Die locking rings

[tranders]

What's your favorite locking rings?

I like RCBS dies,but hate their locking rings. I like Hornady's locking rings,but they contact each other on the Lee Classic turret press.

Also noticed Brownells sells die lock ring pliers. Are these worth owning?

Thanks!

[Taterhead]

I like the RCBS/Lyman style on my die plates. Crank them down without using the brass set screws. One of those xheap RCBS lock ring wrenches are nice for the die plates. For single stage, the Hornady and Forster style are nice.

RCBS work fine once you figure out the right amount of torque on the set screw to hold without harming the die threads. A piece of lead shot under the set screw is good too.

[gtrpickr]

I just bought some Hornady lock rings for my Lee dies but I am using a Lee classic cast single stage press.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I've come to really like the Dillon rings. They are small enough to fit anything and they do the job. No set screws though.

[imashooter2]

I like the Lee rings, and use them on all brands of dies.

[Bayou52]

It's the RCBS locking rings for me. I ditched the Lee rings - not a fan of those at all....

[Moleman-]

I'm slowly replacing all of mine with Hornady lock rings when they're on sale and I remember. The majority of my dies now have them, although another 20 or so lock rings wouldn't hurt. Use a RCBS JR single stage and a Hornady projector progressive press. When I had a Lee loadmaster it would sometimes take a little finagling to get all hornady lock rings on the dies, and often one die would still end up with a Lee lock ring. The hornady lock rings lock in much better than rcbs or any that use a set screw and lead pellet. Their LNL bushing system seems silly because of it. Hornady should of just gone with a die head like everyone else.

[jmort]

Hornady Sure-Loc
and
for my Lee Breech Lock Presses, Lee Breech Lock Quick Change
Both have the side locking screw

[wbrco]

I've been ditching the Lee rings due to the size on my classic cast. I just can't seem to get them to stay tight and no room to get a tool in to torque.

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[str8wal]

On the Lee turret, RCBS rings work best as others are too big and I don't need to use the set screw. I use another style for single stage press that clamps with a screw in the ring as RCBS set screw system sucks.

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I use the, what, Hornady?, for rifles. The rings tighten.

For pistol on the turret press, I just use Lee's stock rings. They keep everything in place once I snug them down. I hate them for single-stage, though.

Regards,

Josh

[mdi]

IMO lock ring use is misunderstood by many reloaders (lifelong machinist/mechanic here). Many tighten them down way too tight an ruin threads with set screws.

I found the Forster and Sinclair type to work quite well (but I don't remember it the fit on a Lee turret as the Lee dies worked well). Squeezing/"clamping" the thread body is a positive locking method and does not damage the die body threads...

[gwpercle]

I get mine from CH4D , they have a nice assortment.
Gary

[Kenstone]

I've come to really like the Dillon rings. They are small enough to fit anything and they do the job. No set screws though.
Use 2 Dillon rings locked together...no set screw needed.
Get the Dillon wrench too
thank me later,
:smile:

[country gent]

I made a bunch of lock rings and if I by them I buy foresters or any that are also compatable with my bonanza co ax press. Makes life easier for me

[Mytmousemalibu]

Use 2 Dillon rings locked together...no set screw needed.
Get the Dillon wrench too
thank me later,
:smile:

Double nutting them is a good trick as it is for many other mechanical applications. Despite no set screw (not a bother to me but some guys insist on them) on the Dillon rings, I never have had them back off on me and I don't crank them down real tight, just snug and all is good! I have the Dillon wrench, actually the whole setup on my 650, a nice item for sure! What I have really come to like is the aftermarket made wrench that I got off Ebay. It is like 1/4" thick stainless, 12pt, and double ended with one end is slotted open to slip around dies. Really handy little wrench!

[jetinteriorguy]

The trick to using the set screw on the RCBS rings and not bugger up the threads is to first thread the ring onto the die. Then remove the set screw, put about 3-4 small #8 lead shotgun pellets in the hole. Then put the set screw in, the lead pellets will crush and form to the threads. This way you can still tighten down the set screw but the lead buffer formed by the pellets prevents the threads of the die from getting buggered up. This way if you have to readjust them you can loosen the ring, adjust it, and retighten with no damage.

[sukivel]

Use 2 Dillon rings locked together...no set screw needed.
Get the Dillon wrench too
thank me later,
:smile:

Great idea!


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[tranders]

Thank you all for the informative responses.
I have a line on a used Lyman turret press which might cure the problem of not having enough room for my preferred Hornady rings.

[shafer44]

I like RCBS locking rings....ever since I talked to them and they sent me replacement ones FREE with steel screws. The brass screws would strip out where the allen wrench is used to tighten them. I use the steel "set screws" with a lead #6 shot or 2 in the hole first and then tighten. Like the other guy above said, when you tighten down, the lead forms to the threads and makes it very tight. The only problem with this, is that if you need to change depth, the lead keeps in contact even after loosening the screw, so it does not free wheel like when you first install it. That to me is not a problem, I like for it to stay tight and not move so easily.

[Johnny_V]

Definitely the Hornady. Locks Down solid, and can tighten or loosen with a wrench. Plus, they will NEVER damage the threads.

[troyboy]

Prefer Lee lock rings.

[Valley-Shooter]

Hornady lock rings are the best. All my Lee dies wear them. Never need adjustment. Perfect for loading on the single stage press.

[EDG]

Some dies and die sets do not require precision settings or high quality lock rings.

Straight wall FL dies don't for example and you can use almost any old ring.

Some dies need to be locked but setting them is not tedious. That includes a lot of expander and seating dies. For these dies you often lock the body in place and do the fine adjusting with
the expander or seater stem.

FL dies for bottle neck cases where you want precision control of the shoulder location need a good locking ring.
For this precision application I like the Forster, RCBS and Hornady split clamping dies.

In general I loathe the Lee O ring locking rings but I still use them on some easy to set die and die sets that do not see a lot of use.

I also loathe the lead shot under the set screw set up. Get rid of the lead and use a piece of nylon screw or a nylon ball.
The nylon is elastic and when you back off the set screw the nylon springs away from the die threads allowing you to easily turn the die body.

[jetinteriorguy]

Ooh, I like the idea of a nylon ball or piece of a nylon rod or so, should work better than the lead. The only problem with the lead is even after you loosen the set screw you still need to use a tool to move the lock ring since the lead does sort of stick to the threads.

[EDG]

True because the lead is not elastic. When it is smashed against the threads it just stays there wedged tight until you hit the ring right on top of the set screw.
The nylon is not my idea. Lyman used nylon balls under their set screws back in the 1960s until they went to the clamp ring design.


Ooh, I like the idea of a nylon ball or piece of a nylon rod or so, should work better than the lead. The only problem with the lead is even after you loosen the set screw you still need to use a tool to move the lock ring since the lead does sort of stick to the threads.

[kryogen]

dillon/forster, even the lee dies without the oring work well...

[wrench man]

My newer RCBS dies have retained their hex lock nuts, all other have been converted to the Dillon lock nuts, I have the Dillon wrench but I prefer an ordinary boxend wrench, I set them and forget them!

[lightman]

If you are using a lock ring with a set screw and lead slug, a quick rap on the set screw with a plastic hammer or screwdriver handle will let it turn freely. I prefer a split ring like the Hornady. Sinclair makes a nice one, somewhat expensive, that I use on my Giraud trimmer. I keep a wrench on my bench that fits the hex nut style rings.

[dragon813gt]

I like the Lee rings, and use them on all brands of dies.

Same here. Dies get moved between presses to often. I need them to hold at the time of use. Not for a permanent setting.

[mdi]

The trick to using the set screw on the RCBS rings and not bugger up the threads is to first thread the ring onto the die. Then remove the set screw, put about 3-4 small #8 lead shotgun pellets in the hole. Then put the set screw in, the lead pellets will crush and form to the threads. This way you can still tighten down the set screw but the lead buffer formed by the pellets prevents the threads of the die from getting buggered up. This way if you have to readjust them you can loosen the ring, adjust it, and retighten with no damage.
Or you could just get nylon tipped set screws, designed to not damage threads...https://www.mcmaster.com/#set-screws/=17b6do8

[jetinteriorguy]

I have used pretty much all kinds of lock rings, and even though initially I didn't care much for the Lee lock rings they have grown on me. One thing that really makes them work well is to get the plastic tool from Titan that they sell for tightening them down. This tool just makes it easier to get a feel for tightening them down consistently and tight enough to really lock them in. It also makes it extremely easy to loosen them and readjust them in a jiffy.

[Lance Boyle]

I like the split ring Hornady rings. Now if
fhey only made them as thick as the Forster ones for
the Co-ax I'd be perfectly happy.

The brass set screw RcBS was the most aggravating along with Redding. The Redding set screw simply never held for me.