Pistol Dies help

[vinny_land]

Been reloading for 223 for quite some time now and I want to expand to reload for cast bullets for 40 caliber. Started doing IDPA/IPSC using a Glock 22 and I know that I will need to buy an aftermarket barrel (KKM or Lonewolf). Currently use a single stage so I'll be doing this in batches and I will need a sizing die, expanding die, seating die, and a crimp die. Plan on moving to a progessive if demand (>1000 rounds/week) grows.

My question is about pistol dies...is there anything special that I need to reload for cast bullets? I currently use Redding dies (love em) for 223 and thinking to go with the same brand but I've also read positive reviews from Hornday, Lyman, RCBS, and of course Lee. I think the main thing to remember is to stick with carbide dies and but I want to get the consensus on what die features make brand X "better" than brand Y. If you have knowledge on different brands of pistol dies please help...I dont want this to get into a blue crew vs red army debate.

[kmca]

If you're considering going to a progressive loader, you might want to consider getting Dillon dies. They just seem to work better in a progressive, at least the sizing/depriming die.

[Whiterabbit]

my dies work just fine for all copper, jacketed, and cast.

one differentiator is lee has a fancy crimp die that isn't your standard taper or roll crimp. Of course, that doesn't mean you have to use the rest of their die set if you just like the factory crimp die.

[XDRoX]

All dies will work for jacketed or cast, however Dillon dies are by far the easiest to take apart and clean. So if you plan on shooting a lot of lead, I'd go with Dillon.

[vinny_land]

With the Dillon dies, would I still need an expanding die since Im using a single stage press?

[XDRoX]

With the Dillon dies, would I still need an expanding die since Im using a single stage press?

Yep, I didn't think of that. Probably not worth spending the extra on Dillon to not even get an expanding die. I like Lee dies and is what I usually load with on single stages. Way harder to clean, but they work fine.

[williamd]

I have dies from Dillon, RCBS, Herter's, Lyman, CH and Lee (that I can recall off the top of my head). Use single and progressive presses. I CANNOT tell the difference in any of the dies as long as the sizer is carbide. Decap/Size-Expand-Seat-Crimp/FACTORY CRIMP (if loading for a semi).

[sequoia_nomad]

I use Rcbs carbide dies and they work just fine for lead, jacketed, plated. As others have stated, most any brand will work. Lots of folks will swear by the Lee factory crimp die, that's all fine and well but totally unnecessary if you know how to properly set up your dies.

[Bill Steele]

I agree on the notion that any brand will work fine. I too prefer Redding dies.

My Lee sizer/decap dies are a little looser than some of my other brands, which is kind of nice when you are loading lead which is typically a little larger in diameter than jacketed.

If you get a Lee die set, I would also spring for a Lee Auto Disk Pro for the powder drop on top of the expander die, they work really well.

My cutoff to go progressive was waaay before 1000 rounds a week and I am retired.

[gunboat]

with regular dies be sure to get the proper sizing button for cast bullets --

[vinny_land]

Really liking what Lee has to offer in their Deluxe Carbide set, but I hear the lock rings need to be replaced with better ones since they are prone to failing. Any advice on these? And what is the deal with the Lee factory crimp die?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=622255

Also anyone try out the Hornady New Dimension dies? The 100 "free" bullets is nice and the sliding sleeve is similiar to my Redding seating die but the snap ring looks like a weak point for me.

[Bill Steele]

Really liking what Lee has to offer in their Deluxe Carbide set, but I hear the lock rings need to be replaced with better ones since they are prone to failing. Any advice on these? And what is the deal with the Lee factory crimp die?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=622255

Also anyone try out the Hornady New Dimension dies? The 100 "free" bullets is nice and the sliding sleeve is similiar to my Redding seating die but the snap ring looks like a weak point for me.

The Lee lock ring is a big nut with a rubber O-Ring on the bottom. I have not had any "failures" but other real lock rings are nicer (i.e. rings with a set screw from companies like RCBS and Redding or like Hornaday's split collar style).

Hornaday's New Dimension dies are excellent dies.

The Lee Factory Crimp die (as it pertains to handgun calibers, the rifle version is a completely different design), is an adjustable crimp die. That is, it has a knob on it to adjust the crimp. It also has a carbide ring at its mouth that sizes the whole round to assure it will fit in a standard SAAMI chamber.

Many people who load lead bullets like it as the combination of thicker lead bullets and some headstamps that employ thicker brass can conspire to create rounds that will be too wide to chamber in some guns. Many other people do not like this carbide sizing ring as it does size the round and can crate ammo with inconsistent bullet diameters, etc.

I like loading with a separate crimp die and use my LFCD's when I am loading combinations of ammo where the carbide ring never touches my rounds (i.e. 9mm with jacketed bullets, all my .38/.357's, all my .44RM's with jacketed bullets, etc.) I use a plain crimp die (Dillon, Redding) when I am loading lead as I don't want the carbide ring of the LFCD sizing my rounds.

Some people swear by the LFCD, some swear at it.

Good luck.

[damndave]

I use the 9mm Lee Deluxe 4 die set in my Hornady LNL AP. That's all I have owned, but they work fine for me.

[williamd]

I use Rcbs carbide dies and they work just fine for lead, jacketed, plated. As others have stated, most any brand will work. Lots of folks will swear by the Lee factory crimp die, that's all fine and well but totally unnecessary if you know how to properly set up your dies.

I have been reloading for over 50 years and find the Lee Factory Crimp Die great for semi-auto pistols. Too bad I never learned to set up my other dies properly. Maybe given some additional time ......

[vinny_land]

I have been reloading for over 50 years and find the Lee Factory Crimp Die great for semi-auto pistols. Too bad I never learned to set up my other dies properly. Maybe given some additional time ......

Is there a certain trick to doing this? I apologize for asking questions because I want to make sure I do this thing right and my only experience with dies is with my Redding ones. Setup was simple according to the directions.