Hornady dies

[Tom W.]

The older I get the more I appreciate the tapered sizing button in Hornady dies. To me it seems so much easier to use..

[lightman]

That taper makes sense. Most of my dies are RCBS with a few Redding. I polish those expanders in a cordless drill and a piece of 1200 grit emory cloth. I give the top end a little extra attention and try to break the sharp shoulder.

[Chad5005]

ill have to try a Hornady die,ive got lee and rcbs,btw wanna help me trim some brass...lol

[Tom W.]

Sure. Pm me when you'll be in the area and I'll give you my phone number. Tuesday I have to go to Eufaula, then I'll be in Clayton at the range for a while.

[ioon44]

I have been replacing my older Dillon dies ( 9 mm .40 S&W .44 & .45 ACP) with new Hornady dies and like them a lot better for loading cast bullets.

[oldhenry]

Back when I was reloading rifle cartridges I preferred the Hornady dies. Never broke a de-priming pin. Their .223 sizing die did a better job than my RCBS SB.

I never used them for handguns.

Henry

BTW Tom W & Chad5005: When you 2 get together for the brass trimming, if there are many .223s involved I have a Match Prep that would do them quickly.

[lightman]

I had to google "match prep" to see what you were using. Nice machine!

[Chad5005]

oldhenry,i do want to meet tom w but I was just messing with him about brass trimming,id rather shoot with him than work

[Tom W.]

I don't mind heading to Albany. I left quite a few dollars there when there was a sporting goods store. I can't remember the name of the place, but they built that really nice place in Leesburg and then closed down......

[osteodoc08]

I don't mind heading to Albany. I left quite a few dollars there when there was a sporting goods store. I can't remember the name of the place, but they built that really nice place in Leesburg and then closed down......

I would shop over there quite a bit when I was attending GSW and had friends in Albany. Unfortunately “lost them” in a divorce as his wife was my ex’s BFF. His family is well to do and have owned several dealerships and pawn shops in the area. Still kick myself for not picking up a Remington Rand for super cheapnwhen his father offered it to me, but as a poor college student couldn’t afford it. His father eventually went on to pass from Lymphoma.

[Bazoo]

How do the Hornady full length die size in comparison to other brands? In terms of on the small or large side of tolerance.

[1hole]

How do the Hornady full length die size in comparison to other brands? In terms of on the small or large side of tolerance.

You bring up SAMMI tolerances that often gets overlooked when "comparing" die brands. Fact is, all of our die makers adhere to the specifications as well as they can - and they let precious few get passed inspection.

All ammo is expected to chamber in all SAAMI (commercial) chambers without jamming or being too loose and those figures can't be the common plus or minus a few thousants. Chamber specs are measured from a specific reference point to about three thou larger; size dies specs are from a slightly smaller dimension to about three thou smaller. Thus, the need for ammo that chambers is assured.

The thing for reloaders to understand is that ANY dies that fit within the range is fully in tolerance and most do, so NO ONE produces "more accurate" dies than the others because all makers run from one extreme of the tolerance to the other. The differences in sizers of the same maker is as large as the differences between brands.

Generally speaking, the tightest fit will occur when the chamber is "small" and the sizer is "large" while a reloader who has a largish chamber and a smallish die will have the loosest fit. The differences are sufficently tiny he is unlikely to care, but changing brands for a better fit is an uncertain effort; he has just as good a chance for improvement by using another die from the same maker!

(My "proof" all this is that if any die maker actually made dies that produce provable accuracy advantages over his competitors they would be blasting that out in every one their adds ... and we all know that doesn't happen!)

Seater die dimensions are not needed and are not SAAMI specified. The virtual twin "Competition" and 'BR" seater dies from Forster and Redding are tied for the "best" of the threaded dies, all others are tied in a distant second place. No matter the die brand or design, the inner parts of all other seaters are too loosely fitted to make any consistent difference.

Anyone who disagrees needs to examine this for themselves. Obtain and examine/measure the end results from a few dozen dies made by a dozen or more brands. It's amazing what a collection of size die chamber casts, a good caliper, a micrometer reading in tenths and a reliable concentricity/run-out gage can teach us about our own brand misconceptions.

[Tom W.]

I only have two Hornady die sets, one for the 30/30 A.I. and the other for 30-06. My 30/30 dies are Herters. and do just fine. My handgun dies are RCBS carbide and my 30-06 A.I. dies are Redding. I haven't had any complaints with any of them, altho sometimes my clumsiness causes me to have to call RCBS for a spare part.....

I really like the lock rings that Hornady has, and am slowly replacing the RCBS lock rings.

[oldhenry]

I don't mind heading to Albany. I left quite a few dollars there when there was a sporting goods store. I can't remember the name of the place, but they built that really nice place in Leesburg and then closed down......

That was American Outdoors. They closed. Another opened up & they closed. Yet another opened up & just recently they closed.

I have 2 options: 1. Shooters in Columbus or 2. Barrows in Butler.........both excellent shops.

Tom W. & Chad5005: I shoot also & have my own range. Several "wounded" IHMSA chickens & pigs about. You (both) are welcome anytime.

Henry

[Tom W.]

That sounds like a plan, as I'm medically retired......I went to Shooters about a week or so ago when Lori was off for Christmas, just to ask if they had any Henry Single shot rifles. The salesperson said no and he showed me the website pictures. I pointed out the Top one with the pistol grip. I know the MSRP is not that much The salesman looked and said $699.99.
I blurted out a mild obscenity and reminded him the lever guns sold for that much. Oh well, I can't afford one anyway....especially at that price.

I want to head back to Dothan and check out Southern Outdoor Sports, and see if that other shop on the inside of the circle about a half mile away is still there....