Is current reloading tool manufacturing quality lacking?

[Els-]

Two separate issues, and Im not sure if its from mass production and everyone trying to catch up, or just bad quality.

Was in a pinch and needed another die set to form some 300 black out brass. Only thing I could find was a hornady set.
First piece of brass in and there was a defect inside the die body that pushed the brass into the expander and created a hole and jammed brass in.
Shatter expander etc. Provided them with pictures and they replaced it, the new ones worse then the old one and only taken out of package. So now we're on the third set

These two are the original die.


The new replacement expanders

And some of the new die body.



Picked up some ez trim pilots todo that 300aac brass and 22-250....and go figure the 22-250 wants to cut to 1.647


Any recommendations on a decent 300 aac die set? Or someone that carries higher end stuff other then the typical lees,hornady,rcbs?

 

[yomomma]

Looks like Lee is making Hornady stuff now LMAO

 

[BattleRife]

I have always had a issues with Hornady quality, going back to the first die set I bought from them in 1991. I like the designs so I still buy the odd item, but having to polish expander and flaring buttons is common, and I've sent more than one die set back to the factory, and my LNL progressive press, too.

 

[Helka]

I had bought a new set of 223 dies from Bass Pro. It was causing a small circle mark in the shoulder of the cases, nothing major but still an issue. I contacted them and they after a few months of back and forth agreed to send a new FL die. I called them to check status and kept getting the run around about not having it in stock (Isn't the 223 the most utilized caliber in the US???) finally i received it 8 months after they said they would send it. That was the last time i go Hornady for reloading dies. RCBS and greater is where it's at.

 

[Els-]

I forgot actually the seating die with hornady amax bullets is the only one that'll leave a ring around the bullet once pressed in. Even for an uncompressed load.

The lee 9mm die Ive used for thousands apon thousands of rounds...10 times better then the hornady.

 

[yomomma]

I forgot actually the seating die with hornady amax bullets is the only one that'll leave a ring around the bullet once pressed in. Even for an uncompressed load.

The lee 9mm die Ive used for thousands apon thousands of rounds...10 times better then the hornady.

I only use Lee, never had a reason to switch. Good customer service too.

 

[scourge18a]

I won't use Hornady dies anymore.
Just Lee, Forster & Whidden

 

[freire]

I got probably half a dozen Hornady dies and no issues so far.

 

[Snider shooter]

I have four Hornady sets and no problems with them. I haven’t had any new die sets that where crap from the factory. I use Lee,Hornady, Lyman and RCBS. Over 40 die sets currently with no defects.

 

[dead meat]

I have a set of Redding dies that feel really rough threading in to the press, none of my other dies sets feel that way.

 

[aakoksal]

I have 14 RCBS and 7 Redding die sets, nothing to complain about so far (Some are 20+ years old).

 

[enefgee]

I won't use Hornady dies anymore.
Just Lee, Forster & Whidden

I bet that's the first time in history Lee has been mentioned in the same breath as the other two for quality - not saying you're wrong, in fact I agree - you just don't see it being said out loud. Lee gets kicked quite a bit, but for price, availability and quality, nothing comes close.