Lee dies

[radio2]

Are Lee dies any good? I just ordered a dillon 550 and wanted to know who's dies to get

[gunboat]

You can buy a cadillac or chevy, both get you from a to b --

[xxdabroxx]

i think the consensus is they are mediocre. I use them with no problems. I think it matters more when you want a lot more precision, for plinking loads they are fine.

[1lostinspace]

They are ok but you can never make the same bullet twice.
Unlike RCBS they don't have a set screw.

[Fjold]

I've used the same set of Lee dies for my 44 Mag since 1981, they still work fine

[radio2]

So who makes the best dies? I don't want to buy cheap dies

[xrMike]

I've been getting MOA and even sub-MOA accuracy from my .223 handloads using Lee's 3-die set (and that's with irons, not glass).

Eventually I will pick up one of those fancy RCBS competition seating dies though, just to see what it can do.

[5hundo]

So who makes the best dies? I don't want to buy cheap dies

I'd say that the "industry standard" are RCBS dies but that doesn't necessariliy make them "best"...

Dillon Precision makes great dies...

My .308 dies are Hornady and most of my pistol dies are RCBS Carbide sets. I've never tried lee but I know guys that swear by them.

[BamBam-31]

Redding Type S sizing and decapping, Redding Competition Seating, as per Randall's suggestions in the sticky.

I just ordered a set for .308, will let you know how well they work.

[new cal shooter]

Redding has an excellent crimp die. use that along with the redding mico adustment seater i got at a yard sale for $10, Never go back, bu I use my Lee to deprime / size, works fine. Loaded over 2K with my old lee 1000 auto index press, fine for 9mm 45acp and 357, but not for any mag loads when you need to crimp in a 4th station.

[radio2]

I'd say that the "industry standard" are RCBS dies but that doesn't necessariliy make them "best"...

Dillon Precision makes great dies...

My .308 dies are Hornady and most of my pistol dies are RCBS Carbide sets. I've never tried lee but I know guys that swear by them.

I been looking am thinking about getting the RCBS carbon die set.

[5hundo]

I been looking am thinking about getting the RCBS carbon die set.

They're fantastic...

No case lube needed but they're only available for staight-walled cases...

[Rule .308]

Lee makes some pretty good reloading stuff, unfortunately their regular reloading dies are not one of them. For neck sizing only you can't beat their collet dies. RCBS, Hornady, Redding and Forster all make good dies. I use them all for various applications. I really like the seater die that Hornady markets.

[merritt]

Lee dies aren't bad and the sets are cheap (though as has been noted their lock rings leave something to be desired)

If you aren't a sub-moa shooter (or are loading for a less accurate gun) then they will do fine. plus if you bust up a lee die the whole thing costs less than parts for another die (I have a Forrester decap assembly in the mail right now that set me back more than one of the lee dies I own...)

[eaglemike]

I been looking am thinking about getting the RCBS carbon die set.

Ummm, I think you mean CARBIDE, right? Big difference........ Carbon steel = plain steel, requires lube even for straight wall cases. For Pistol and .30 carbine you'll want carbide. Dillon also used to have (maybe still does) carbide dies for .223 and .308. You'd still need to lube the lube for these last 2, but no as critical.

Nothing at all wrong with Lee dies. Better than Dillon in some ways. No b.s. as I used to sell Dillon stuff at the gun shows. I served my apprencticeship in a place that made reloading equipment.

all the best,
Mike