Dillon dies v. RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Lee dies?

[jski]

Just curious if Dillon dies are worth their 2X price difference? And they don't deal with 3rd party retailers: MidwayUSA, Bass Pro, Cabela's, etc. You deal with Dillon.

[locknloader]

Curious as well

[Nathan]

Not sure how they could do a better job than my Hornady dies.

Regular pistol dies are: fl size, expand, seat & crimp together

Dillon are: fl size, seat, crimp.

Crimping separately is way easier to setup, so I always buy a separate crimp die.

So, Dillon is $67; Hornady is $46 + $23

Sometimes I use the Lee taper crimp die for $13 + $4 lock ring.

[locknloader]

@Nathan - maybe one company is better known for tighter tolerances, etc.

[Nathan]

@locknloader - what is meant by "on company"?

[locknloader]

Sorry about that, typo which i have updated.

[hounddawg]

if any manufacturers dies or equipment were bad how long do you think they would be in business ? You can get a lot of ford vs chevy arguments going on any forum but that is all these types of threads are

[Stats Shooter]

There are several brands of dies, and within each brand there are some different features. Also, within each brand, there are some special purpose dies that some brands make and some do not.

Brands like Redding, RCBS, and Forster make basic steel dies, and carbide dies. Carbide dies are great for straight walled pistol cases because you don't have to use lube. You will always have to lube the outside of a rifle case, but I use a lyman carbide expander ball in my RCBS standard dies so that I don't have to lube the inside of the neck.

Dillon dies are nice because you can take them apart without taking them out of the toolhead. So their setting will not change. But, I do not like the fact that there is no way to adjust the seating depth on a standard dillion die without screwing the die in deeper. That is a very course adjustment for adjusting seating.....which leads me to the premium seating dies made by RCBS, Redding, and Forster. These are Micrometer seating dies that cost $80-$100 each for one die. They are very easy to setup, and the adjustments are very fine. You can literately adjust down to the ten thousandths. But again, they are expensive.

Then there are the budget lee dies. Lee makes two excellent special purpose dies including the factory crimp die, and the neck die. I do not use their bullet seating dies or full length sizing dies.


For me, I have won severl matches now with ammo loaded using standard RCBS dies. I also have some premium seating dies with micrometer adjustment from forster and love them.

So to answer your question: If you want to set up your dies to load the same bullet, for the same gun, with the same jump, and load a lot of them, then dillion dies are a great option because you can leave everything set and clean them....though setup for seating will take some trial and error.

However, if you want to do a bunch of different bullets, for different guns, and different loads, I would choose a different die than dillon.

[mulespurs]

I have Dillon 45 acp dies. They have a spring on the decap pin that pops the primers off the decap pin.I have had fired primers ride back on the decap pin and get reinstalled. No joy there. They also are more radiused for the shell entrance, thus cases feed easier for me. Just my opinion.

[hounddawg]

what I see being said here is that there is no one best brand die for every purpose. I own Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Redding and Forster dies. As Mississippi pointed out the Lee collet necksize dies are superb in regards to bullet runout but if you are into using neck sizing to adjust neck tension you would want one of bushing dies by another manufacturer and each of those would have upsides and downsides. All I am saying is there is no one size fits all easy answer to your question although Mulespurs did point out an clear advantage for the Dillon decapper

[BigJimP]

Dillon's design allows you to take them apart for cleaning way easier than most others.

I like the idea of seating with one die ..and final crimp with a different die.

I have had others in the past - mostly RCBS...but for me the Dillon dies are better.

[Don Fischer]

Weather they will do a better job or not depends on who you talk to. The dies you use are only as good as you thin k they are, or as bad! I've actually know guy's that condemn Lee products in a hot second but have never used them themselves. I've read of a few that got this die or that and something went wrong so all the product's that company make are flawed junk. I've used over the years Herter, RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Lee and probably a couple other's I've forgot. What occurs to me is that they all did as they were designed to do. but some are a lot prettier than other's. other than the Square Deal Dillon, I have never used a Dillon product. After a life time of single stage reloading, I couldn't get along with it. Not a bad press just me, I couldn't get along with it. Doesn't make Dillon good or bad! I had a 550 for awhile, I think that was it. Came in a box and had to be put together. Blew my mind so I got rid of it. Doesn't make it a bad press. Get a die from anyone that is flawed, that can and does happen to every body now and then. Never had one myself and know of a lot of other people that never had a flawed one either.

I like all my dies but, those Redding dies are beautiful. Oh, forgot to mention Redding ablve. Oh well. I got a new set of Lyman dies when I got my new 243, beautiful dies yet I ran into people that didn't like them for one reason or another. That's alright. You want to know which anything you want, find a way to try them out before you buy them, only way you'll know what suits your. BTW, I've got two set's of Redding dies and as beautiful as they are, I'm not about to pay the money they get for them anymore! But, great dies!

[Crunchy Frog]

Several years ago I was in the market for 9mm dies. I had a single stage press but planned to add a progressive press (perhaps a Dillon) to the bench in the future. Decided to spend a bit more and try the Dillon dies since I had heard that they worked really well in a progressive press. Got the Dillon three die set and figured out that there was no expander die. Not needed with a Dillon press since the powder measure performed that function. I picked up a Lee Powder Through Expander Die so that I could get going on the single stage. That is not a dig at Dillon, I should have done a bit more reading before buying.

I have found that the Dillon dies are excellent quality (I believe Redding manufactures the dies for Dillon). They have a spring loaded recapping pin that is a pretty neat feature, and the dies are designed so that you can remove the guts for cleaning from the top of the die and leave the dies set in your press. Really, really good in a progressive press (I ended up with a Hornady but the Dillon dies work great in it).

[disseminator]

Dillon dies are best suited to Dillon reloading machines. They are excellent and I have a fair collection for my 550b but for single stage presses they are not ideal. I also agree with Mississippi on the seating dies being poorly designed and so I use Forster Competition Seaters on all my tool heads and my single stage as well.

I use and like RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Dillon, Forster. Just use the dies that best meets your immediate needs and don't get hung up on the brand.

[Jim Watson]

I have RCBS, Lyman, Lee, and Redding dies in rifle calibers. They are all ok, though I prefer the Reddings for target loads.

I only load pistol ammo on (Dillon) progressives.
The Dillon carbide sizer is good for most purposes, but I keep EGW "U" dies for short light JHPs, 9mm and .45.
The Dillon seater is an aggravation, as Mississippi says. I use Hornady seaters with micrometer adjusters for repeatable setup for different bullets. I don't load many cast bullets what with coated and plated available so the easy cleanout of the Dillon is no advantage.
The Dillon taper crimp is ok if that is all you need. But the Lee CFC die touches up the tapered 9mm case and gives me a final load with fewer gauge rejects.

[noylj]

My three 1050s all came with Dillon dies and almost all of them have been removed and replaced with Lee or Hornady dies.
My experience:
1) sizing die:
The Dillon sized down the case the least distance. Lee and Hornady size down the case the furthest.
The Hornady and Redding dies size the case the easiest.
2) powder-through expander:
I find that the Lee PTE, the Hornady PTX, and the Dillon cartridge-specific "powder funnel" all work very well. With Lee, I can easily order custom expander plugs for my oversized lead bullet.
3) Seating:
I like the Hornady "alignment sleeve" that helps align the bullet prior to seating and lowers bullet runout.
I like the Lee seating stems as I can inexpensively order custom ones for individual bullets, where a well-fitting seating plug also can improve bullet alignment.
Finally, for me, I have a problem with age and fine-muscle control that causes me to have problems placing "small" 9mm/.38 bullets square not the case. For these, I can use the Lee bullet feeder manually to bring the bullet over to have the case pick it up and save myself a little time.
Both the Dillon and Hornady seating dies can have the "guts" removed for cleaning without moving the die body for those that insist on using WAY too much bullet lube. The Dillon is easier as it has a large clip in top to remove and drop the "guts."
4) Crimp:
I have found no benefits to any taper crimp dies over the Lee taper crimp die. They all work great.
For roll crimps, the absolute BEST is the Redding Profile crimp die. The next best, but a definite step down, is the Lee FCD with the carbide "sizing" ring removed.
PS: if you need the carbide "sizing" ring, you don't have your dies properly adjusted or you should be Bulge Busting after case cleaning. In most cases, the problem is seating the bullet crooked, where sufficient case expansion (not case mouth flare) and a properly fitted seating stem will correct the problem. This can be found by "plunk" testing after painting the bullet and case with black Magic Marker or other marker.
Drop round in barrel (or gage) and rotate it back-and-forth a few times.
Remove and inspect the round:
1) Scratches in the ink on bullet--COL is too long
2) Scratches in the ink on edge of the case mouth--insufficient crimp
3) Scratches in the ink just below the case mouth--too much crimp, you're crushing the case
4) Scratches in the ink on case at base of bullet--bullet seated crooked due to insufficient case expansion (not case mouth flare) or improper seating stem fit
5) Scratches in the ink on case just above extractor groove--case bulge not removed during sizing. May need a bulge buster.


I have never been bothered by adjusting dies nor seen any benefit to the cost of micrometer adjustments. They don't make the ammo any more accurate or consistent. The main thing is if you find a pet load, you can set the seating die aside and buy another one and not have to EVER adjust it again for that pet bullet.
Finally, for SWC, I have custom seating plugs made that ONLY contact the bullet shoulder. Once that is set, EVERY SWC, no matter the nose profile, uses the exact same setting.

[pete2]

Dillon dies are good. The size/decap is great. The bullet seater is a pain to adjust, easier to clean but terrible to adjust the depth. It does come apart for cleaning. Prefer RCBS for seating. The crimp die works fine, no better or worse than any other. Do over I'd use RCBS. I do use RCBS for 9MM, Dillon for .45 and .38. I have a Lee taper crimp/sizer die for the 45. I know it sizes the bullet too but for action/plinking it doesn't seem to affect accuracy. Still load bullseye pistol loads on a single stage press with segregated brass. I don't want to fight the bullet seating depth on the Dillon die.
The only dies I've ever had that didn't work were Lee, the sizer die is oversize, won't hold the bullet tight enough. I don't like the lack of lock rings on the Lee but you can put lock rings on them, then you only have to watch and not touch the bullet seating stem. I prefer RCBS.

[rifleman0311]

I use Lee exclusively but I have never tried anything else. I load 308, 30-06, 357 sig, 45, and 9mm with no issues, never had to search for another product. Granted my experience is only about 3 years so take it with a grain of salt

[Unclenick]

As mentioned earlier, Dillon dies are geared toward progressive reloading. The sizing dies have a more generous mouth radius than most so as to be less likely to have a case mouth catch on the edge of them, which I've found to be an issue with some other dies in my Dillon press. This is also why, as Noylj points out, they don't size down as close to the head, quite. It's a trade-off for more trouble-free progressive operation.

The sizing dies are also leaning toward small base diameter. For example, the skinny, springy R-P .45 Auto case's mouths and necks stop sizing down far enough to hold a bullet after about two reloadings using my Lyman carbide die to resize them. The Dillon die gets them small enough every time. Again, no halt to the loading process is incurred because a bullet falls into the case, as would happen with my Lyman die at the sizing station.

Same with the spring-loaded decapping punch. You don't want to have progressive loading halted by a primer that only came half way out of the case, leaving all the other rounds at stations stuck there until you clear the problem.

The seating die is also designed for this non-stop operation. Because the ram is not blocked off by a separate seating stem, the double-ended seater can have a hole that goes through it for accumulated lead bullet lubricant to flow up through rather than packing in and seating the bullet deeper.

It's all about purpose.

[cw308]

My feeling is a the standard dies will do the job , pretty basic . There are competition seating dies for more precise measurements when loading for rifle bench rest shooting .

[ShootistPRS]

If you are using the Dillon press then the Dillon dies are pretty much what you need. If your press is not a Dillon then you have some other choices. I use RCBS almost exclusively but I do have a couple that are from Other manufacturers. RCBS didn't have a neck size die for my 257 so I found one someplace else. I have had excellent service from RCBS on the few times I needed it and will recommend their products because of that. My press is a first series Rock Chucker that I bought in 1973(?) but I also have a Lyman 4 position turret press. Both are used as single station presses to fit my style of loading.
I live just outside a very small town and the RCBS equipment is available at two different stores within a few miles. It is nice to be able to get dies for a new cartridge when you need it and not have to wait for shipping or having to travel hours to get something.

[higgite]

If you are using the Dillon press then the Dillon dies are pretty much what you need.

I'm not that familiar with Dillon presses and dies. Why do you need Dillon dies for Dillon presses?

[noylj]

My 1050s came with Dillon dies. I have replaced almost all of them with Lee or Hornady.
There is no more reason to use Dillon dies on a Dillon press than to NOT use Dillon dies on a non-Dillon press (except, of course, for the SDB).
All it is, is what works best for you or makes you happy.

[F. Guffey]

All we need to do if find a reloader that can compare a case that has been sized in a RCBS die with a case that has been sized in a Dillon die. And then we need to find a reloader that can measure the length of the die from the shoulder to the deck of the shell holder, after that it gets complicated; to determine the difference a reloader would be required to measure the difference in diameter between a die and sized case.

I have Herter dies and I have C&H dies, I also have RCBS and Lyman dies, I have Hornady dies and Pacific etc. I have no reservation about choosing a die. Again, I do not want a lot of air between the case and chamber. Most of my dies have threads, the threads on my dies fit most of my presses, the threads make my dies adjustable, threads allow me to adjust the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head.

F. Guffey

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by higgite

I'm not that familiar with Dillon presses and dies. Why do you need Dillon dies for Dillon presses?

It's required for the Dillon Square Deal press because it uses a non-standard die thread diameter that only Dillon makes dies for.

On the other presses it is not required. However, because the Dillon dies are designed to keep a progressive loading operation running smoothly, you may have fewer stoppages with them. You also may not. It depends how you work and what brass and bullets and primers you are working with. There are a lot of aftermarket Dillon-centric things out there now, too. Inline Fabrication makes mounts and handles and press lights. JDS makes an adapter for using their powder measure on a Dillon. Their measure, the Quick Measure, throws stick powders more consistently than any other measure I have, so if I were loading match rifle ammunition on my 550 I would likely get that adapter for my Quick Measure and also use a Redding Competition Seating Die on it.