what do you think is the best die for the money?
what about carbide dies?

I'm sorry you added, "for the money." I reload for 12 rifles and only use 2 sets of dies: the Redding S neck sizing bushing dies, and the Wilson NS knock out dies. Some have competition seaters, some do not. I also have a few Redding body dies for when the shoulder needs to be set back. It took me quite a few years to finally settle on these two, but it's where I get my best accuracy. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

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Originally posted by trashcanman:
what do you think is the best die for the money?
what about carbide dies?

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I'm not convinced that there is an absolute here. Redding dies are excellent, as are Forster, and RCBS. I have never had any problems with Lyman dies either. I have never used Wilson or Hornady dies, nor the other more exotic makes.

My loading bench probably has 30 sets of dies......all but two of them are RCBS.....
They work for me and their customer service is great.

forster is #1 especially in their benchrest dies, redding is a very close 2nd, then RCBS. I don't like the collet fit decapping stem on hornandy, & lee has to much tolerance.

I 2nd the redding dies. I really do enjoy mine. They are also super accurate. The last batch of 22-250 rounds i loaded with my redding competition neck sizer (bushing) and competition seater had a total runout of about .002-.003. I have not ever had any forester dies, but from what i understand, they are excellent as well. I would not hesitate to buy either one. It just seems like i've had more luck squeezing great accuracy out of rifles using these dies rather than other dies. You can't go wrong with either
Ruck

I've got no problems with RCBS dies except this:

I started using X-sizer dies for 30-06, because I shoot a lot of it, and I don't feel like trimming cases. If RCBS is going to make dies for lazy people like me who don't want to trim cases, they could at least recognize that lazy people like me don't like lubricating case necks either. X-dies with carbide expander balls would be my favorite sizing dies with no close second, if RCBS would make carbide expander balls for them.

H. C.

I use Redding, RCBS,Lyman M-dies(handgun) and Forster. I have no complaints with any of them. The Forster dies, I feel, are a bit better with their BR seater but I have no experiance with other brand seaters to compare them to. Unless you are custom fitting the die to the chamber you won`t nothice any difference in sizers IMO.

The carbide dies are normally only found for straight wall cartridges. They offer nothing the others don`t except you don`t need to lube your cases when useing them.

If you are looking to get very straight ammo on a budget, the following combibnation is the best I have found:
- NS - Lee Collet die
- Redding Body die
- Forster seater

The Forster seater is considerably cheaper than the Redding, and of about the same quality. If you feel rich, you can get the version with the micrometer, but it is not strictly necessary.

For somehwat more money, the Redding Competition NS Bushing die, Body die and Competition seater is also a great combination. Advantage over the Collet die: the Redding Bushing die allows you control neck tension - the Collet dies weak point. BUT, the Redding die set is quite a bit more expensive than the Collet, Body, Forster combination.

- mike

I have Forster, RCBS, Redding, Wilson, Lee, and some out of buisness brands.

Get Forster for the good rifles.
Get RCBS for every other rifle.
Lee dies for pistols if you are a lousy shot like me.

I'm fond of Redding and Forster for quality dies. I find lee dies to be very good for the money.

I think RCBS are the most over rated dies. They are really hard, and are unlikely to wear out, but there are much better made dies, and they don't cost much more, see above.

Redding dies are the best in my opinion. Just compare them side by side with a Redding and a RCBS/Hornady/Lee etc... You can see the how much better the finish and quaility is. But I do use all of these other brands as well and all work very good. I just prefer Redding for my more accurate reloading for rifles.

Most of my dies are RCBS, I like them and have never had a problem with them in 50 or so years...I also like Redding dies...

I will keep buying Redding!

HI RAY;what do you think about Z-Hat custom dies,the F/L dies set,is it as good as Forster bench rest dies..

I work on machinery for a living,even on machine tools like lathes, screws threads are not always that well made.To expect them to center the decapping rod is simply asking too much.Redding to their credit have a wobbly decapping rod to get a self-aliagning feature.The Lee and Hornady collets center much better.I have Lee and RCBS 30.06 F/L dies,the Lee has a better interior finish.I can get away without lubing the odd case for a dummy with the left over lube in the Lee,that doesn't work with the RCBS.

Although I use a mix of dies for my reloading, an interesting feature of the RCBS competition seater is you drop the bullet in from the side of the die while the brass is on the way up. IMO that keeps you from having to reach in around the rest of your brass and whatnot in a progressive to get the bullet in place. That made up my mind to purchase that item instead of the redding comp seater.

i have 3 sets of hornady and don't like them at all. the lock nut won't hold the decapping stem in. the 300wby pulls out, the 7x57 pushes out, the 25-06 i can't recall as haven't used in many years. last time i used the wby before replacing i literally took a stilson to the nut determined to get it tight enough. never did. and this wasn't from lack of lubing the necks. have one set of reddings for 340 wby which i haven't used yet but sure look awfully well made. rest are rcbs, lee, lyman, and one set of CH (500jeffery). xlnt luck w/ all, especially the lee's considering their cost. i especially like lee's expander ball, much longer than rcbs, easier on the necks. the one in my whelen dies will take a 30-06 case to 35 caliber w/ no more force than normal 30-06 resizing. i've gotten to where for most calibers i look to lees first. hornady stuff i really like which makes their dies a big disappointment to me. and oddly, lee dies hold the decapping stem the same way and i've yet to have one of those slip.

i don't shoot competition bench rest and so far they all load ammo as accurate as i am.

Will,if you wash all traces of oil off the collet and the rod they hold.I neglected to do that,I know better too, with a Lee 30.06 F/L,while I was waiting for Lee service to replace the stripped nut,I bought a RCBS 30.06 F/L.That's how I got compare the two.Both resize .001" under size,but the Lee has better interior finish.

thanks; i'll remember that when i get another 25-06. the other 2 sets of hornady's i replaced with lees and don't use now anyway.

most lee stuff i really don't care for. kinda mickey-mouse, not really durable. but, and like i said i'm not after tiny groups, i can't fault their dies.

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The Lee and Hornady collets center much better.I have Lee and RCBS 30.06 F/L dies,the Lee has a better interior finish.I can get away without lubing the odd case for a dummy with the left over lube in the Lee,that doesn't work with the RCBS.

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It seems to me that some shooters and reloders have a prejudice against Lee dies; that prejudice takes the form "They're so cheap that they must be crap."

I've found the Lee dies to work very well, and have had many sets over the years. They aren't hardened steel, so will wear out over time, especially if you run dirty brass through them. I've never had a gun that won't shoot due to using Lee dies.

I have redding, rcbs and lee. try as I might, I can't find a problem with lee dies.

the collet decapper, the collet neck sizers, the factory crimp areb all very clever. The 7/8 x 14 standard die threads are courtesy of lee.

I have never been dissatisfied with lee's dies. IMHO they keep the other manufacturers prices honest.

Yea, I wish they would keep redding's prices a little more honest.

Gabe

I like redding and rcbs.

I have used Lyman, RCBS and Lee. My favourite is the Lyman, because of the adjustment-screw on top of the seater-die. Makes accurate and quick bullet-seating easier I think...
But maybe I do something wrong. When I`m supposed to seat the bullets, I have to adjust up and down to get accurate seating depth. Anyone else with this problem. I thought I should just seat one bullet to correct depth, tighten the screw and then drive the other cases through pretty quick and get accurate results..

Hi,
I use RCBS, Redding, Hornady and Triebel.
The German Triebel dies are the best.

-Simply the Mercedes of reloading dies

Husky

Dillon works for me- in their press. Good accuracy, and no problems to date. Load arround 1000 rounds a week and have done for the last four years on that dillion (.40 SW, 10mm auto, .41 Mag and 9,3x62 (9,3 dies are Triebel- Hardly ever trim, never lube a case)

Regpelly,
I have not used Z Hat dies so I can't answer that question..I'm strictly a hunter and shooter, and not into bench rest dies etc..I have only one rifle with a 0 tolerence chamber and I have custom dies that I hit with a mallet to resize or I can push them in with my fingers and resize them, for it and outside neck ream, actually I can just put a primer, powder and bullet in it and shoot without resizing...It's my varmint rifle.

Husky, where does a 'yank' find Triebel dies?

"for the money" got to be RCBS dies.

A Redding comp bullet seater kicks Forsters ass. Got em both in a couple of calibers cause I got a Redding in another cal. and saw how much better it was.

These dies (comp seaters etc.) are all out of the "for the money" price range IMO.