Your favorite reloading dies?

C

chrisC az

New member
Just wondering what you guys like to use for dies. I normally use a redding type-s bushing neck die with a titanium insert and a redding competion bullet seater.

I know that there are different dies out there but I have never tried them. Iam going to get my friend into reloading for his .223 and wanted to know what you guys would suggest. Of course the dies I use maybe a bit pricey for a begginer but I want him to have something really good to start out with. I am thinking of having him trying maybe something a bit different and not as pricey, something like the Forster ultra-micrometer seater die and a maybe the lee collet neck die. Has anyone ever tried the lee collet neck die? I have heard good things about it but never tried it.

Anyways, let me know your experiences with what you have used.
 
I have an RCBS competition die set in 223 Rem that consistantly loads ammo with minimal runout. I'm averaging 0.00125" to 0.0015" runout, which is very very good for a novice reloader. All I know is, it works.
 
Last edited:
chrisC az,
I've owned and used Lyman, RCBS and Lee. I've come to like RCBS the best of all. They seem to have the best quality of tooling, so that my brass doesn't take a beating and my reloads are more consistant. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
 
I like Hornady dies mostly for their seating die. The sliding sleeve is the best as the bullet never gets jammed while seating.

I have dies by most of the name makers plus Texan, Herters, C&H, Pacific, even a few without names. I don't think I have had a bad set of dies, all will load as well as the rifles will shoot. I have four sets of dies for my .223 and three for my old .308 target rifle, some are easier to set up, some a little easier to get the bullet started into the case (Horn.), and some don't seem to break depriming pins(mostly newer ones)but all will load good ammo if I do my part and pay attention to the details.

I used to have a small gun shop and range and would test fire most of the used guns comeing in and would just scrounge up a set of dies for the cartridge load up a few shells (3031 works in most everything) test fire and then sell the dies with the gun.

AWS
 
I have RCBS, Redding, Forster, and Lee dies. For the
price, and end results, I find the Forster Ultra Seater
to be the best of this group. Redding yield quality
results, too, but they are very proud, price wise, of
their dies. RCBS customer servise is about as good as CS
gets, and most of their dies yield quality ammo. The ones
that don't can be fixed with just a call to RCBS. Lee dies
are decent, for the money spent, and if money was the most
important consideration, in my die buying decision, I would
buy Lee dies. These days, until something changes, I
purchase Forster Ultra Die sets. One bad aspect of
Forster, is I have to buy replacement de-capping pins,
where a call to RCBS has some in the mail, for free.
I haven't needed Redding Customer Service, yet, and have
heard mixed reports on their CS.

I only Full Length size, even for exceptionally accurate
rifles, so I can't speak to neck sizing dies.

Squeeze
 
Unless I'm going to use bushing dies, or have the gunsmith build me a die with the same reamer that the rifle was chambered with, I buy Forsters with the Ultra seater. Best bang for the buck out there!
F1
 
I'm with AWS as far as the Hornady seater goes. They are real easy to use.
I use a bunch of different dies. RCBS, Redding, Forster Bonanza and Hornady.
They all work.
For my 22-250's I use a Hornady seater, a Forster Bonanza neck sizer and an RCBS full length die when I need to push shoulders back, which is just about never.
I have used the Lee dies and they work fine.
I have a gang of different brand dies for different calibers. Ron
 
I have been useing RCBS for over thirty years, I see no reason to change that now. The competition dies will load any ammo just as accurately and presicely as any of the others.
 
I switched from RCBS to Hornady due to the sleeve that guides the bullets in straight. I gave the nod to Forster for my 204 and it is shooting great. This is what I will buy in the future. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have alot of different dies sets, been doing reloading for about 36 years. All I will buy now are the forster for a seater and redding for a sizer,esp the button dies. Also still use some wilson dies. Have a set of hornady dies, the seater is ok, but the sizer has a poor system of securing the decapping pin. quite a few rcbs, which I still use, but from now on it will be redding and forster.
Barry
 
I use Lee Collet Dies in every cartridge possible, considering action of rifle. In bolt and single shot rifles, the Collet Dies produce the best accuracy I have ever found. In full length dies, I basically use RCBS.
 
I have used most all dies and they pretty much all worked well. Never had any big problems with any. The customer support from all the die makers is great.
Buying new dies today, Redding is my choice.

Jack
 
You are on the right track with the Redding dies. For "STANDARD" dies, not the Wilson type that uses an arbor press, my list would go in this order.

Redding Competition dies, including the Comp. Seater
Hornady New Dimension (also has a sliding sleeve as a seating die)
RCBS

I put RCBS in last place due to the quality has really gone down in the last 20 years, and the lock ring in my opinion needs to be replaced by the Hornady lock ring, which I have replaced on most of my dies and would consider it the best ring out there....JOHN
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top