Die, Shellholder Brand Match

[quack1]

You can even have minor problems with matching dies and shellholders. I bought RCBS dies and RCBS shellholder when I got my 22-250. A buddy gave me a partial box of factory ammunition he had left from when he had a 22-250 (he never reloaded). After firing it and some I loaded with new brass, the first reloading, sized with full contact between the die and shellholder, wouldn't quite chamber. Found out the shoulder wasn't getting pushed back enough. I ground a little bit off the top of the shellholder and the problem went away. I figure tolerance stacking between the chamber and sizing die was the culpret, since the factory ammunition chambered fine. Just luck of the draw that I had die at the big end of tolerance and a chamber at the small end.

[Kestrel4k]

Interesting discussion; I seldom mix&match, but will keep this in mind going forward. Am about to reload for a 257Roberts with a /very/ tight chamber, and this might be a trick to use actually.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I prefer Lee dies. I have a whole long story about my love/hate relationship with Lee dies, but I won't go into all that in this thread, except shell holders, since that is the topic du joir.
Of my many sets of Lee dies (maybe 25 sets?) I have had at least 4 shell holders that were out of spec, and worse yet one was not squarely machined. At some point after I had more than one Lee shell holder issue, I ordered a complete set of Lyman brand shell holders, and also, whenever I see a shell holder collection at a gunshow for a few bucks, I buy them for my stash.

So, I am in the unmatched camp, LOL.

[BK7saum]

I use a single shellholder for all dies in that case head category. No way I am dedicating a shellholder for each die set, that would be close to $500 just in shellholders.

Most of my loading is bottleneck rifle cartridges. I never bottom out the die on the shellholder unless that happens to be the headspace measurement for sizing I need. I measure off the shoulder with the Hornady comparator and bump 0.001-0.002" for bolt actions and 0.0015-0.003" for semi-autos.

Changing shellholders from the one used to set up the dies can definitely screw up you die sizing and ammunition, either rendering it unusable due to a longer shoulder or shortening case life by sizing too much.

[ascast]

what he said ^^^^

[35 Rem]

I reached the point many years ago where I dedicate a shell holder to each set of dies. That way, once the dies are adjusted, I don't have to worry about things changing if I grab a different shell holder. I have never adhered to the 'same brand' of shell holders and dies, and never had a problem due to that.

I do the same. As a result, I have a pile of duplicate RCBS #3 shell holders I think it is that fits the common 30-06 case head. Also, it's just plain convenient to not have to look for the correct shell holder every time you open up a box of dies.

[rintinglen]

I don't care who made my shell holder, as long as it is the one I used to set the dies in the first place. I have never had a problem due to shell holder-die mismatch, though I did once have a C-H set of 250 savage dies that I had to modify to get the shoulder set back to allow proper chambering in my rifle. That, however, was a rifle chamber/die mismatch, not anything due to the shell holder.

[popper]

I have a shell holder in each die box. And I adjust/grind the bottom of the die (if needed) to allow proper headspace. I tried grinding a shell holder - nope, too hard.

[jmorris]

I have seen recommendations that shellholders should match the brand of the dies. How critical is this? Has anyone encountered a difficulty that could not be overcome by adjustment?

FWIW Co-ax owners don't use normal shell holders, it's a whole different animal but you can use various brands of dies in them.