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Old February 26, 2012, 07:25 PM   #1
thedaddycat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2011
Posts: 388
What's the difference?

Between the Lee seating die and the "Dead Length" seating die? I've looked at several articles and learned a lot more than I was looking for, but what I get out of about two hours of research is that the regular seating die will also crimp while the "Dead Length" seater will not crimp.

The reason I'm asking is that the Lee Deluxe Rifle Die sets come with the Collet neck sizing die, FL sizing die and a regular seating die (but no crimp die) for $30. Add the FCD and Universal Expander die for another $10 each and it comes to $50. The Pacesetter die sets come with the FL sizing die, seating die and FCD for $25, just the Collet die is $20, the Collet die set (which adds the "Dead Length" seater for $5 more) is $25 and again the Expander die is $10 for a total of $55 or $60 depending on if you get the Collet die set or just the die.

I should be getting my LCT 4-hole press tomorrow, and this is what I'm looking to do with it. I have several bolt action rifles that I want to neck size the fire formed brass for, only FL sizing as needed. I want to set the turrets up with the collet die, expander die, seating die and FCD. If I want to crimp I'll use the FCD so either seating die will work for me as long as I can back the crimp function of the regular seating die off enough that it doesn't crimp at all. I will set the FL sizing die up in a lock ring eliminator for the Challenger press and only use it as needed.

Now I already have some of the dies so obviously I would only need to get the dies that I lack for this arrangement in those chamberings. For example, I need collet dies for 6.5X55 and 7X57, and for the extra $5 I'll probably get the collet die sets with the DL seater. But for some like the .303 British and .30-40 Krag, I have nothing at all. What I'm trying to figure out, and hopefully get some input and guidance from you guys on is which way to go here.

So my question is this: Is there any real difference in the regular seating die (with the crimp function backed off so as not to crimp) and the DL seating die? Any advantages or disadvantages of one over the other? If there's no difference I think I'll go with the Deluxe set and FCD where possible and save a few bucks. I only saw the Pacesetter die set for the .30-40 Krag and no collet die for it at all, so I may just have to FL size that brass every time...

As always, any input is appreciated and thanks for any advice you care to offer.

BTW, I got pretty much all the rifle reloading stuff back from my friend. He's going to do .223 and handgun ammo since he doesn't really have any rifles other than his AR. At one time or another I probably paid for almost all this stuff, there was a lot more than I remembered...


Last edited by thedaddycat; February 26, 2012 at 07:40 PM.
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