reloading dies, elcheapo for me

[nekshot]

After many years of thinking green was the only product worthy of my money and with the venture into cast and needing to equip the next generation, I started buying used herters(or any brand that was cheap) and specifically the RGB lee dies. I rarely full length size, don't use the seater die if I can escape it and when I do use the seating die I always seem to be modifying the nose on the seater or cast boolits stick in it and that really gets up my nose! So bring on the economy brand to me and I am happy. Multi-colorful, sounds right for our times.
nekshot

[EMC45]

I'm with you.

[plainsman456]

While i have a lot of rcbs and redding die sets i also have some lyman,lee and some of those old herters dies.

I really like the in-line seating sold by herters,even made up some of the seating dies for other calibers.

Nothing wrong with a little color.

[SeabeeMan]

All my stuff is red...but only because I like Hornady's boxes! I also have plenty of used gun show die sets pieced together at a few bucks a crack. They work well for what I do and its more money for the stuff that goes down range.

[MT Chambers]

A lot of my stuff is red as well, Forster red!!

[lightman]

I usually go higher end, but really, dies are dies. I have had 2 sets that would not work. A Herters and a set from Minnesota Shooters supply. That was a long time ago. The 45acp set simply would not size the case enough to hold the bullet. The decapper/expander on the 22 Hornet set would not screw into the sizer die far enough not to contact the case web. I don't remember which caliber came from which company. Help was not offered, and these die sets were replaced with RCBS and I never looked back. Other sets from these companies worked fine. Nowadays, most of my gear is still Green. Red, Orange, Green, Blue, its hard to go wrong! Lightman

[1hole]

I've been reloading since '65, have a lot of dies and other tools from a lot of makers, many brands long gone. I've not found any functional difference in the average "quality"of any brand of common dies and they all turn out an occasional loser. In fact, every truly experienced reloader I know has mulitpul brands on his bench because most us abandoned foolish emotional attachments to inanimate things years ago.

[EDG]

I have an emotional unattachment to cheap sorry dies.

[1Shirt]

I have red, green, blue (Bair), black (Lyman) American, Herters, Redding, Lee, etc. and they all get used and the ammo goes bang!
1Shirt!

[W.R.Buchanan]

I gave up trying to be brand specific with my tools along time ago. I used to think Snap-On was the holy grail. Then a friend bought a timing light from them for $279. I had bought the same light at Kragen auto parts a week earlier for $79! Would never consider buying another Snap-On tool new unless there was nobody else who made it. However I would buy used Snap on wrenches or sockets just because they are the good things that Snap-On makes.

Now I buy whatever I need from whomever has it. I still have and use wrenches and the tool box my Dad gave me for my 12 birthday. Surprisingly they still spin nuts and bolts just fine.

I have every reloading tool I have ever acquired. I also think you have to buy from whomever has the tools that will do what you need done. The operative word being NEED.

You don't NEED Benchrest dies to load .30-30's, in fact any .30-30 dies ever made as long as they are in good condition will work just fine.

One outfit might make a primer pocket cleaner that works better than others, buy that.

I like RCBS for new dies, however I also like the older Pacific Dura-Chrome dies. I also like Lee dies and especially their Collet style crimp dies for rifle cartridges going thru semi auto magazine fed guns.

My setup for loading .223/5.56 consists of a RCBS sizing die, a Dillon Powder Die and Measure, an RCBS precision bullet seater, and a Lee Collet Style Crimp Die. All mounted on a PW Metal Matic II.

I have no compunction about mixing brands of dies or equipment to achieve the results I am looking for. At this point in my life, I am loading the best quality ammo I have ever made.

It's all about using the right tools for the job. Where they came from is a non issue!

Randy

[mdi]

Dies are the one thing I will always buy new, I learned my lesson. I have purchased two RCBS die sets on ebay and both were abused. Obviously, the previous owners were the "Primitive Pete" type users. Both sets had lock rings that were tightened against the pressso tight, the threads on the body were distorted. The set screws were so tight the threads on the set screw hole were distorted and heavy grooves cut into the body threads. One set screw threads were stripped. Three of the setscrews had the hex socket rounded off. Being a life long machinist/mechanic it was very obvious pliers or vice grips were used on the die body. All threads in all the dies and lock rings had to be repaired, good thing I have 7/8-14 thread chasers and thread files. Setscrews were replaced. I have been buying Lee dies lately and have not been disappointed...

[rollmyown]

Most of my dies are Lee, although I have some RCBS and Simplex too. I'm not a benchrest shooter and they suit my needs just fine and at a very good price. The only dies that I ever bought that I moved on were new dimension ones from Hornady. It seems I'm not the first to do so looking at the "reloading gear that didn't work out" thread.

[blikseme300]

My reloading rigs are typically filled with a mixed set of dies as no one manufacturer satisfies my needs. We are very fortunate that so many tools are available to us for use in feeding our obsession.

[Walter Laich]

Mine range in color but they all work so I'm happy

[Old School Big Bore]

I have an exception to the 'all .30-30 dies work' posit. I had a set of Lyman .30-30 dies with the sliding bullet guide. It would repeatedly accordian case necks & shoulders no matter hor carefully I set up lengths diameters tensions etc. i finally got another brand & scavenged the small parts off the Lyman for the tool parts bin. Saving the die body - when I get a lathe it might make a basis for a decapping or powder die.

[JimA]

I think that 95% plus of die malfunctions are user induced. I have several brands and mix them on most cases I reload. They all work fine. Some have dies that I prefer for certain operations, but all will make good ammo if used properly.

[Kent Fowler]

[QUOTE=W.R.Buchanan;2297516]I gave up trying to be brand specific with my tools along time ago. I used to think Snap-On was the holy grail. Then a friend bought a timing light from them for $279. I had bought the same light at Kragen auto parts a week earlier for $79! Would never consider buying another Snap-On tool new unless there was nobody else who made it. However I would buy used Snap on wrenches or sockets just because they are the good things that Snap-On makes.]

Many a budding mechanic, unfortunately, got quickly indebted to the Snap-On man back in my day. They made it real easy to get in hock with them really fast. While I thought ,and still do, their sockets and wrenches are a must have, I only bought 2 of their screwdrivers, preferring the much cheaper and better fitting Grace wooden handled drivers that they sold. Best advice I gave my nephew a few years ago when he was first starting out was, "if you see the Snap-On man, run" I'm like you, now I only buy used Snap-On. Only problem I ever had with replacing one of their defective tools was a 1/2" drive ratchet that the finish had mostly popped off. The little smart *** on the truck said I didn't look familiar to him and where did I get the tool. I told him while it was none of his business, that I had purchased the ratchet from Snap-on in 1970, before he was born and ate beans for about a month to be able to afford it. He shut up and gave me a new one. As far as reloading equipment, I don't strictly buy one brand, I buy whatever I think will work. I have all brands and they mostly do what I want them to.

[r1kk1]

I really like Forster/Redding/Dillon dies for common chamberings, RCBS/CH4D for obsolete and some wildcats, Hornady for other wildcats, not so many Lee's but custom services stuff, and Lyman/CH4D for m-dies. I do use Wilson for what they make dies for.

Take care

r1kk1

[mdi]

No offence intended, but there's a affliction I call "tool snobbery". I was a heavy duty mechanic for a large city's water and power department and worked with many different mechanics. Some of the "snobs" would look down their nose at any tool that was not red, had the name Snap On on it, or wasn't used by their favorite TV motorcycle mechanic or NASCAR pit crew. "If it ain't Snap On (or insert their favorite tool) it's junk". I didn't get caught up in this and own tools by almost every manufacturer out there; MAC, Proto, Snap On, Williams, Craftsman, and even some Chinese junk. I noticed there is a lot of the same attitude in reloading; "If it ain't RCBS (or insert any tool) is ain't worth buying". I research each tool before I buy and sometimes the high $$$ isn't the best for what I need, so I have reloading tools (and work tools) from nearly every manufacturer, even Smart Reloader (one big mistake)...

[Bayou52]

I have a liking to RCBS tools in general. Not because they are necessarily any "better" than other brands, but rather due to the stellar RCBS customer service.

Their customer service is "no questions asked" and "we'll have a new part shipped to you at no charge".

RCBS gets my business the old fashioned way - they earn it..............

[GOPHER SLAYER]

No matter what you guys say, you must admit that even though dies such as RCBS cowboy action, Redding and Hornady may not do any better job, they do look like works of art, at least to my eyes.

[Green Frog]

I've only been reloading for 40 years now, so I'm still learning, but by and large I start by looking at what the folks with the orange paint offer and frequently buy their offering first. On the other hand, if there is a specific tool that any manufacturer offers that gives an advantage (real or perceived) to my processes, I buy it regardless of origin. Right now I'm using dies and tools from all of the Big 3 for loading one caliber group, 32 S&W L through 327 Fed Mag. :mrgreen:

Froggie

[1hole]

There are no "free parts" from anyone. Few parts are ever needed, most parts are cheap and you pay for what you are most likely to ever need up front.

I don't care at all what the externals of my loading tools look like, I'm only concerned about what they do. I've not yet found any brand of dies or presses, etc, that don't work fine when used correctly.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

All of my reloading dies are presently either RCBS or Lee and they work equally well. I have had no trouble with either system of lock rings although a decapping pin or two on the RCBS has sometimes gone out and had to be replaced. Both firms have good guarantees and customer service that is right behind you if you need something or have a question. I have had occasion in the past to use Lyman, Hornady, and Redding, dies and they all have been excellent in many ways. LLS