Suppose you were forced to choose between Hornady or RCBS for a 2-piece die set. Dies will be for 7mm & 300 SAUM. Forgive the newbie question, but is one brands products supremely better than the other? Thanks in advance.

I like rcbs and their lifetime warranty on all their products!

I have dies by rcbs, hornady, redding, lee. I would buy the hornady...I love the elipitcal expander....make sure you get the new 2006 model dies they have an even better spindle system and I guess the seating die has been improved. I have many sets of hornady that make finished rounds at well under .002" runnout.

I own one set of Hornady dies and multipal RCBS. The Hornady set is very poorly designed (ram is only 1/2 way up when the case hits the crimping ring, and that's with only 2 threads engaged in the press).
With that experance, I'd rate the Hornady below the cheap LEE stuff for quality.

I'll admit hornady has had their share of quality control problems but I'm on my 8th set with never a problem. Got one set of redding with a problem. Got about 5 sets of forester...one had a problem. No manufacturer is problem free.....that's why most of them stand behind their mistakes!!!! What happened with that defective die you had....??

Hornady also has a lifetime warranty and further they will remove a stuck case from their die free.....and yes...they will remove a stuck case from a RCBS die free too!!!!!
My complaint with Hornady was the non threaded spindle and I now read that that is changed...if so I'd say Hornady is a viable maker of dies again.

I don't think there is a lot of differece in dies, Hornady or RCBS, but lately I have gone to Redding. There appears to me that there is a quality improvement with Redding. Just my opinion.

RCBS is a good solid middle of the road choice, they almost allways work and usually quite well and have a great warrantee.
Hornady dies have some nice features such as the elliptical expander but they also have some quirks to watch out for such as how soon and hard it crimps etc.. I had 1 set that would not load a round of ammo it was so incorrectly made.
Redding dies are the cadillac of the bunch, if you can find them buy them, they usually aren't too much more than the others.
Foresters also have some nice features but I don't find them to be as finely machined as the Reddings and typically they are considerably more expensive.
C&H dies are available in some odd calibers, I don't find them as well made as RCBS or the others mentioned.
Lee dies are often very cleverly designed but unfortunately they are also often not as well made as they are designed. The dies will load good ammo though and are usually much cheaper. Their collet neck sizing dies are particularly neat............................DJ

Most recently, I've been hanging out with an old-time Trinidad graduate who builds--and shoots--target rifles for a living.

He really likes the elliptical expander on the Hornady. And the price.

Personally, I have my heart set on the Redding Type S neck sizing dies. I like the idea of not moving the brass around too much, the simplicity of neck sizing, and... I have a Redding powder measure, and if that's any indication, they make a quality product.

flaco

N.B. My friend will admit that Redding makes a precision product.

I guess I'll add... that he isn't too impressed with neck sizing. He has lots of barrels in the same caliber, and doesn't want to have to keep his cases separate for each barrel.

From what I understand, though, his main objection is that full length sized cartridges act as an "accumulator."

His contention is that when the full length sized brass expands to fill the chamber, it diminishes the pressure spike. Therefore, more accuracy.

This "accumulator" effect is, he claims, what makes great groups during fire-forming so common.

I have tried just about all but Forster. I look first for Redding, then RCBS (they remove stuck cases for free too), Lyman then Hornady then Lee.

I've had good luck with the hornady, reload 5 calibers with them.

This thread has been pursued before, but fwiw, go with RCBS... I have 20+ sets of their dies, and if I have a problem, I send the die back to them for free replacement, no questions asked...

A couple years back I bought a set of Redding dies for my 308 Norma Mag, and discovered when they arrived that the decapping assembly was bent. No problem: called Redding and ordered what I needed.

They eventually sent a 358 Norma Mmag decapping assembly, and charged me $18 plus shipping of $4 and change. I called them and asked why they charged $4+ to ship something in a puff mailer, I was told it was the "standard charge" for anything under a certain amount (don't remember what that amt. was...). I sent it back, along with a rather terse note explaining the screw-up, and noting that RCBS would have replaced the stem gratis, and would have gotten the needed piece right the first time. I got the right stem, but was out about a three week wait, and well in excess of $20.

No more Redding dies for me. Once is enough!

Thanks all for the good info. I just made my choice & placed the order.

Redding dies are great unless you need the customer service. I would not hesitate to buy RCBS if that is all the shop had. Redding and RCBS side by side I would get the Redding. The customer service sucks big time. Call RCBS tell them you broke something of theirs totally your fault using it for something it was not ment to do. It comes FREE no Bullshit. I got a set of Redding dies, lots of chatter and the decapping pin would fall out. Guy told me it was Euro pins and to crank it down with vice grips. I sent them back. Told me they were in spec, charged me $16 and did not fix the pin problem. They got coated with what smelled like 3in1 oil. I poished the shit out of them and ordered a carbide expander. They are beautiful now. They are one of those companies that do not make a bad product.

I prefer Forester more than either but, between the two I believe Hornady has the best design. Bothe great dies but, the Hornady clearly has a better expander design which should lead to much less run out.

Good Luck

Reloader

RCBS

I have had really good results with Redding and RCBS dies. I generally try to buy Redding first. I would pick RCBS over Hornaday.

I've used RCBS and Redding for over 25 years but I'm slowly switching to Hornady. The biggest reason being the sleeve in the seating die that helps reduce run-out.

quote:

Originally posted by ricciardelli:
RCBS

Ditto.

For those who are fans of Hornady's elliptical expander button, we are reminded that Hornady sells an expander/decapping rod assembly specifically for RCBS dies. Go here and click on "RCBS Expander Assembly" on the pull-down. Set includes the elliptical expander, a 'carbide' expander ball and the correct rod for RCBS. First rate. 'Tis a mystery why RCBS has never caught on and peddled an item like this.

Jim

I like the Hornady seater with the floading alignment sleeve better than the RCBS. The optional microjust stem is nice too. And the set includes a sizer with the eliptical expander already installed, at no extra cost! Now with their zip spindle, it won't slip like they used to.

RCBS-some with Hornady carbide expanders!

I really like collet held stems,I feel they center better than screw threads and are more ridgid. But Hornady collet had only two shallow cuts for tightening,and it could slip unless you cut them deeper and/or added a couple more.

But the new "Zip Spindle " has lightly cscored threads for a sure grip and easier adjustment.The cuts on the collet are longer.

All my dies are RCBS. They have worked very well, so between these two I choose RCBS. But I am curious about Redding dies, they seem to get much attention, but have also seen comments that they are not 100% foolproof either. But I guess that when ordinary dies are discussed any brand will do the job.

Hornady is o'k, I like RCBS better, and Redding better still

The very latests Hornadys,not on dealer's shelves yet, are great.Or get a retrofit.Redding gets around the stem problem by having it kinda loose,err self -adjusting.

I use RCBS, Hornady and Lee, and like them all - but I gotta rave about RCBS customer service - I wrote asking if I could buy some of their locking rings for my Lee sets, (I told RCBS what I wanted them for) and a week later received three sets of rings, airmail to Oz, free of charge.

Now THAT's customer service!!

(did I mention that I only buy RCBS now?)

I would recommend RCBS to anyone buying reloading equipment!
I started reloading back in 1974 and it was with RCBS equipment!

I now have 30 sets of RCBS dies, 1 set of Lyman (I took in on a deal), 1 set of Herters (I took in on a deal), and 2 Lee loader kits (I also took in on a deal)!

I have a great deal of respect for the way RCBS runs their business!
Their Customer Service can't be beat!

Either will work ok for you.

I have about a half dozen RCBS rifle dies, and all have worked without a glitch. I bought a new RCBS die for 7x57 mauser. It had a bubble or void on the shoulder which caused dents and marks. I contacted RCBS and the sent me a new die within days. Everyone has a glitch now and then. RCBS stood behind their product, no questions asked (except what my mailing address was).

I have one Hornady rifle die. I didn't like the clamping decapper pin, and had to crank down on it to keep it from moving (roughed up the surface with 100 grit sandpaper too). Since then, it works fine. No complaints-but I'd rather have a threaded decapping pin. I think the basis (or selling point) by Hornady on this design difference is one of equipment protection. If you have a pebble in the case, and decap it with a Hornday die, the decapping pin with slide with meeting the obstruction. A threaded die would bend/break. Maybe it's for cost savings too. Theorectically it's a good idea, and the dies have worked well for me.

If forced to choose for a die, I'd lean to RCBS. I also like Redding and Forster.

If I had to summarize: "you can't go wrong with RCBS."

As I started, I will finish. Either will work fine.

Have them both... Hornady from now on with the micrometer seating attachment that will go on all their dies. I just wright the micrometer reading on my load data and later all I have to do is set it on the reading in the data and I'm off to the races!

I prefer the Hornady's I crunch a shoulder every once in a while, but I really hate breaking the decapping pin in a RCBS die.