Die Compatibility

asmurff · October 23, 2013, 06:48 PM

All of my presses are Lee's (don't throw things) but I was wondering are other manufacturers dies compatible with Lee presses and visa versa?
Thanks for the help.

Valornor · October 23, 2013, 07:10 PM

Yep, for the most part they are. Powder through dies might be different, but I've ran rcbs, Lyman, Lee, Hornady and dillion dies. As long as the threads are the same.

jwrowland77 · October 23, 2013, 07:42 PM

Yep. As a matter of fact, right now, I have a Lee Universal Decapping die in my Hornady SS press decapping my .308 brass before I anneal.

Valornor · October 23, 2013, 07:45 PM

On a side note, shell holders I believe are brand specific...

Fullthrottle · October 23, 2013, 08:07 PM

Yup, as long as the treads are the same(usually are) they are compatible!

I have a Lee press and use mostly Lee dies but my 7mm rem mag die is RCBS!

lee n. field · October 23, 2013, 09:17 PM

Quote:

All of my presses are Lee's (don't throw things) but I was wondering are other manufacturers dies compatible with Lee presses and visa versa?
Thanks for the help.

Yes. The only dies that won't be are those specific to the Dillon Square Deal, and the Lyman tong tool.

If you're using a Lee progressive or turret press, you'll need to be using Lee's lock rings. The dies are spaced too close for the larger rings that other manufactures use.

Nick_C_S · October 23, 2013, 09:31 PM

Generally yes. I'm not an expert. But I believe most use the "7/8"x 14" thread. So just about all that I know of will screw into just about any press. That's what I understand. Others may know more.

I know my friend has a Lee press and uses RCBS dies. And I have an RCBS press and use Lee FCD dies.

Valornor · October 23, 2013, 09:32 PM

Hornady and RCBS lock rings will fit on the turret press. But I can't speak for the Lee 1000 progressive. I've had a full press head of rcbs dies and they fit.

F. Guffey · October 23, 2013, 10:26 PM

Valornor.

"On a side note, shell holders I believe are brand specific..."

I have shell holders, going back to the 50s, I have 4 different shell holders from RCBS. All of my shell holders have a deck height of .125. The most versatile shell holder I have is the RCBS.

F. Guffey

Valornor · October 23, 2013, 10:35 PM

They work in lee, Hornady, dillion, ect presses? I remember glancing at one or two and for some reason I thought they would fit only with presses they were branded for.

Cross compatibility is a great thing...I hope to be wrong.

jwrowland77 · October 24, 2013, 05:27 AM

The shell holders may work in other presses of different brands, but I know they're not compatible with other items...such as case trimmers. I have a Hornady case trimmer, and the RCBS shell holder will not work without a few modifications. The hole in the bottom is more narrow than the Hornady holder for same caliber. Learned this one the hard way.

Bart B. · October 24, 2013, 07:53 AM

The reloading industry has pretty much standardized die thread and shell holder dimensions. That allows brand A dies to be used with brand B shell holders. But there's quite a spread across all of them depending on the reloading objectives and cartridge size.

Standard reloading presses' shellholder height from base (where the case head touches) to top (where the die touches) is .125" +/- .001". Die threads are typically 7/8"-14 for rifle and handgun cartridges. But shotshell and 50 caliber BMG die threads are 1-1/4" - 12 thread. Some of the 40+ caliber big game cartridge dies are 1"-14 thread. The RCBS Rockchucker has an adapter at its top reducing its 1-1/4"-12 thread hole to 7/8-14 for standard dies. The Lyman 310 hand tool dies are 5/8"-30 thread but adapters let them be used in 7/8"-14 threaded presses. Progressive presses may sometimes be different.

Full length sizing dies across all brands tend to bring fired rifle cases back to almost minimum SAAMI spec dimensions. I've no idea what the tolerance is as I've seen as much as .002" difference in case body diameters across several dies of the sam brand for the same cartridge sizing the same batch of fired cases.

October 23, 2013, 06:48 PM	#1
asmurff Junior Member Join Date: January 30, 2009 Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico Posts: 7	Die Compatibility All of my presses are Lee's (don't throw things) but I was wondering are other manufacturers dies compatible with Lee presses and visa versa? Thanks for the help. __________________ Mike Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side and it holds the universe together.

October 23, 2013, 07:42 PM	#3
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	Die Compatibility Yep. As a matter of fact, right now, I have a Lee Universal Decapping die in my Hornady SS press decapping my .308 brass before I anneal.

October 23, 2013, 08:07 PM	#5
Fullthrottle Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2009 Posts: 280	Yup, as long as the treads are the same(usually are) they are compatible! I have a Lee press and use mostly Lee dies but my 7mm rem mag die is RCBS! __________________ When seconds count, why is help minutes away?

October 23, 2013, 09:31 PM	#7
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	Generally yes. I'm not an expert. But I believe most use the "7/8"x 14" thread. So just about all that I know of will screw into just about any press. That's what I understand. Others may know more. I know my friend has a Lee press and uses RCBS dies. And I have an RCBS press and use Lee FCD dies. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

October 24, 2013, 05:27 AM	#11
jwrowland77 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2012 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 1,398	Die Compatibility The shell holders may work in other presses of different brands, but I know they're not compatible with other items...such as case trimmers. I have a Hornady case trimmer, and the RCBS shell holder will not work without a few modifications. The hole in the bottom is more narrow than the Hornady holder for same caliber. Learned this one the hard way.

October 23, 2013, 07:10 PM	#2
Valornor Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 244	Yep, for the most part they are. Powder through dies might be different, but I've ran rcbs, Lyman, Lee, Hornady and dillion dies. As long as the threads are the same.

October 23, 2013, 07:45 PM	#4
Valornor Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 244	On a side note, shell holders I believe are brand specific...

October 23, 2013, 09:32 PM	#8
Valornor Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 244	Hornady and RCBS lock rings will fit on the turret press. But I can't speak for the Lee 1000 progressive. I've had a full press head of rcbs dies and they fit.

October 23, 2013, 10:26 PM	#9
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Valornor. "On a side note, shell holders I believe are brand specific..." I have shell holders, going back to the 50s, I have 4 different shell holders from RCBS. All of my shell holders have a deck height of .125. The most versatile shell holder I have is the RCBS. F. Guffey

October 23, 2013, 10:35 PM	#10
Valornor Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 244	They work in lee, Hornady, dillion, ect presses? I remember glancing at one or two and for some reason I thought they would fit only with presses they were branded for. Cross compatibility is a great thing...I hope to be wrong.

October 24, 2013, 07:53 AM	#12
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	The reloading industry has pretty much standardized die thread and shell holder dimensions. That allows brand A dies to be used with brand B shell holders. But there's quite a spread across all of them depending on the reloading objectives and cartridge size. Standard reloading presses' shellholder height from base (where the case head touches) to top (where the die touches) is .125" +/- .001". Die threads are typically 7/8"-14 for rifle and handgun cartridges. But shotshell and 50 caliber BMG die threads are 1-1/4" - 12 thread. Some of the 40+ caliber big game cartridge dies are 1"-14 thread. The RCBS Rockchucker has an adapter at its top reducing its 1-1/4"-12 thread hole to 7/8-14 for standard dies. The Lyman 310 hand tool dies are 5/8"-30 thread but adapters let them be used in 7/8"-14 threaded presses. Progressive presses may sometimes be different. Full length sizing dies across all brands tend to bring fired rifle cases back to almost minimum SAAMI spec dimensions. I've no idea what the tolerance is as I've seen as much as .002" difference in case body diameters across several dies of the sam brand for the same cartridge sizing the same batch of fired cases. Last edited by Bart B.; October 24, 2013 at 08:04 AM.