Die Ring Locks

CoyoteHunter5 · October 9, 2014, 05:05 PM

What's up guys! I'm getting into reloading, I've done my research, and I just want to know how I can lock the rings on my dies so I don't have to move the ring every time I reload. Thanks!

pathdoc · October 9, 2014, 05:15 PM

What brand of die are you using? Hornady lock rings can be "set" with an Allen key and I bought some for my Lee dies when I was using a single stage press. Now I have a turret, the dies don't get changed anymore and I had clearance issues with the Hornady lock rings, so the Lee ones went back on.

rg1 · October 9, 2014, 06:20 PM

Some lock rings have a set screw, some a small allen head cross bolt, and some have screwdriver head screws. Just don't overtighten and use a wrench that fits the lock ring rather than trying to turn the die. If you try to turn the die it will often back out of the lock ring and mess up your adjustment.

Jim243 · October 9, 2014, 07:04 PM

What dies do you have???

Jim

CoyoteHunter5 · October 9, 2014, 07:06 PM

I am buying a Lee Precision Single Stage press. A little off topic, I'm really tickled with Hornady's Automatic powder distributor! I'm just going to start with a trickler over a scale, that's how I'll measure my powder out. Pathdoc, do all Lee Precision Dies come with that allen screw or flat head screw you mentioned? If someone could find me a decapper/neck sizing die and bullet seating die set with a cartridge holder set in .22-250, I would be tickled pink! Thanks!

Bart B. · October 9, 2014, 09:02 PM

Both Redding and RCBS make 22-250 neck sizing die sets and shell holders. You'll typically get better accuracy with full length sizing dies. Full length bushing ones are popular in benchrest and other competitive disciplines.

Marco Califo · October 9, 2014, 10:18 PM

Quote:

do all Lee Precision Dies come with that allen screw or flat head screw you mentioned?

No. Lee dies ship with an aluminum ring with a rubber o-ring instead of a lock ring. They work OK.

Personally, I do not find it difficult to adjust dies. Years ago bought some locking rings. But I usually use Lee dies and rings, and even an RCBS die with a Lee ring. To me the purpose of the ring is to hold the die in place on the press - period. YMMV

CoyoteHunter5 · October 10, 2014, 06:10 AM

My only problem with having non locking dies is the fact that I have to reset them every time I put them back on said press. If I have to do that, I may not be precise each time, and I'll get different trajectories from the bullet being further in or out of the casing. Could I take a sharpie marker to mark where I want the ring each time?

Bart B. · October 10, 2014, 07:38 AM

You can mark your dies any way you want to. They don't care how they look.

I don't think anyone will notice any trajectory differences with a few thousandths difference in bullet seating depth for ranges through 400 yards. Try it yourself to see what your stuff really does. That's better than guessing, assuming or supposing.

You can always use two lock rings on each die, then tighten them against eash other if neither have a simpler method of fixing their position on the die.

Or, once set in the press, squirt a bead of super glue around the lock ring against the die. That should make the rings well fixed to the die after the glue's hardened.

Jeff2131 · October 10, 2014, 08:36 AM

Make sure you know where the vent hole is before super glueing...if you glue that hole shut youll have problems. I set, mark, and then use double rings to lock in place. Theyve NEVER moved. Those allen set screws are usually brass...if you tighten them too much they will strip out and wont work anymore. What u could do also is, set the die, one.drop of loctite on the set screw and it shouldnt move either!

chiefr · October 10, 2014, 08:46 AM

Quote:

My only problem with having non locking dies is the fact that I have to reset them every time I put them back on said press. If I have to do that, I may not be precise each time, and I'll get different trajectories from the bullet being further in or out of the casing. Could I take a sharpie marker to mark where I want the ring each time?

That is why I do not like Lee dies. The dies are great, but the rubber O-rings are good for only for progressives with removable tool heads where you set and forget and that is about it.

With Seating and belling dies, I use lock ring type. IMHO, Lees O-ring nuts are junk.

pete2 · October 10, 2014, 10:57 AM

Almost all die mfgs make locking rings, order RCBS, Lyman, Hornady etc. After using various dies I've decided I like RCBS the best altho no problems with Lyman or Hornady or Pacific. Rcbs or Lee seem to be easiest to find locally. I have 2 sets of Dillon dies, wish they were easier to adjust, may eventually change out the bullet seater to an RCBS.

lee n. field · October 10, 2014, 11:00 AM

Quote:

What's up guys! I'm getting into reloading, I've done my research, and I just want to know how I can lock the rings on my dies so I don't have to move the ring every time I reload. Thanks!

Forster and I think Hornady make split lock rings with a screw to tighten them.

Lee's lock rings with the O-ring washer work OK (and you will need to go with them if you have one of the Lee turret or progressive presses, as others tend to be too wide for the die spacing in their turret head).

Reading further in the thread:

Quote:

I am buying a Lee Precision Single Stage press.

Gotcha. Ignore what I said about the Lee lock rings.

Forster's lock ring

Hornady's lock ring

And scrolling a bit further down on Midway...

Lyman's (wait for it...) lock ring

Any should work, none are expensive, get one for each die.

F. Guffey · October 10, 2014, 11:19 AM

Quote:

What's up guys! I'm getting into reloading, I've done my research, and I just want to know how I can lock the rings on my dies so I don't have to move the ring every time I reload. Thanks!

I gain nothing by agreeing, I have never considered locking the ring to the die, I secure the die to the press with the lock ring, one hand, two wrenches.

I adjust the die to, below or off the shell holder every time. Once I adjust the die, I hold the die and then secure the die to the press with the lock ring. If in my possession there is a die that has the lock ring secured to the die, it is not my die.

An 0ld Friend gave me 16 sets of dies, while checking/cleaning the dies I checked the lock rings, not one die had the ring locked to the to die, OLD? our average age is 82. Along with the dies came the press, powder measure. scale, components, smith equipment, parts, books and tool boxes.

F. Guffey

hartcreek · October 10, 2014, 03:07 PM

Once you start reloading on that single stage press you will understand how un necessary it is to have the lock ring locked in place. As others have stated that lock ring is only to hold the die in place. I have been reloading on a single stage press for more then 25 years and never have used the set screw and my dies are a mix of Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Dillon.......

condor bravo · October 10, 2014, 03:30 PM

You could try Dillon Precission for their 1 inch hex lock rings. They do not come with a set screw and are great when tolerences are tight. They also have a 1 inch wrench to go with the rings. Their tel number is 800-223-4570.

CoyoteHunter5 · October 10, 2014, 03:47 PM

Thanks for all the replies guys! I'm not really concerned about locking the Die into the Press, I'm more or less keeping the bullet at a constant depth into the casing, between reloading times. I plan to load about 150 casings at a time, then when I'm through with all 150, reload them again. How many times should I be able to reload Winchester and Federal brass?

CoyoteHunter5 · October 10, 2014, 03:54 PM

Will these rings

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

fit on these dies?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

And Lee makes an auto hand primer that I like, but I've heard the cover breaks a lot, but they don't make replacements for them. Should I go with this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

condor bravo · October 10, 2014, 04:05 PM

If you are asking about the Dillon 1 inch rings fitting the Lee dies; yes they definitely will. I've used quite a few with Lee dies.

serf 'rett · October 10, 2014, 04:29 PM

Quote:

How many times should I be able to reload Winchester and Federal brass?

It all depends on many factors, but the basic answer is until:
1. necks begin to experience problem (splits, hardening, etc.)
2. bright rings begin to appear near case head
3. primer pockets loosen
4. other problems as detailed in your reloading manuals (I assume you have several which you have read in detail)

Quote:

Will these rings fit these dies?

7/8" rings should fit Lee's dies. I use mostly Hornady Sure Loc, RCBS steel and a couple of Lee lock rings; all in a Hornady quick change bushing setup in a RCBS Rock Chucker press. Ultra fast die changes.

Quote:

Lee hand primer...should I go with this?

I like the RCBS hand primer. It's my understanding they will replace if I break (which hasn't happened to date, speaking well of their quality from the get go). Drop down and read the recent reviews on the link you supplied. You get to pick your own poison.

serf 'rett · October 10, 2014, 04:35 PM

Another note on the Lee Auto Prime XR - if I remember correctly, it will not work with standard shell holders. You must buy special shell holders. For more homework, go read reviews on item at MidwayUSA.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/413...ProductFinding

CoyoteHunter5 · October 10, 2014, 04:58 PM

Would the Lyman Primer or RCBS take a normal shell holder, like what's included in the die kit I'm buying?

condor bravo · October 10, 2014, 05:02 PM

Note to Coyote Hunter:
Do not be confused by 7/8" and 1" references to die/lock ring dimensions. The 7/8" is the dimension of the die and the inside dimension of the lock ring. The 1" dimension is the outside dimension of the Dillon lock ring that is smaller than standard; thereby recommended when tolerences are tight.

Bart B. · October 10, 2014, 05:02 PM

How many times can Winchester or Federal brass be reloaded?

It depends on how much smaller fired cases are made by the sizing die. Some people get over 50 reloads on Winchester and Federal brass using full length sizing dies set to move fired case shoulders back .001" or .002". Others get less than 5 with the way they set their dies in the press.

Way too high of pressures also shorten case life.

pathdoc · October 10, 2014, 05:08 PM

IIRC late model RCBS hand primer tools have a clever one size fits (almost) all thingy to hold the case in. Older ones take the same shell holder as goes in your press.

October 9, 2014, 05:05 PM	#1
CoyoteHunter5 Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	Die Ring Locks What's up guys! I'm getting into reloading, I've done my research, and I just want to know how I can lock the rings on my dies so I don't have to move the ring every time I reload. Thanks!

October 9, 2014, 07:04 PM	#4
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	What dies do you have??? Jim __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

October 10, 2014, 08:36 AM	#10
Jeff2131 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Spring City, PA Posts: 497	Make sure you know where the vent hole is before super glueing...if you glue that hole shut youll have problems. I set, mark, and then use double rings to lock in place. Theyve NEVER moved. Those allen set screws are usually brass...if you tighten them too much they will strip out and wont work anymore. What u could do also is, set the die, one.drop of loctite on the set screw and it shouldnt move either! __________________ ---I DON'T DIAL 911---

October 10, 2014, 04:35 PM	#21
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	Another note on the Lee Auto Prime XR - if I remember correctly, it will not work with standard shell holders. You must buy special shell holders. For more homework, go read reviews on item at MidwayUSA. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/413...ProductFinding __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

October 9, 2014, 05:15 PM	#2
pathdoc Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2013 Posts: 669	What brand of die are you using? Hornady lock rings can be "set" with an Allen key and I bought some for my Lee dies when I was using a single stage press. Now I have a turret, the dies don't get changed anymore and I had clearance issues with the Hornady lock rings, so the Lee ones went back on.

October 9, 2014, 06:20 PM	#3
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	Some lock rings have a set screw, some a small allen head cross bolt, and some have screwdriver head screws. Just don't overtighten and use a wrench that fits the lock ring rather than trying to turn the die. If you try to turn the die it will often back out of the lock ring and mess up your adjustment.

October 9, 2014, 07:06 PM	#5
CoyoteHunter5 Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	I am buying a Lee Precision Single Stage press. A little off topic, I'm really tickled with Hornady's Automatic powder distributor! I'm just going to start with a trickler over a scale, that's how I'll measure my powder out. Pathdoc, do all Lee Precision Dies come with that allen screw or flat head screw you mentioned? If someone could find me a decapper/neck sizing die and bullet seating die set with a cartridge holder set in .22-250, I would be tickled pink! Thanks!

October 9, 2014, 09:02 PM	#6
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Both Redding and RCBS make 22-250 neck sizing die sets and shell holders. You'll typically get better accuracy with full length sizing dies. Full length bushing ones are popular in benchrest and other competitive disciplines.

October 10, 2014, 06:10 AM	#8
CoyoteHunter5 Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	My only problem with having non locking dies is the fact that I have to reset them every time I put them back on said press. If I have to do that, I may not be precise each time, and I'll get different trajectories from the bullet being further in or out of the casing. Could I take a sharpie marker to mark where I want the ring each time?

October 10, 2014, 07:38 AM	#9
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	You can mark your dies any way you want to. They don't care how they look. I don't think anyone will notice any trajectory differences with a few thousandths difference in bullet seating depth for ranges through 400 yards. Try it yourself to see what your stuff really does. That's better than guessing, assuming or supposing. You can always use two lock rings on each die, then tighten them against eash other if neither have a simpler method of fixing their position on the die. Or, once set in the press, squirt a bead of super glue around the lock ring against the die. That should make the rings well fixed to the die after the glue's hardened.

October 10, 2014, 10:57 AM	#12
pete2 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 2,566	Almost all die mfgs make locking rings, order RCBS, Lyman, Hornady etc. After using various dies I've decided I like RCBS the best altho no problems with Lyman or Hornady or Pacific. Rcbs or Lee seem to be easiest to find locally. I have 2 sets of Dillon dies, wish they were easier to adjust, may eventually change out the bullet seater to an RCBS.

October 10, 2014, 03:07 PM	#15
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	Once you start reloading on that single stage press you will understand how un necessary it is to have the lock ring locked in place. As others have stated that lock ring is only to hold the die in place. I have been reloading on a single stage press for more then 25 years and never have used the set screw and my dies are a mix of Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Dillon.......

October 10, 2014, 03:30 PM	#16
condor bravo Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2014 Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA Posts: 1,753	You could try Dillon Precission for their 1 inch hex lock rings. They do not come with a set screw and are great when tolerences are tight. They also have a 1 inch wrench to go with the rings. Their tel number is 800-223-4570.

October 10, 2014, 03:47 PM	#17
CoyoteHunter5 Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	Thanks for all the replies guys! I'm not really concerned about locking the Die into the Press, I'm more or less keeping the bullet at a constant depth into the casing, between reloading times. I plan to load about 150 casings at a time, then when I'm through with all 150, reload them again. How many times should I be able to reload Winchester and Federal brass?

October 10, 2014, 03:54 PM	#18
CoyoteHunter5 Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	Will these rings http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER fit on these dies? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER And Lee makes an auto hand primer that I like, but I've heard the cover breaks a lot, but they don't make replacements for them. Should I go with this? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

October 10, 2014, 04:05 PM	#19
condor bravo Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2014 Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA Posts: 1,753	If you are asking about the Dillon 1 inch rings fitting the Lee dies; yes they definitely will. I've used quite a few with Lee dies.

October 10, 2014, 04:58 PM	#22
CoyoteHunter5 Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	Would the Lyman Primer or RCBS take a normal shell holder, like what's included in the die kit I'm buying?

October 10, 2014, 05:02 PM	#23
condor bravo Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2014 Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA Posts: 1,753	Note to Coyote Hunter: Do not be confused by 7/8" and 1" references to die/lock ring dimensions. The 7/8" is the dimension of the die and the inside dimension of the lock ring. The 1" dimension is the outside dimension of the Dillon lock ring that is smaller than standard; thereby recommended when tolerences are tight.

October 10, 2014, 05:08 PM	#25
pathdoc Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2013 Posts: 669	IIRC late model RCBS hand primer tools have a clever one size fits (almost) all thingy to hold the case in. Older ones take the same shell holder as goes in your press.