RCBS press, Lee dies

ragwd · March 11, 2009, 10:47 AM

Noobie question, will the Lee dies work on a RCBS press? and visa versa? Are the dies and press threads common?

DavidAGO · March 11, 2009, 10:55 AM

Yep, that combination will work just fine. I have Lee dies in some calibers and use a Rockchucker press. Except for a few big dies, they have a common thread pitch.

DavidAGO

Smokey Joe · March 11, 2009, 11:01 AM

Ragweed--Thank all the gods that be, the short answer to each of yr questions is "YES."

Back when reloading machinery was first being made available to the public, someone apparently had a serious attack of common sense, and decreed that all brands of reloading dies were to fit all brands of reloading presses.

This, amazingly enough, is still mostly true. The Dillon "Square Deal B" press has its own proprietary dies, which fit nothing else, not even other Dillon machines. That's the only press/dies currently in the general market which is an exception--and why Dillon decided to do that is a mystery to me.

Other than that, you buy whatever brand of dies strikes your fancy, confident that you can bring 'em home and screw 'em right into whatever press you've got. Isn't that nice?

ragwd · March 12, 2009, 12:07 AM

Thanks guys

Adrian · March 12, 2009, 12:51 AM

Caveat to what Smokey Joe said:

The way I read it, Forster wants you to buy a set of their lock rings to hold dies in place on their Co-Ax press. They say it's to allow for faster and more-consistent change-out than threading/unthreading would take.

hikingman · March 12, 2009, 08:55 AM

Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Bonanza, Herters, Dillion, Lachmiller, Saeco, Pacific all use the same 7/8 by 14 thread pitch.

This might help:
http://blog.sinclairintl.com/2009/02...th-sizing-die/

Modern reloading dies are generally standardized with 7/8-14. With that said, the question remains: has anyone been shipped old, non-conforming dies when buying on ebay, or by the reverse, has anyone found that 'new' dies don't fit their older press?

ragwd · March 12, 2009, 09:31 AM

I am currently using all RCBS equipment, but being a noob , I am just loading one caliber. But in looking into the future, I see a need for 2 more pistol and 2 rifles calibers. With pistol a straight wall cartridge doesn't seem difficult to size, but in reading about rifle it seems a bit more difficult. So I was asking in case I needed to buy something different than RCBS for rifle. Thanks again for all who posted and thanks Hikingman for the link, more good reading. With my new hobby its a good thing I like to read.

BigJakeJ1s · March 12, 2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Caveat to what Smokey Joe said:

The way I read it, Forster wants you to buy a set of their lock rings to hold dies in place on their Co-Ax press. They say it's to allow for faster and more-consistent change-out than threading/unthreading would take.

Forster recommends their rings, but I use Hornady and the ancient RCBS cross-bolt lock rings in my Co-Ax just fine. The Lyman cross-bolt rings (not the ones included with their dies) will probably also work fine.

While we're on the subject, Lee's lock-less rings don't work worth a darn in anyone's press, not even Lee's. They just don't stay put.

Andy

Sevens · March 12, 2009, 09:14 PM

Sorry Andy, I think that's completely wrong from my experience.

I have my method and it's rock solid.

I used a permanent marker to make a solid black index line on the top of my press.

Once I have the die screwed in to the press and adjusted exactly where I want it, I draw an index line on the body of the die that lines up exactly with the index line on the top of the press.

When I insert any die, I line up the index line on the press with the die... with a crescent wrench that stays on my bench, I give the lock ring about a half turn from finger tight to bulletproof and dead-locked tight.

It's never out of adjustment and Hercules couldn't move it.

If there's anyone who owns Lee dies and disagrees with me, please try my method and try explain to me how it doesn't work.

Inspector3711 · March 12, 2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

I used a permanent marker to make a solid black index line on the top of my press.

Once I have the die screwed in to the press and adjusted exactly where I want it, I draw an index line on the body of the die that lines up exactly with the index line on the top of the press.

Exactly how I use all of my dies including three sets of Lee. They lock and stay locked. Great minds....

March 11, 2009, 10:47 AM	#1
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	RCBS press, Lee dies Noobie question, will the Lee dies work on a RCBS press? and visa versa? Are the dies and press threads common?

March 11, 2009, 11:01 AM	#3
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	You're OK... Ragweed--Thank all the gods that be, the short answer to each of yr questions is "YES." Back when reloading machinery was first being made available to the public, someone apparently had a serious attack of common sense, and decreed that all brands of reloading dies were to fit all brands of reloading presses. This, amazingly enough, is still mostly true. The Dillon "Square Deal B" press has its own proprietary dies, which fit nothing else, not even other Dillon machines. That's the only press/dies currently in the general market which is an exception--and why Dillon decided to do that is a mystery to me. Other than that, you buy whatever brand of dies strikes your fancy, confident that you can bring 'em home and screw 'em right into whatever press you've got. Isn't that nice? __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

March 12, 2009, 12:51 AM	#5
Adrian Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2007 Location: Free of California! Posts: 274	Caveat to what Smokey Joe said: The way I read it, Forster wants you to buy a set of their lock rings to hold dies in place on their Co-Ax press. They say it's to allow for faster and more-consistent change-out than threading/unthreading would take. __________________ NRA Life Member since January 2009 Matt.25:40

March 12, 2009, 08:55 AM	#6
hikingman Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 301	Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Bonanza, Herters, Dillion, Lachmiller, Saeco, Pacific all use the same 7/8 by 14 thread pitch. This might help: http://blog.sinclairintl.com/2009/02...th-sizing-die/ Modern reloading dies are generally standardized with 7/8-14. With that said, the question remains: has anyone been shipped old, non-conforming dies when buying on ebay, or by the reverse, has anyone found that 'new' dies don't fit their older press? __________________ NRA Life Member

March 12, 2009, 09:14 PM	#9
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Sorry Andy, I think that's completely wrong from my experience. I have my method and it's rock solid. I used a permanent marker to make a solid black index line on the top of my press. Once I have the die screwed in to the press and adjusted exactly where I want it, I draw an index line on the body of the die that lines up exactly with the index line on the top of the press. When I insert any die, I line up the index line on the press with the die... with a crescent wrench that stays on my bench, I give the lock ring about a half turn from finger tight to bulletproof and dead-locked tight. It's never out of adjustment and Hercules couldn't move it. If there's anyone who owns Lee dies and disagrees with me, please try my method and try explain to me how it doesn't work. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

March 11, 2009, 10:55 AM	#2
DavidAGO Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2008 Location: Magnolia, AR Posts: 340	Yep, that combination will work just fine. I have Lee dies in some calibers and use a Rockchucker press. Except for a few big dies, they have a common thread pitch. DavidAGO

March 12, 2009, 12:07 AM	#4
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Thanks guys

March 12, 2009, 09:31 AM	#7
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	I am currently using all RCBS equipment, but being a noob , I am just loading one caliber. But in looking into the future, I see a need for 2 more pistol and 2 rifles calibers. With pistol a straight wall cartridge doesn't seem difficult to size, but in reading about rifle it seems a bit more difficult. So I was asking in case I needed to buy something different than RCBS for rifle. Thanks again for all who posted and thanks Hikingman for the link, more good reading. With my new hobby its a good thing I like to read.