really like the Hornady powder measure much more than the Lee Autodisc

My problem with Hornady powder measure is, the drum binds with fine powder like Bullseye (also happens with Redding 3br PM), and I use Bullseye a lot in 45acp. The only negative about the Lee PM is the fixed volume disk (I have no luck with their adjustable charge bar). Consistency and accuracy is the same with Dillon PM (with the powders I'm using) but the Lee is much easier to empty.