Lee Rifle Dies

Marco Califo · April 4, 2011, 08:31 PM

I have several sets of Lee Rifle dies in 223. There are reasons for this that are not material to my question. I am looking at 3 different bullet seater dies. They have letter codes stamped into them: KO, J9, and HO. One of these is a "Dead Length" (no crimp) bullet seating die that came with the collet neck sizer. At least one of the others is Lee's standard crimp die. I am hoping the other is a factory crimp die, but am not confident any of them are. They are not in there original boxes. My question is what do these codes reveal? Which one is which? I have not been able to locate any reference material from Lee that would explain these codes.

The reasons for the multiple dies is I reload USGI brass that sometimes has been fired in SAWs (223) or M30's (308). These weapons have loose chambers and "puff" the cases such that resizing is mandatory, and requires considerable lubrication, a lot of leverage, and sometimes results in stuck cases, and other irritations. I tumble cases several times: after de-priming, after resizing, etc. I reload for both semi-auto's and bolt guns. So, I neck size the brass to keep the fire-formed dimensions for the bolt guns. Since Lee dies work, and are inexpensive, I have ordered sets, rather than single specialty dies. This results in some redundancy. I also use one single stage press, one turret press, and one progressive press, so the extra dies can be put to use at times, depending on what I am doing. This latest scenario occurred as I was collet pulling NATO spec SS109 projectiles, and replacing them with 55 FMJ's, so I can shoot them at my club. I buckled the first few cases, and then started to look at my other seating dies.

4runnerman · April 4, 2011, 09:10 PM

Why do you go through all that?. 223 brass is so cheap to buy. PM me if your looking for some

Jim243 · April 4, 2011, 09:23 PM

One is the standard 223 full length resizing die, one is the case neck collet resizer die and one is the inhanced full length resized from the Deluxe die set. The Factory Crimp Die only comes with the Pacesetter die set. Or you could buy it seperately.

Jim

Factory Crimp Die 223

Marco Califo · April 4, 2011, 09:26 PM

Thank you but, my question is about the bullet seating dies.

"I am looking at 3 different bullet seater dies. They have letter codes stamped into them: KO, J9, and HO. One of these is a "Dead Length" (no crimp) bullet seating die that came with the collet neck sizer. At least one of the others is Lee's standard crimp die."

Jim243 · April 4, 2011, 09:38 PM

Jim

I just checked mine and all the numbers are different D7 & I6 looks like a batch number.

Cowboy_mo · April 4, 2011, 09:48 PM

Why not call Lee? I am sure their customer service would be very happy to answer your questions.

April 4, 2011, 08:31 PM	#1
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,602	Lee Rifle Dies I have several sets of Lee Rifle dies in 223. There are reasons for this that are not material to my question. I am looking at 3 different bullet seater dies. They have letter codes stamped into them: KO, J9, and HO. One of these is a "Dead Length" (no crimp) bullet seating die that came with the collet neck sizer. At least one of the others is Lee's standard crimp die. I am hoping the other is a factory crimp die, but am not confident any of them are. They are not in there original boxes. My question is what do these codes reveal? Which one is which? I have not been able to locate any reference material from Lee that would explain these codes. The reasons for the multiple dies is I reload USGI brass that sometimes has been fired in SAWs (223) or M30's (308). These weapons have loose chambers and "puff" the cases such that resizing is mandatory, and requires considerable lubrication, a lot of leverage, and sometimes results in stuck cases, and other irritations. I tumble cases several times: after de-priming, after resizing, etc. I reload for both semi-auto's and bolt guns. So, I neck size the brass to keep the fire-formed dimensions for the bolt guns. Since Lee dies work, and are inexpensive, I have ordered sets, rather than single specialty dies. This results in some redundancy. I also use one single stage press, one turret press, and one progressive press, so the extra dies can be put to use at times, depending on what I am doing. This latest scenario occurred as I was collet pulling NATO spec SS109 projectiles, and replacing them with 55 FMJ's, so I can shoot them at my club. I buckled the first few cases, and then started to look at my other seating dies.

April 4, 2011, 09:10 PM	#2
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	Why do you go through all that?. 223 brass is so cheap to buy. PM me if your looking for some __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

April 4, 2011, 09:23 PM	#3
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	One is the standard 223 full length resizing die, one is the case neck collet resizer die and one is the inhanced full length resized from the Deluxe die set. The Factory Crimp Die only comes with the Pacesetter die set. Or you could buy it seperately. Jim Factory Crimp Die 223 __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum Last edited by Jim243; April 4, 2011 at 09:35 PM.

April 4, 2011, 09:38 PM	#5
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Jim I just checked mine and all the numbers are different D7 & I6 looks like a batch number. __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum Last edited by Jim243; April 4, 2011 at 10:38 PM.

April 4, 2011, 09:26 PM	#4
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,602	Thank you but, my question is about the bullet seating dies. "I am looking at 3 different bullet seater dies. They have letter codes stamped into them: KO, J9, and HO. One of these is a "Dead Length" (no crimp) bullet seating die that came with the collet neck sizer. At least one of the others is Lee's standard crimp die."

April 4, 2011, 09:48 PM	#6
Cowboy_mo Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,039	Why not call Lee? I am sure their customer service would be very happy to answer your questions.