Three Die Sets Rant...

[15meter]

If you want a single brand of dies, have you tried CH-4D?

In the past, they have sold individual dies, not just sets. For the expander dies you can even specify plug diameter.

I have a number of custom expander dies and oddball caliber dies from them.

I've been pleased both with the quality of the tools and the quality of their customer service.

[lightman]

As you see from the above post, there are several ways to handle your problem. I have bought a few individual crimp dies from RCBS over the years.

[Char-Gar]

I would crimp 45-70s in a levergun but nothing else. Why are you hung up on a die of the same make. A crimp, is a crimp, is a crimp not matter what make of die is used. Buy an orphan seat crimp die on Ebay and don't look back.

[mdi]

I rarely use a "stock" crimping die and normally buy an individual crimp die. Stock taper crimp dies, the ones that come in a set, are usually OK as I don't crimp, I just deflare. But I usually prefer a Profile crimp or collet crimp dies for roll crimps. I tried seating and crimping in one step but didn't care for setting up the die and I used a turret press for quite a while an now use a Co-Ax so swapping died is just 3 seconds...

[oley55]

well I went with the RCBS 45-70 cowboy dies (about $10 more than the regular 3 die set) and a Lee collet crimp die. I am hoping the Cowboy expander will do what is needed for cast boolits. Just in case I ordered a couple NOE expanders to go along with the NOE sizers I ordered.

Mold will be the inexpensive two-hole Lee 457-340, hoping I can cast a bit cooler and get to .458" as cast, adding powder coat should get me to .459". Loading for a Henry brass Lever Gun, particulars unknown. My friend has been shooting Precision One, Trapdoor 350gr ammo through it and is happy with the recoil, so I'm trying stay in the less than 1400fps range.

I may give him my very first press, a 1980s Lee 3 Hole turret, but it has sentimental value.

[Harter66]

I know this is a grossly over simplified answer . I bought my first set of 45-70 dies at "the big Reno show" $25 I got a Redding sizer and seater and an RCBS sizer in a Redding box w/the wrong seating stem.
Fortunately I had a 458 WM RCBS set for the expander, no 458 but dies .
Later I bought an RCBS set with all 3 dies .
I also have a generic RCBS 45 cal taper crimp die .
I bought a Lee crimp die also .

So I have 3 loose dies , a 2 die set , a 3 die set , and a 3 die set I borrow one die from .

If you think that's a mess the 6.5 and 7.7 Japanese are just as bad .
Lyman and RCBS 2 die sets and a bushing die with 3 custom bushings because the bore size is out in the weeds . Also custom expanders .
I got off easy with the 7.7 the Hornady 8×57 neck die is perfect w/o the expander in it as the neck ID needs to .316 .
30-30 gets a loose 308 size die for neck sizer .
I picked up a 6.5×257 Roberts AI set that is basically useless to me except it's a dandy neck die for Dad's 25-06' . In hindsight the Forster Bench Rest die for the 264 WM would probably work there also .
I have had as many 5 seats of 38/357 at one time I have just 3 now 1 set up for each and a steel set set for 38 with a washer in the box .
4 sets of 45 Colts.
A a 223 with a spare sizer because I picked one up cheap to use as a 222 neck die .........now I have 2 seaters for the 222 because the neck die was in a set with the correct neck die and I had a FL set for it . A 256 Win mag set for a step die for 223 to 222 .


Believe me you aren't the only guy that would have a couple of extra dies or multiple sets .

I forgot about the 45 mag set I use for the 45 S&W because I had an ACP reamed Schofield with an ACP reamer ...... I do have a set of 45 S&W dies also .

[wilecoyote]

over time I have developed a pathological tendency to accumulate dies, experiencing great reluctance in selling them even when apparently superfluous or useless. the strange thing is that sooner or later I find a way to use them, often at least in some alternative way, or so I like to think.
luckily I have=reload only a limited variety of guns...

[country gent]

I loaded a lot of very good ammo with the lee wack a moles but not using an mallet. I found an old bottle capper in the barn at my grandparents. Dad and I cleaned it up and that press was used. A harbor freight 1/2 or 1 ton arbor press should do the same service.

[hoodat]

This is the perfect forum for guys who cobble together the various parts and pieces to get the job done. I've come up with some pretty ingenious "custom dies" to accomplish what I need, and some of my die boxes have detailed notes to remind me how to use them when I go back maybe three years later to load that particular ammo. jd

[j4570]

Looks like midway has Redding and Lee single dies. You can buy a Redding three die set and a Redding profile crimp die.

[megasupermagnum]

I don't understand this rant at all. Is there any manufacturer you can't buy individual dies? I almost exclusively buy Lee now, and you can buy dies individually, or for 45-70 you can buy the 3 die set, which is a sizer, powder through expander, and bullet seater. You can then individually buy the collet crimp die. Lee even sells a 4 die sets, but only for a select number of calibers. Heck, most Lee 3 die sets even come with 4 spaces. They are available from Midway. Each die is available individually too.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011214925?pid=818681

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016833587?pid=747243

[GONRA]

oley55 thinks its tough dealing with 3 die 7/8-14 sets,
GONRA remembers they were only 2 die 7/8-14 sets before that!
And NOW they're all 4 die sets! WOW!