Which brand dies for my reloading press? .45 ACP

[ExtremeX]

I recently ordered my first press, RCBS, and I was about to order a set of dies... Im guessing I could use anyones dies or is there a reason I should stick to the same brand name?

Right now I am looking at these.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/247879/rcbs-carbide-3-die-set-45-acp-45-gap

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/242098/lee-deluxe-carbide-4-die-set-45-acp

The Lee dies set the seating and crimping steps are separate items. I can see this being an advantage, but I also loose a station, and was thinking of getting the RCBS lock-out as a safety measure so I don't have to visually inspect every single time...

Does one company make "must have" dies or are they all pretty much the same? Are they all compatible?

[Dark Sky Solutions]

Good question. I just got my RCBS Special 5 press in. I was looking at dies. I need 9mm, .45, 5.56, .308, 7.62x54r eventually.

Would love to hear an answer to this

[XDRoX]

I own almost every different brand die. For pistol Dillon is superior. They disassemble easier than any of the other brands. The mouth is wider than other brands. On a progressive this is an advantage because you never get the occasional piece of brass that catches on the way in.

They all work, and I usually buy Lee if I need dies. Unless I know I'm going to be using them on a progressive, then I always buy Dillon. Less headaches in the long run.

Right now I have three brands of 9mm dies. Lee, RCBS, and Dillon. The Dillons are far superior.

If you do decide to go Lee, don't buy the 4 die set, get the 3 die set. The 3 die set will do everything you need. The 4th die is a factory crimp die and does nothing but correct mistakes that shouldn't have been made to begin with.

[Suhleen]

With pistol dies, brand does not affect accuracy as much as in rifle dies. For pistol, I prefer Hornady because they give you free bullets. For rifle, I only use Redding.

[CalTeacher]

I pretty much always use Lee. Get the 3 die set and crimp/seat at the same station if you need a 4th station for something else.

[XDRoX]

I just remembered that the 3 die Dillon set does not come with an expander die. On a Dillon press the powder measure station expands the case. I don't know how a progressive RCBS works but if you need an expander die then the Dillon set will leave you one short.

I can't tell a difference in the Lee 3 die set vs the RCBS 3 die set, so I'd suggest getting the Lee because it's cheaper.

Also Redding makes great competition dies.

[ExtremeX]

Thanks everyone. Seems to be a lot of personal preference and person experience stories to be had when talking about this type of stuff...

I am going to be reloading on a RCBS Pro 2000 Auto.. So I have 4 open stations and the powder is in a fixed location... I might just go ahead and try the RCBS 3 die set and just see how it treats me...

The RCBS three die sets include a resizing/decapping die, an expanding die, and a bullet seating/crimp die.

In terms of price, PSA has 20% of all reloading items and most of them are RCBS items so the dies are comming out cheaper than the Lee, plus they have a $50 rebate going on right now too... Ive literally gone nucking futs ordering stuff I need...

So far I got:
RCBS 2000 Pro Auto
Shell Plates for 9mm, .45, .223, .308
Dedicated Bench Swager Tool
Dies for .45 ACP just ordered.
20% off the entire thing...

[morrow]

xdrox is right, the Dillon carbide pistol sets rule all other dies

Any other brand of carbide pistol die sets will work. Do not get a Lee Factory Crimp Die!

[ExtremeX]

Since PSA is out of stock on the 9mm dies, Ill order a set of Dillon carbide dies for the 9mm cartridge to give me a chance to check them out.

[XDRoX]

Since PSA is out of stock on the 9mm dies, Ill order a set of Dillon carbide dies for the 9mm cartridge to give me a chance to check them out.

Does the fixed powder station expand the case on your press?
If so the Dillon dies should work fine.

[Bill Steele]

Since PSA is out of stock on the 9mm dies, Ill order a set of Dillon carbide dies for the 9mm cartridge to give me a chance to check them out.

This could prove to be a costly mistake.

Once you start buying Dillon stuff it is hard to buy other brands. The good news is everything you buy will last a lifetime.

[ExtremeX]

Does the fixed powder station expand the case on your press?
If so the Dillon dies should work fine.

I see what you did there lol... I think... Give the noob a break, I'm learning and having fun in the process.

Dillon has Sizing/Depriming Die , Bullet Seating Die , Crimp Die correct?

Function order miss match...?

I was thinking on the RCBS.
Station 1 resize/decap,
station 2 expand&prime,
station 3 (fixed) powder,
station 4 bullet seating, station
station 5 Crimp...

I loose the ability for the use of a lockout or powder checker if I go this route.

[Ken Woodford]

I prefer Lyman or RCBS.

not really brand loyal here but Lyman was the press I bought in 1986 and RCBS is threaded the same.

In fact just got back from Bass Pro and bought the 5.56/.223 Small Base dies from RCBS.

[XDRoX]

I see what you did there lol... I think... Give the noob a break, I'm learning and having fun in the process.

Dillon has Sizing/Depriming Die , Bullet Seating Die , Crimp Die correct?

Function order miss match...?

I was thinking on the RCBS.
Station 1 resize/decap,
station 2 expand&prime,
station 3 (fixed) powder,
station 4 bullet seating, station
station 5 Crimp...

I loose the ability for the use of a lockout or powder checker if I go this route.

I wasn't giving you a hard time. I honestly don't know how the RCBS works.
On Dillon presses the powder station also expands the case. That's why Dillon doesn't make an expanding die.

It's very possible that the RCBS does it this way also.
If it doesn't I don't think I'd bother with the Dillon dies because you'd have to by an additional expanding die from Lee or RCBS. Not a huge deal, but I'd probably just go with another brand so you don't have to place orders form multiple places.

[Josh3239]

I had one pair of hornady dies, the 223 ones and long story short I was displeased with the amount of stuck cases. I switched to Lee and am very happy, using several Lee dies and have yet to have a stuck case. I'd strongly suggest the Lee RGB .45acp dies.