I have been reloading for several years - most 9mm on my Dillon 550b. Recently, I started reloading 223 as well. Do any of you use different brand dies for each station? I don't like the dillon seater die and use a Lee for that station. Just curious if you all found a specific die you like in each station.
- Thread starter prairiefire
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I use different dies when needed. The Lee Factory Crimp dies as an example. I had issues with shaved case mouths and buckling on .38/.357 with the Dillon crimp die. Their taper crimp for 9 and .45 however were perfect for me.
For rifle I've used RCBS, Hornady, Forster, and Redding when there was a need.
For rifle I've used RCBS, Hornady, Forster, and Redding when there was a need.
For 9mm in my 550B, I use Lee U die, Redding Competition Seater, and Lee factory crimp. You can mix and match as much as you want.
Yes, I have several different brands represented in my 550B
When I was loading .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor in my 550, (pre Co-Ax), I used a Redding body-sizer, a Lee Collet die for de-priming and neck sizing, and Forster Ultra Micrometer seating die. All worked excellently.
for 223 I run Dillon's Carbide sizing die, a redding micrometer seating die with the appropriate stem and then a Lee FC die in last station if I want to crimp (which is maybe 50/50) depending on what I'm doing.
I have run almost every common die with no issues, but I do change out the lock rings on a lot of them
I have run almost every common die with no issues, but I do change out the lock rings on a lot of them
I run a Mighty Armory FL sizing die for 223/308 in my 550 and a Forster Ultra Micrometer seater.
The MA sizing dies are high quality and you can feel how butter smooth they size brass compared to day a Forster or Redding die
The MA sizing dies are high quality and you can feel how butter smooth they size brass compared to day a Forster or Redding die
I use a variety of dies in my 550.
- Hornady die sets for pistol cartridges
- Lee factory crimp dies
- Forster full length sizing dies for rifle cartridges
- Redding seating dies for rifle cartridges
- Sinclair and 21st Century for mandrel and mandrel dies
- Mighty Armory for universal decapping
A buddy had a similar problem and tried several of those same dies you mention until finally the Lee Die worked and no longer shaved copper/lead (I don’t remember which). His was the bullet being shaved, not the brass from the case mouth.
Redding makes a "Pro" series that is design for progressive presses. I have them in 9mm and 223 on my 750 and they work great. I also have been using a Mighty Armory sizing die for 223 which works great. In my experience the dies designed for the progressive presses are a little bit smoother but most dies work fine whether designed for a progressive press or not. I've also used Forster, RCBS, and Porters Precision dies without issue.
IMO, the MA pistol dies are terrible, but their rifle sizing dies are quite good for high production stuff. Of course they are going to be smooth, because they have a surface treatment. But the pistol dies have bad geometry, because they are trying to solve a problem in pistol reloading that cannot be solved with die geometry, so they end up making some unfortunate compromises. I applaud them for actually noticing the problem and trying to solve it, since nobody else really is.
The new Lyman Pro dies and the Redding Pro dies are probably the best pistol dies on the market. Which one to choose depends on how well the seating stem fits your bullet profile. There really isn't a better or worse between the two. The FCD from Lee is a great die for roll crimp cartridges and for rifle cartridges, but I don't personally prefer it with TC pistol cartridges.
As for loading anything precision, just use whichever dies you normally would. You are going to be going slower anyway, and the real advantage of "Progressive Press Dies" is that they have a vagina the size of a 60 year old whore to catch fast indexing cases as they come in.
Also, avoid small base/U dies. If you need them, you need a rollsizer instead. Again, trying to solve a problem with the wrong tools. And don't listen to anybody who tells you that 9mm reloads should look like an hourglass. They should be a nice tapered case along SAAMI dimensions.
The new Lyman Pro dies and the Redding Pro dies are probably the best pistol dies on the market. Which one to choose depends on how well the seating stem fits your bullet profile. There really isn't a better or worse between the two. The FCD from Lee is a great die for roll crimp cartridges and for rifle cartridges, but I don't personally prefer it with TC pistol cartridges.
As for loading anything precision, just use whichever dies you normally would. You are going to be going slower anyway, and the real advantage of "Progressive Press Dies" is that they have a vagina the size of a 60 year old whore to catch fast indexing cases as they come in.
Also, avoid small base/U dies. If you need them, you need a rollsizer instead. Again, trying to solve a problem with the wrong tools. And don't listen to anybody who tells you that 9mm reloads should look like an hourglass. They should be a nice tapered case along SAAMI dimensions.
Mighty Armory dies are so smooth and size with much less effort compared to your Redding, Forster, Lee, RCBS, etc. because they are CNC single point cut which leaves a MUCH smoother finish inside. Unlike the other dies above that are all drilled which leaves lots of drilling marks in the die. MA then heat treats their GOLD dies, they don't apply a surface treatment.
Now they did start offering some Limited Edition dies recently that DO have a surface treatment... nitro carburized I believe from the last time I talked to Wayne but don't quote me on that.
You just listed four brands of dies I don't use and labelled them as mine, lol. I use Micron Precision for my precision rifle stuff, and generally MA for anything that hits my CP2000 for processing. And FWIW, a lot of the dies have coatings listed, including fail zero nickel boron, so I am not sure you are right here other than about the sizers.
My only complaint with them is that the pistol dies are badly designed, which is too bad because he is trying to solve the right problem, just with the wrong tool.
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I think you need to go back and read my post. I didn't label any dies as you using them.... I corrected your statement that MA dies are smooth because of a surface treatment.. then I went on to explain why they are much smoother sizing than (the 4 other dies brands I mentioned that most people use and are quoting in this thread). Never said anything about you using or owning those brands...
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You've now edited your post and changed your response making more false statements. If you read my initial post to this thread, I said MA SIZING DIES.... I'm 100% correct that those sizing dies are single point cut and heat treated other than those newer LE black dies... I don't use any MA pistol dies. Go back and read my OP.
Your now searching on MA site for dies with different treatments to counter me and you found "taper crimp dies" that are NiB coated that I never mentioned or were part of my post or reply
I speak to Wayne often and he has sent me each iteration of his rifle dies for testing and review. If you want an OFFICIAL response from Wayne I'll get you one
Lol. I didn't make any false statements. Simmer down. I didn't even quote you talking about their sizing dies, just mentioned a term that had been thrown around. And it isn't just the taper crimp dies. There are surface treatments on a lot of things. And that isn't a bad thing, BTW. You are really up in arms over nothing here.
As to your earlier admonition to read your post, when you reply to somebody by saying "compared to your Redding, Forster, Lee, RCBS," it generally is accepted to understand that "your" means "your."
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