some help please

[rrookie]

First let me say this is an awesome forum. I have learned so much the past few days. Thank you all for spreading your knowledge.
I just started reloading a few months ago, my dad gave me some of his dies and I was always taught to save my brass so I have buckets full. Now for a few questions. I was helping my uncle move and when he found out that I was reloading he gave me a few tools. The only thing is I do not have a use for them. I already have a 38 die, 9mm die 10mm die along with a .223.

Since new dies are carbide does anyone still use the steel? Below are some of the tools he gave me.

[DerekP Houston]

Steel dies are still preferred by some people. You just need to make sure you apply a light coat of case lube. I use a inkpad type tray from RCBS i got awhile back.

[bangerjim]

Yes....people still use steel dies.......gotta lube them a lot!!!!! I only use carbide insert dies 100%.

[rrookie]

Thanks guys! My dad and his friend are teaching me about reloading. Wish it did not take me this long to get into it, but live and learn right. When I was pinking up my first few sets of dies they both told me to get carbide that's my reason for asking. Its good to know that there is a market for them.

[Minerat]

All of my rifle dies are steel and have to be lubed. Even the 50 AE dies are steel. I use Imperial sizing wax to lube everything from the .223 to the 300 WBY a little goes a long way on everything but the .223 and I am going to do those different from now on. On the other hand I don't use a progressive press for any of my rifle ammo so speed is not my concern. FYI in most sets only the sizing die is carbide and then most pistol dies have a carbide ring in their mouth, the expander die and the seating dies are still steel. (at least in my sets)

Welcome to the forum, read read read and you can learn a lot here. Also don't be afraid to ask questions there's a bunch of knowledge here from casting bollits to killing ants.

[w5pv]

Less head aches with the carbide dies

[.22-10-45]

Does the small dbl. cav. mould have any markings?

[Hardcast416taylor]

The old rule of thumb about carbide dies is the fact they are meant for straight walled pistol calibers and don`t work when a bottle necked tapered wall rifle case is being loaded.Robert

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

rrookie,
welcome to the website. If you got room, hang on to those dies, you never know when a need for them will pop up. As Derek stated, some people prefer steel dies. Here is a older comment by Char-Gar from 03-12-2013,where he replied to a question about the size of a 38spl case after Sizing.

Is the sizer carbide or steel. I stopped using carbide dies because they sized the cases to much. Cases sized in a good steel die have a slight taper, whereas carbide rings give a straight case. Herein in my problem with them.

late 60 vintage steel RCBS 357 Magnum dies size the cases .378 at the head and .373 at mid-case and .371 at the case mouth. Of course this case mouth spec is before they are expanded to receive the bullet.

My mid-60s steel RCBS dies in 38 Special give .3785, .376 and .370 at the same places. Again, before the cases are expanded for the bullet.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...an-38-357-dies


disclaimer: I use carbide dies for all my straight wall case pistol reloading...it's just so much simpler if you don't need to lube...although, sometimes large cases like 500S&Wmag, when I size them with my carbide die, I do smear a couple fingerprints worth of case lube on every 5th case, due to the amount of force required on the press...the Lube eases it, just takes the tiniest amount.

[bedbugbilly]

Welcome to the forum! Lot's of good folks and good information here!

My main pistol cartridges are 38 spl., 38 Colt Short & Long, 357 Mag, 45 Colt, 9mm and 380 ACP. I use carbide FL sizing dies on all of them. The only cartridge that I don't full length size is my 45 Colt - I just neck size those but still in a carbide FL die. I'm talking pistol cartridges now . . . That's not to say that some of my die sets are not "vintage" - but I have just gotten a carbide FL sizing die for them.

I will mention that on all of my FL sizing dies, I remove the depriving pin as I deprive all of my brass using a Lee universal depriving die - both on my pistol and my bottle neck rifle cartridges (30-30 and 8mm Mauser). I use a Lyman M-die to expand the bottlenecks. And all I shot are my cast lead boolits.

As mentioned, the bottle-necks need to be lubed before sizing. The pistol cartridges with the carbide dies do not - which certainly speeds up the reloading process. If I were just getting started though or on a strict budget, and all I had was a steel sizing die for pistol cartridges, I would certainly not hesitate to use one until I could afford or find a carbide sizing die. They were used for years with great success.

You are very fortunate in that you have a Dad and an Uncle who have reloaded that can help you out with information, etc. If you don't have one, get yourself a good loading manual and read it thoroughly as it will be very helpful. If you are going to be casting or shooting lead boolits, you might want to get a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook - there are four Editions out there. They provide excellent loading data for use with cast boolits for the various cartridges. I have two and refer to them all the time.

Good luck and have fun!