Preference on Reloading Dies?

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Preference on Reloading Dies?

Postby Tag Soup » Thu May 31, 2018 7:33 pm

So I've been stalking on this forum for quite a while and I've learned a ton, thank you! That said, one thing I've not seem mentioned is why somebody would choose one brand of dies over another. Perhaps this is a place where you guys could drop a line and tell what brand dies you have, what style (if applicable), and what you like or don't like about them!

That said, right now over at Midway here are the options as I see them (including not in stock)...
Lee Pacesetter (~$30): https://www.midwayusa.com/product/78730 ... bushmaster
Lyman MSR Precision Die System (~$60): https://www.midwayusa.com/product/19705 ... bushmaster
Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension 4 Die Set (~$70): https://www.midwayusa.com/product/14683 ... bushmaster
Redding 3 Die Set (~$100): https://www.midwayusa.com/product/40983 ... bushmaster

I've always gone with Lee dies in the past, and they have served me well... but right now they are out of stock and the Hornady's have good reviews... and then maybe I'll build up the courage to go down the Legendre Side Crimp path later? Or should I buy something while I'm putting in an order? I have the $ now, but I may not later...

Thanks guys!
~Tag

PS - Does it make any difference if I'm using a bolt gun?
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Re: Preference on Reloading Dies?

Postby Hoot » Thu May 31, 2018 8:40 pm

Welcome Aboard TS!

No the platform your shooting does not dictate which dies you choose. I cannot A/B any two or three of them as I only have the Hornady New Dimension Dies. I can say that after using my 450b set of them, the only problem I have encountered over the past 8 years and over 2k reloads, was caused by me very early on. I had some issues trying to resize .284 Winchester brass and I actually damaged one of them. A quick phone call to Hornady and they sent me an entire new die for the damaged one, along with some extra decapping pins I never even asked for. That's worth something, but the main feature I like about the set is the seating die has a guide sleeve that aligns the bullets with the die and case before you begin the downward seating motion. I can count on one hand and have fingers left over, the number of cases I crushed, mostly from being in too much a hurry. I have no financial interests with Hornady but plenty of satisfaction and I would wholeheartedly recommend them. You get what you pay for.

Hoot

Edit: For the record, I own more Lee dies than Hornady. At the time I got into the 450b, Hornady was the only mainstream company selling dies for it.
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
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Re: Preference on Reloading Dies?

Postby Firehunter » Fri Jun 01, 2018 5:45 am

Here is a link to a thread about this topic from a couple of months ago:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15676
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Re: Preference on Reloading Dies?

Postby plant_one » Fri Jun 01, 2018 9:34 am

like hoot - i have more lee dies than anything else, but when i got my 450 upper - hornady was the only horse in the race. so i bought my hornady dies, and appreciate the heck out of them :)

had the lee dies been available i probably would have gone with a set just because thats what i use for *most* of my die sets.


people knock on lee, but their dies make good ammo for a LOT of folks. and from my experience their CS is top of the bar.

i've loaded thousands and thousands of rounds on my lee dies to date. The only problems i've had to date were directly related to the guy pulling the handle. :mrgreen:
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Re: Preference on Reloading Dies?

Postby Ruger44 » Wed Aug 21, 2019 10:49 pm

Always liked rcbs dies . Their customer service is like what happened with the hornday dies, they also will honor used dies. Lee only has a 2 year warranty. Not a big deal unless you break something down the road
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Re: Preference on Reloading Dies?

Postby offrink » Thu Aug 22, 2019 3:19 pm

I have been a fan of hornady dies. I have 8 or 9 of them. Only one lee die. Not that there is anything wrong with the others.
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