I may have asked before, what do you think about the different die manufactures? I use almost all RCBS, but have a couple of sets of Lee that have given no trouble. Not familiar with the features of the other companies products though. Opinions and thoughts welcome?

Red
PS
I need 4 sets of dies that's why I am asking.

As you mention screw-in dies, there is no need to talk about in-line dies like Wilson or Neil Jones.
The concept of the Redding competition dies is different. They size from the outside only.

To make that statement clearer:
RCBS and Lee dies (same with Hornady and Lyman) insert a decapping pin with a mandrel into the case, squeeze the neck to a diameter smaller than the diameter of the mandrel. On the way back, the mandrel widens the case neck to the diameter required.

The Redding has interchangeable bushings in the die which will reduce the diameter of the neck to the dimension required. As brass thickness may differ between different brands, there is a great variaty of bushings to choose from according to your needs.
The in-line dies make use of the same prnciple.

The advantage of this way to go is threefold:
- less wear on the cartridge neck,
- if the neck sizing part of the die is worn (scratches on case neck), you have not to buy a new die but only a bushing. In addition, these bushings are available in steel or in carbide / surface treated. The latter makes operation remarkably smoother, and these bushings have very little wear,
- as you can choose the bushing size which yields the neck tension you want (ok, you may get mandrels of different size as well).

This is the reason why I started with Lee, then RCBS etc., and now that I am beyond the level of "a die is a die", I use the Wilson dies.

I had to take a set of RCBS back to the Bass Pro's and exchange them. They were marking the corner of the shoulder with two scrapes on every shell. Also, they were not chambering properly in my Savage 99. New RCBS dies, old brass, and some modest loads all chambered beautifully, except the one bullet that I forgot to resize all the way. I am told by EVERYONE... just kidding.... some people that I have talked to tell me that lee dies are just as good as any, and half the cost. Depends on the gun and how you feel about it. For my M1 Carbine, I would buy the lee dies. For my weatherby, I bought the RCBS. I think it is personal preference.

I have some of all RCBS Redding Lyman C and H Lee and some others I can not think of right now. I buy Lee dies now price is right and they get the job done. If your going to try and win a bench rest match you might want to go the more expense route to make your self feel better. Other wise the Lee dies will do everthing you want.

I prefer Forster and Redding for rifle and use Lyman for my handguns. I have to admit I`ve a few RCBS dies that have served me very well for quite afew years though.
I would use a Lyman M die for belling if I loaded cast bullets in my rifle loads or loaded straight wall ammo. I really like the way they bell cases over everyone elses,

Well, I have one set of Lee, one set of Lyman and one set of Pacific...all the rest are RCBS...

Gentlemen

I have Redding im most calibers. They have always been fantastic. I also had tree dies from Triebel which are very nice but costly

Cheers
/ JOHAN

R.C.B.S- For all rifle calibers,Reg,X ,and Comp. and thier Carbide Pistol dies for all auto pistols,only set I know of that comes with a Taper Crimper built into the seater die.

Hornady- Non auto pistol calibers ie 357 mag 44mag,thier rifle dies although good on the seater,the sizer die stinks. Have never been able to keep/get the friction lock tight enough to keep the decaping rod in place.

Never used any others.

RCBS or Redding for rifle dies. I use a Dillon for handgun ammo, so most of my handgun die sets are Dillon.

Tiny, if memory serves, Hornady's decapping stem has to be loose. Their philosophy is that a loose stem/mandrel will center better in the downward pass.

I LIKE MY LEE SPEED DIES TO RELOAD .357 MAG AND .38 SPL. I USE 2 SINGLE STAGE PRESSES AND SO I HAVE GOTTEN 2 DIE BODIES TO USE BOTH PRESSES AT THE SAME TIME. I GOT A CUSTOM BULLET SEATER FROM LEE TO SEAT MY CAST SWC BULLETS.I LIKE THE CARBIDE SIZER TOO. I GOT A LEE FACTORY CRIMP FOR THAT CALIBER AND A TAPER CRIMP DIE TOO(I ORDERED THAT BEFORE THE FIRST DIES CAME) BUT LEE DIES ALREADY TAPER CRIMP BEFORE THEY ROLL ONE IN. BY THE WAY STEVE HOW MANY SETS OF DIES DO YOU OWN?

THE 2ND AMENDMENT PROTECTS US ALL.....

I use RCBS for my 22 Hornet and 30-30. I use a Lee set for my 308 Winchester. They have served me well. The 22 Hornet has a neck sizer with the set. The Lee set came with the Crimp die for which I use on the 30-30. RCBS Dies are easy to clean but the Lee set is a little more work.

30-30 Man

I have Hornady dies for .357 Mag and 40 S&W. They work fine, but the sizing ring is nitride coated, not solid carbide like some others and looks like it is wearing out after about 3000 rounds. I do like the sliding alignment sleeve in the seater though. It is a nice benefit for the price.

I have RCBS rifle dies. Nothing special about them, just functional and solid.

I have read where you can take the dies like the RCBS and take out the mandrel in the center and size the brass, then put the mandrel back in and size from the outside in on the upward stoke, just far enought to clear the kneck. Never tried it but supposedly gives more conisistant concentricity.


I have been thinking of going to the world of neck sizing instead of FL sizing. What is the best Neck sizing die I can get that will work in the RCBS Rockchucker for 7mmSTW? Wouldn't the same die work for both it and the 7mm Rem Mag? Where is the best place to buy them from? I was thinking the Forester or Redding????

For off the shelf dies, I would have to say Redding with RCBS a very close second. All the rest seem to be six of one and half a dozen of the other. And there's nothing wrong with Lee dies.

Sako7STW,
I prefer Forster, but I have got some good results with garden variety RCBS dies with the expander ball / decapping stem removed. I decap with a decapping die, then I lube the outside of the case with Imperial die wax, then I size the outside of the brass just deep enough so the shoulder is pushed back less than it will spring back [head space on the brass stays the same]. Then I prime, charge, and seat the bullet. As you say, with some bullets, brass, and dies, it may be neccesarry to bell a case mouth to get the bullet started seating [but I always try without first]. I seat long, so the bullet is into the lands. This increases pressure, but also increases accuracy.

My experience is the same as Tiny with the Hornady sizing dies. They are a pain, with that stem sliding up & down unless you really screw that lock nut tight. I mean really tight with 2 wrenches & make sure you clean out all the packing grease totally or they will slip.

I have RCBS, Lyman, LEE, Hornady, Redding plus Simplex (a local brand). My old RCBS dies are beautifully made. My most recent purchase a .17 Rem RCBS dies are no where near as well finished as the old dies.

The Hornadies must be the "best" dies when you read the advertising blurp, but don't function as well as the Reddings. I mean eliptical expander, sliding sleeve for bullet seating. All great in theory but does not work in practice. Maybe its the hardness of the expander button, I don't really know but the Hornadies seem to drag more on sizing. Also the tolerance on that bullet seater is so loose it may as well not be there.

Right now for the majors I'd have to say you can't go wrong with Redding. They are really really good & consistently so. Have not used the Forsters. They are supposed to be excellent too.

My gunsmith has advised me that he too is impressed with Redding's quality. Not even talking of the competition dies either. Except for a bad patch a long while back he reckons Redding are tops & RCBS are no where near as good as they used to be.