Lee universal.......

[spurgon]

cast bullet expander die. Is this a good item to have or would I need something more

caliber specific? I a newbie, just getting my ducks in a row to start casting.

thanks

spurgon

[NuJudge]

The alternative to this is a set of Lyman "M" dies for each caliber you load cast bullets in. I have both. I'm using the Lee Universal more these days.

The nice thing about the Lyman is that it gives you tighter control on neck Internal Diameter (just a little neck tension on the bullet), and lets you get away with less belling of the case mouth.

Many Full Length or Neck Size dies size necks down too much, relying on you using an expander to increase neck internal diameter to the neighborhood you want. Of late, I've been loading mostly semi-auto pistol calibers, and only concerned with possibly not getting enough neck tension, so I've been using mostly the Lee.

In awhile I'll be loading rifle calibers again, where I want less neck tension. Lyman used to make available just the 2-stepped central expander that screws into the die body, but I don't see it anywhere. Somebody other than Lyman also makes these things, but I cannot remember who.

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[mtgrs737]

The Lee is all I use on my rifle bullets, and it seems to work just fine.

[Bret4207]

The Lee is a flaring die, not the same as an M-die. I have both. The Lee works fine if you remember to set it so the flare is at the absolute end of the stroke. Anything less and you'll end up over flaring a few cases and splitting them. The M-die is a much gentler angle and does more than just the case mouth. Both work. Just a bit different designs and slightly different results.

FWIW- You can do the same thing as a Lee die with a pair of round nosed pliers. Just a quick turn and it's flared. Not real scientific or repeatable results. But it works.

[PatMarlin]

I'm been wanting to make a few "M Die" shaped fittings that will fit in the LEE expander die.

The LEE is really a must have though IMO... :Fire: :drinks: