Question about die brands and sizes

[WASR10]

I have great friends, and when I expressed interest in beginning to reload my buddy sent me a gift - a Lee Breech Lock Challenger press. Another friend sent a RCBS .45 3-die set. My questions are these:

Since I won't be loading for .45 but 9mm and some rifles rounds, I am going to try to trade the dies. Is there anything I should know regarding what to trade for: brand, material, etc?

Also, I have done some googling and have received conflicting information. Will the RCBS (or any other brand) die fit the Lee press I have? One website said that the Breech Lock Challenger press comes drilled and tapped 1-1/16" and if I get any other brand but Lee I will need sleeve insert bushings for standard 7/8-14 dies. Another place said that as long as its a common caliber such as 9mm, the dies are universal. Any help with clearing that up would sure be appreciated!

[BigBronco]

For the most part dies are a standard size and wil fit 90% of tgd presses out there. The Lee breech lock utilizes a quick release bushing for quicker set up times. A similar systtem is used in Hornaday presses. Most people using that or a solar bushing system buy extra bushings for each die. You can though thread the die in and out for the bushings if you do not have extras.

[Enfield47]

For the most part dies are a standard size and wil fit 90% of tgd presses out there. The Lee breech lock utilizes a quick release bushing for quicker set up times. A similar systtem is used in Hornaday presses. Most people using that or a solar bushing system buy extra bushings for each die. You can though thread the die in and out for the bushings if you do not have extras.

+1 most (if not all) modern dies are a standard size that will fit modern presses. Buy extra quick release bushings for your dies to make changing dies quicker and easier.

Die sets are fairly cheap, why not keep the .45 dies and just buy a set of 9mm dies? One day you might get a .45 and then you will already have the dies.

[JMP]

Also, I have done some googling and have received conflicting information. Will the RCBS (or any other brand) die fit the Lee press I have? One website said that the Breech Lock Challenger press comes drilled and tapped 1-1/16" and if I get any other brand but Lee I will need sleeve insert bushings for standard 7/8-14 dies. Another place said that as long as its a common caliber such as 9mm, the dies are universal. Any help with clearing that up would sure be appreciated!

I'd definitely go with a bushing system; it's quite helpful. I don't know why it would be tapped for a 1-1/16" adapter. That seems rather silly. After 7/8", 1.25" inch is the next most common for large cartridges. Most single stage presses are threaded at 1.25" then come with an adapter to fit 7/8" so you can do both sizes. I suppose the 1-1/16" is to require the purchase of a Lee press? The Hornady LNL has an adapter to fit 1.25" threads that allows the LNL bushings to be used more broadly.

[WASR10]

Thanks guys, I think that clears it up a bit.

[noylj]

Buy at least one manual and read it.
>Since I won't be loading for .45 but 9mm and some rifles rounds, I am going to try to trade the dies. Is there anything I should know regarding what to trade for: brand, material, etc?
All the die brands work and work well. Virtually every straight wall pistol cartridge comes with a carbide sizer--don't buy an old all-steel sizing die.
I like Lee for the price and Hornady for certain features. I don't care for RCBS--bad cost/benefit ratio to me. If I was buying a set of Lee dies, I would buy the 3-die set and a separate taper crimp die (not the Lee FCD—which, while it does a great job crimping, can cause other problems)

>Also, I have done some googling and have received conflicting information. Will the RCBS (or any other brand) die fit the Lee press I have? One website said that the Breech Lock Challenger press comes drilled and tapped 1-1/16" and if I get any other brand but Lee I will need sleeve insert bushings for standard 7/8-14 dies. Another place said that as long as its a common caliber such as 9mm, the dies are universal. Any help with clearing that up would sure be appreciated!

The only press you could reasonably find that wouldn't take any off-the-shelf die set is the Dillon Square Deal B (uses very unique proprietary dies so the tool head can be made minuscule).
The Challenger press, as you know from owning one, and the Hornady L-N-L presses use a die bushings—so, you need a die bushing for each die. This is an insert that fits in the press and the die screws into. With this, after you lock the die down, you can easily just twist the die and the die/bushing will come right out. You can then with just a twist, install another die that is already set (i.e., you don't lose the die setting when you remove the die from the press). Die bushings, or a removable tool head, are the ONLY way to go, IMHO.
So, except for one press you will probably never even see (and a few very old and rare presses I can almost guarantee you'll never see), all presses take all dies on the market.
I use a lot of Lee dies on my Dillon 1050s, where I don't use Hornady dies. I don't care much for the Dillon dies that they came with.
Regarding Lee: their directions are very terse, but follow everything they write. If they have a suggestion, consider it an order.