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Can someone explain Lee RGB Dies to me?

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  • LloydXmas250
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2009
    • 1123

    Can someone explain Lee RGB Dies to me?

    I'm new to reloading and I might just be ignorant toward this but I can't figure out what the RGB dies are about. I see there's just two dies, but anytime I watch people reload on youtube or read there's almost always 3 dies. At Bass Pro all I see are 3 or 4 die sets. So what is the purpose of these? Can just the two do everything you need or is something else required? I'm interested in buying my .223 dies tomorrow at Bass Pro. They have the 3 die set for $24. Should I get that or look into this RGB? Thanks.
  • #2
    Flyin Brian
    CGN/CGSSA Contributor
    • Oct 2009
    • 3395

    RGB just stands for "Really Great Buy" and it's just a Lee gimmick. I love Lee but some of their promotion stuff is kind of idiotic. The RGB comes with a sizing die and a bullet seating die, but you will probably want the "Lee factory crimp die" or a rifle charging die, which is where the 3 or 4 dies comes in. Some people don't crimp but I do and I have had great results.

    If you are loading for bolt action, one rifle only, look at getting the collet die set. They neck size only and will be more accurate in the long run, but you will still need a full length sizing die if you get new brass or pick some up at the range.
    Last edited by Flyin Brian; 11-16-2010, 10:57 PM. Reason: fiexd a tpyo
    NRA Life Member - CRPA Life Member - NRA Certified RSO - USN Veteran

    I collect Military Arms and enjoy shooting in local matches. I also collect older Lever Actions, especially those chambered in odd/old cartridges. If you have a nice old Winchester or Marlin in 25-20, 32-40, 38-55, 40-60, 45-70, etc etc, please PM me and we can work out a deal.

    Originally posted by TheExpertdouche
    I wasn't kidding when I said this would all be over by Xmas... Stay tuned for good news next week.

    Comment

    • #3
      gunboat
      Veteran Member
      • Apr 2008
      • 3288

      In years past almost all dies were 2 die sets -- The sizing die also decapped and sized the neck to the proper diameter -- The seating die seated the bullet and crimped the case.
      Three die pistol and straight case rifle dies came along the extra die being a expanding die.
      Four die sets came along after that, the fourth die being a crimper.
      All these combinations can vary by maker of the die sets -
      Two die sets have and can load as precise a reload as any.
      my ha-penny

      Comment

      • #4
        bohoki
        I need a LIFE!!
        • Jan 2006
        • 20778

        ive used them in 223 and 308 and ive found no need for crimping as my bullets seat nice and tight

        pistol dies often come with 3 as they have an expanding to help seat flat base bullets and cast lead

        with rifle boattails load easy and with flat base bullets it helps to have trimmed and debured inside (leaving a slight chamfer)

        Comment

        • #5
          LloydXmas250
          Senior Member
          • Oct 2009
          • 1123

          Excuse the ignorance again but what exactly does a crimp do? I have just been reloading 9mm but I just seat the bullet. I don't really understand what more a crimp would do. Does it actually make a crimp? Does it look or work any differently?

          Comment

          • #6
            bohoki
            I need a LIFE!!
            • Jan 2006
            • 20778

            Originally posted by LloydXmas250
            Excuse the ignorance again but what exactly does a crimp do? I have just been reloading 9mm but I just seat the bullet. I don't really understand what more a crimp would do. Does it actually make a crimp? Does it look or work any differently?

            with pistol rounds a crimp will help with feeding issues due to tight chambers with rifle a crimp is meant to make as close to mil spec as a person can by pressing some of the brass into the bullet knurling if your bullet selection does not have the center knurling then you should not crimp

            it is extremely important to have a tight tolerence in your case length

            Comment

            • #7
              LloydXmas250
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2009
              • 1123

              For my AR I will mainly be plinking. Should I get the Pacesetter 3 Die set or the regular Lee 3 Die set? I'm not sure that crimping would be necessary for me. I could always get the crimping die later.

              Also, is it hard to seat flat-based rounds in a case without expanding the rim?

              Comment

              • #8
                Divernhunter
                Calguns Addict
                • May 2010
                • 8753

                Seating flat base bullets are not a problem. You can adjust the seating die to crimp or not to crimp. I do not on rifle rounds and I load from 204ruger to 338win mag also 45/70 and 50bmg. About 35+ different cartridges.

                "I" personally have a couple sets of lee dies but do not care for them. Get RCBS or Hornady(or Redding or Lyman) and you will not look back. IF you do get lee dies be sure to get a real locking ring as the POS they have cannot be locked in place so requires resetting it each time. By the time you buy locking rings you could buy RCBS or Hornady dies Lee dies do not have a lifetime warr.
                A 30cal will reach out and touch them. A 50cal will kick their butt.
                NRA Life Member, NRA certified RSO & Basic Pistol Instructor, Hunter, shooter, reloader
                SCI, Manteca Sportsmen Club, Coalinga Rifle Club, Escalon Sportsmans Club, Waterford Sportsman Club & NAHA Member, Madison Society member

                Comment

                • #9
                  LloydXmas250
                  Senior Member
                  • Oct 2009
                  • 1123

                  If I'm reading right, a full-length sizing die is used to reshape brass from a different gun to be my perfect size. A collet die only sizes the neck and is only used when the brass came from my rifle. Is this correct?

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    FLIGHT762
                    Veteran Member
                    • Mar 2009
                    • 3068

                    Originally posted by LloydXmas250
                    If I'm reading right, a full-length sizing die is used to reshape brass from a different gun to be my perfect size. A collet die only sizes the neck and is only used when the brass came from my rifle. Is this correct?
                    That's right,but if you're shooting an autoloader, you should F/L resize each time. Neck sizing only is fine for bolt guns. Neck sizing in an autoloader could potentially lead to rounds not chambering or worse, a slam fire.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      LloydXmas250
                      Senior Member
                      • Oct 2009
                      • 1123

                      Got it. Now amother question about the Lee dies, some reviews say the seater also crimps while others say you need the factory crimp. Can someone tell me from experience.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        bohoki
                        I need a LIFE!!
                        • Jan 2006
                        • 20778

                        my seater doesn't crimp but my sizer shrinks the neck so much that seating a bullet is nice and tight

                        i do not lube the inside of my necks and the little expander on the decaping rod kind of cleans the inside of the mouth

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Flyin Brian
                          CGN/CGSSA Contributor
                          • Oct 2009
                          • 3395

                          You can screw the seater in and it will crimp, but if you have a FCD (factory crimp Die) it is better to do it as a separate operation. To crimp or not to crimp is a question with no right answer. Everyone has an opinion on it, nobody is right. You have to do what you like to do. For me, I crimp with an FCD. I like the fact that my powder is fully burning and pressure is up before the bullet starts moving, YMMV.

                          Originally posted by LloydXmas250
                          Got it. Now amother question about the Lee dies, some reviews say the seater also crimps while others say you need the factory crimp. Can someone tell me from experience.
                          NRA Life Member - CRPA Life Member - NRA Certified RSO - USN Veteran

                          I collect Military Arms and enjoy shooting in local matches. I also collect older Lever Actions, especially those chambered in odd/old cartridges. If you have a nice old Winchester or Marlin in 25-20, 32-40, 38-55, 40-60, 45-70, etc etc, please PM me and we can work out a deal.

                          Originally posted by TheExpertdouche
                          I wasn't kidding when I said this would all be over by Xmas... Stay tuned for good news next week.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            xrMike
                            Calguns Addict
                            • Feb 2006
                            • 7841

                            Originally posted by LloydXmas250
                            Got it. Now amother question about the Lee dies, some reviews say the seater also crimps while others say you need the factory crimp. Can someone tell me from experience.
                            Yes, Lee advertises that if you set up their seating die correctly, you can also get it to crimp too. But in reality that does not work too well.

                            It's better to set up their seating die to just do the bullet seating only. And then use their FCD in the next hole to apply the crimp. Works much better that way.

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