RCBS .30 Carbine Dies

[PineTreeGreen]

I have a set of RCBS .30 M1 Carbine dies that I've had since about 1986. I understood that RCBS instead of using a ring of carbide made the whole sizing die out of carbide. These are in a green box and I know the later carbide sets were in gray or silver boxes.I called RCBS and a woman told me there was no such thing as a solid carbide die. :confused:

[Mugs]

I have a set of the same age, they have a carbide ring. Green plastic box with blue label. They say carbide on the label. I have another set so old thier in a cardboard box and they are not carbide.
Mugs

[trooperdan]

RCBS dies might or might not be carbide.. if they are carbide it would be the same as other manufacturere.. just a thin ring of carbide at the mouth or the size die. I suspect (but without checking my dies) the die itself would also be marked Carbide if it is.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I have a set of RCBS dies in a green box with the sizer marked, "RCBS 9MM LU CARBO FL 84."

[floodgate]

Because the 9mm and the .30 Carbine are both slightly tapered cases, there was discussion when the first carbide dies were coming out, about making a tapered, full-length-sizing insert for these two cartridges, and not just the base-sizing ring. I don't know if RCBS ever actually made any of these (they did a lot of custom work then), but those just MIGHT be dies of that type.

floodgate

[brshooter]

I had a set of 9mm dies for a star press, but the sizing die was not carbide. Star was way behind in delivery, like 18 months and they wanted a king's ransom for the carbide die. Star press dies have a much smaller thread than standard dies, so using a standard die was out as I did not want to change the threaded hole on the Star tool head. So I bought a Lyman carbide die, Heated it up and removed the carbide insert. I then had a machinest bore out the Star 9mm sizing die and then silver soldered the Lyman 9mm carbide insert in the Star sizing die, after cooling polished interior and exterior of the die and still am using it. I bet it is by far the most inexpensive Star 9mm sizing die out there.

[Mugs]

floodgate
My RCBS 30 carbine dies have a full length carbide insert.
Mugs

[miestro_jerry]

I know a commercial reloader that has the full carbide dies, they aren't cheap and the waiting period is long. They are nice to have, for me especially in 9mmP, because many of the dies are not tapered they are a ring of carbide and it narrows the case.

Jerry