Favorite and least favorite dies - Page 4

wncchester · February 7, 2012, 10:41 PM

" The only problem I have with (the Lee seater plug) is it gets gunked up with bullet lube when loading cast bullets. I regularly have to take it apart and push the internal part out and remove all the bullet lube and lead fragments so the 'floater' actually floats. Meh."

Gunking up is true of any seater with cast bullets, not limited to Lee's. It's easier to clean a Lee seater than most others so ....??

The bullet guides in Lee's seaters are bored very snug to reduce runout, that makes them great for jacketed but oversized lead bullets do tend to bind. So, those who load greatly oversized lead bullets should get another brand of die with a sloppy fitted bullet guide chamber. Personally, I NEVER size cast stuff more than one thou over bore diameter so Lee's have never been a problem for me.

JACK308 · February 8, 2012, 08:55 AM

Everytime I seat the 45/70 bullet it either gets stuck or there alot of lead inside the die -even though I clean it out it still happends. the bullets are laser cast hard lead I have a RCBS comming soon!.

wncchester · February 8, 2012, 09:17 AM

"I have a RCBS comming soon!. "

That should help, they are cut larger/sloppier than Lee's.

603Country · February 8, 2012, 10:12 AM

Just to mention it, my pistol dies are all Lee. My rifle dies are mostly RCBS, with one Hornady set and some Redding specialty dies. And...to add to the support to David B, I also have the exact same set of 38/357 dies with the black plastic part. My newer Lee dies have all metal parts, except for that O ring that I don't really care for, but still allow to exist. The Lee 38/357 dies date back to the early 1980's. I'd have to guess on the exact year, but certainly after 1980 and before 1983. Absolutely they were factory produced with the plastic part. The dies have always worked fine, but I really dislike that round red container the old dies came in, and are still in. Why can't Lee package dies in nice boxes? My newest dies in 9mm are in a better box than the round thing, but it's still a crummy box. I guess if you mount your dies in a turret, the box is forgotten quickly, but I'm a single stage guy.

The next die I'll buy, since I've been listening carefully to all of you, is the Lee neck sizing die for my 223. I'll buy new unless I can find a used one.

Brian Pfleuger · February 8, 2012, 10:17 AM

I love those round containers! Turn them upside down and the whole turret fits in there, dies and all!
Obviously not a perk if you don't have turrets.

Clark · February 8, 2012, 02:50 PM

For a good time, Lee collet neck die, and then Forster seating die.

SL1 · February 8, 2012, 09:19 PM

"For a good time, Lee collet neck die, and then Forster seating die."

Alas, my Forster sliding-sleeve seating die is not large enough to admit an unsized body from my .270 Winchester chambered Ruger 77. I only found that out after sticking cases from my new Lee collet die in my old Forster seating die. Previously, I had been using the Forster die with partially sized cases (i.e., not sized all the way back to the shoulder with a turned-out FL sizing die), and had experienced no trouble. So, I simply use the Lee seating die instead of the Forster. Accuracy was still improved by the Lee collet die.

SL1

William T. Watts · February 8, 2012, 10:02 PM

I like both RCBS & Redding in this order, I will try to order RCBS, If what I need isn't available I have no problem switching to a Redding product. The oldest die set I have is a RCBS 270Win (1977) that is 35 years old, I added other calibers in the early 80's and still have all of them and still actively use them. Occasionally I will use flitz and a bore mop to clean the interior of the sizing dies, just keep them clean and light oiling and they are good to go! William

Elkins45 · February 8, 2012, 10:58 PM

I really dislike the expanders on RCBS bottleneck dies. I much prefer the smooth tapered neck expanders on Lee or Hornady.

View Poll Results: Favorite Reloading Dies
Redding	10	7.30%
RCBS	35	25.55%
Hornady	8	5.84%
Lyman	3	2.19%
Dillon	6	4.38%
Forster	6	4.38%
Lee	69	50.36%
Voters: 137. You may not vote on this poll

February 8, 2012, 02:50 PM	#81
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	For a good time, Lee collet neck die, and then Forster seating die. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

February 7, 2012, 10:41 PM	#76
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	" The only problem I have with (the Lee seater plug) is it gets gunked up with bullet lube when loading cast bullets. I regularly have to take it apart and push the internal part out and remove all the bullet lube and lead fragments so the 'floater' actually floats. Meh." Gunking up is true of any seater with cast bullets, not limited to Lee's. It's easier to clean a Lee seater than most others so ....?? The bullet guides in Lee's seaters are bored very snug to reduce runout, that makes them great for jacketed but oversized lead bullets do tend to bind. So, those who load greatly oversized lead bullets should get another brand of die with a sloppy fitted bullet guide chamber. Personally, I NEVER size cast stuff more than one thou over bore diameter so Lee's have never been a problem for me.

February 8, 2012, 08:55 AM	#77
JACK308 Junior member Join Date: July 10, 2011 Posts: 377	Everytime I seat the 45/70 bullet it either gets stuck or there alot of lead inside the die -even though I clean it out it still happends. the bullets are laser cast hard lead I have a RCBS comming soon!.

February 8, 2012, 09:17 AM	#78
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"I have a RCBS comming soon!. " That should help, they are cut larger/sloppier than Lee's.

February 8, 2012, 10:12 AM	#79
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Just to mention it, my pistol dies are all Lee. My rifle dies are mostly RCBS, with one Hornady set and some Redding specialty dies. And...to add to the support to David B, I also have the exact same set of 38/357 dies with the black plastic part. My newer Lee dies have all metal parts, except for that O ring that I don't really care for, but still allow to exist. The Lee 38/357 dies date back to the early 1980's. I'd have to guess on the exact year, but certainly after 1980 and before 1983. Absolutely they were factory produced with the plastic part. The dies have always worked fine, but I really dislike that round red container the old dies came in, and are still in. Why can't Lee package dies in nice boxes? My newest dies in 9mm are in a better box than the round thing, but it's still a crummy box. I guess if you mount your dies in a turret, the box is forgotten quickly, but I'm a single stage guy. The next die I'll buy, since I've been listening carefully to all of you, is the Lee neck sizing die for my 223. I'll buy new unless I can find a used one.

February 8, 2012, 10:17 AM	#80
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I love those round containers! Turn them upside down and the whole turret fits in there, dies and all! Obviously not a perk if you don't have turrets.

February 8, 2012, 09:19 PM	#82
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	"For a good time, Lee collet neck die, and then Forster seating die." Alas, my Forster sliding-sleeve seating die is not large enough to admit an unsized body from my .270 Winchester chambered Ruger 77. I only found that out after sticking cases from my new Lee collet die in my old Forster seating die. Previously, I had been using the Forster die with partially sized cases (i.e., not sized all the way back to the shoulder with a turned-out FL sizing die), and had experienced no trouble. So, I simply use the Lee seating die instead of the Forster. Accuracy was still improved by the Lee collet die. SL1

February 8, 2012, 10:02 PM	#83
William T. Watts Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2010 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 1,074	I like both RCBS & Redding in this order, I will try to order RCBS, If what I need isn't available I have no problem switching to a Redding product. The oldest die set I have is a RCBS 270Win (1977) that is 35 years old, I added other calibers in the early 80's and still have all of them and still actively use them. Occasionally I will use flitz and a bore mop to clean the interior of the sizing dies, just keep them clean and light oiling and they are good to go! William

February 8, 2012, 10:58 PM	#84
Elkins45 Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2010 Posts: 498	I really dislike the expanders on RCBS bottleneck dies. I much prefer the smooth tapered neck expanders on Lee or Hornady.