Lee Dies question

R

Repairman

Member
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Location
Ontario
Hi guys, just getting into reloading and I'm wondering if there's a difference between the Lee RGB 2 die (Green Box) set quality and the regular 3 die set (Red box)?

I don't know how much I'll be reloading. Just trying to have some fun and shoot better than with commercial ammo.

Do I really need to step up to RCBS dies?


Just pondering, hope you guys can add some insight.

Andy
 
Quality, perhaps no difference. Additional die for crimping in the three die set. I do not use the crimping die for standard bolt action loading. Some suggest using crimping for tube fed mags.

Suggest using the collet die (yellow box) for normal use on fire formed brass. Acts as a neck sizer only. You may need the full length die for occasional bumping as the brass gets tought to chamber (red or green same diff.)

I obtain very good runout (1 to 2 thou) with the collet die or FL die using standard bullets which is very good for hunting purposes. In target shooting I look to 2 thou as a max. value. However, your brass matters in obtaining such values. I neck turn brass to eliminate variation in neck wall thickness.

For example, I did some recent 22-250 brass prep and loading without turning and found the Winchester brass was very good. I obtained <2 thou runout using the collet die.

As with any mass produced products I would inspect the dies for any imperfections. A little TLC, cleaning and de-burring where present goes a long way in your satisfaction.

IMO you will not go wrong with these economical die sets. Good luck...
Elky.
 
The dies are the same, but the red box set will come with a shell holder (useful). If you have multiple cartridges that use the same shell holder you can just buy one red box and the other sets can be RGB.

For example, I load for 30-06, 270 Win, and 308 Win. My 270 is a bolt gun, so I bought the Deluxe set so I can neck size only with the Lee Collet neck sizing die. I use the FL die in the deluxe set to resize once-fired brass which I then fire-form in my gun, and thereafter neck size only (great accuracy). The 308 is a lever and the 30-06 is a pump, so I full-length size for those. Since I already have the shell holder from the 270 set (all three use the same holder) I bought the RGB dies for 308 and 30-06 (FL die and bullet seating die only).

You'll see lots of guys slamming Lee as cheap, etc - don't believe it. They work great, and they are an excellent value. The decapping pin design on the Lee dies is way better than the RCBS design - the pin is held in a collet that pushes up if it encounters excess resistance (say if you've accidentally tried to deprime a Berdan case) instead of breaking.

That said, avoid the cheaper Lee presses - an older RCBS press or the Lee Classic Cast presses are much sturdier. The Lee scale is not decent quality either. You're better off getting a decent press and quality scale right off the bat - an older RCBS 5-0-5 scale or similar would be a good choice.

The best price I've seen for the Lee sets is from Henry (Budget Shooter Supply, see the red and yellow logo up on the top of the page for the link). If you're getting in to reloading Henry is a great source for components too.
 
The RGB sets don't come with a shell holder, scoop, or reloading data. These are dies people buy when they don't need this stuff.

They also don't come with a factory crimp die, which I find useless because I always crimp with my seating die.

I buy all my reloading tools from the USA, no export restrictions and usually half off. Actually, I spend a lot of time in the USA so I just bring them back in my suitcase.

People may bash on the LEE reloading dies for rifle but they're not bad. The resizing / decapper dies are actually better than anything else I've used but the seating dies could use some work.
 
Barnes_270 said:
The dies are the same, but the red box set will come with a shell holder (useful). If you have multiple cartridges that use the same shell holder you can just buy one red box and the other sets can be RGB.

What he said ^

I bought the RGB dies for 308 and 30-06 (FL die and bullet seating die only).

It's cheaper to buy two RGB sets & a shell holder than one set of each.

You'll see lots of guys slamming Lee as cheap, etc - don't believe it. They work great, and they are an excellent value.

They work fine on any gun used for hunting or plinking, for a Varment or Target type gun I would recommend Horn New Diamensions. IMHO

That said, avoid the cheaper Lee presses - an older RCBS press or the Lee Classic Cast presses are much sturdier. The Lee scale is not decent quality either. You're better off getting a decent press and quality scale right off the bat - an older RCBS 5-0-5 scale or similar would be a good choice.
Click to expand...

I did a lot of loading with an old Lee scale & it worked ok for me.
& I still use & prefer a basic Lee Turret press.
 
What are you loading for? This will influence what dies to buy. A semi auto rifle, and you'll be using the FL sizing die all the time and the bullet seater/roll crimper. For a bolt action, you'll want the YELLOW "deluxe" die set, that is a FL sizer, neck sizer, and bullet seater/roll crimper. I've yet to use the factory crimp die for anything but dummy rounds, and didn't need it. It makes ugly pinch marks on your case necks.
 
Repairman...for something as important as reloading ammo for yourself, I would not limit myself to the cheapest thing out there, dies that are made out of poor materials, machined out of spec. etc....You mentioned RCBS, which are good quality dies from a company that has been doing this for a long time, I get mine for $32.... For similar money, one can get Redding dies which along with Forster make the best dies out there, my last Redding dies cost $35/set.....Unlike some others, I have no affiliation with any makers or sellers, just many years of trying to make the best, most accurate ammo I can.
 
Hey ben."Hi guys, just getting into reloading and I'm wondering..."
He's just starting out,probably to SAVE money.
Let him walk before you push him to swim.
 
I wondered when Ben would show up... :)

I've used RCBS and Lee dies, and you know what? I like the Lee dies better. The RCBS die I had was fine (brand new set, came with a used gun) but I swapped it out for a Lee RGB set after using it for 1 day. I got more for the used RCBS set than the Lee RGB set cost new. The Lee set happened to FL size just a wee bit more accurately, and for a gun with a tight chamber, it made all the difference. I guess I had a RCBS set that was on the edge of spec.

Now, would I use Lee dies (or RCBS) if I was a benchrest shooter? Probably not, though I might try using a Lee collet neck sizing die, since a world 1000 yard record was set using one back in the 1990s. For hunting and casual target shooting? I get sub-moa loads from my Lee stuff. I've had nothing but great customer support from Lee as well. The extra $ I saved went downrange as bullets and powder. Is Lee for everyone? Nope. But let's dispense with the notion that it's a sub-standard choice.

Every reloading manufacturer has items that are best-in-class, and other items that are best avoided. For Lee, the Classic cast press, the collet NK dies, and the factory crimp dies (if you're into that) are known as excellent products. The Lee hand priming tools are great as well (if you prime off the press, as I prefer). The dinky little scale you get in the intro sets? Not a great choice. My press is an older RCBS (pre-rockchucker) model that I love - had I bought new I think I would have gone with the Lee CC, but I'm very happy with the RCBS. My scale is an older RCBS beam balance model (pre 5-0-5, very similar, made by Ohaus). Again, great product for the money.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that slavish devotion to one brand or another is not a good idea - each manufacturer has good products on offer, and some not so good ones - and folks starting out should investigate their options and make informed choices. For those looking to start with the least cash outlay, Lee die sets are a great value, and they make great ammo.

And no, I have no affiliation with either company (or any reloading company for that matter). Just a guy who likes a good deal.
 
ben hunchak said:
Repairman...for something as important as reloading ammo for yourself, I would not limit myself to the cheapest thing out there, dies that are made out of poor materials, machined out of spec. etc....You mentioned RCBS, which are good quality dies from a company that has been doing this for a long time, I get mine for $32.... For similar money, one can get Redding dies which along with Forster make the best dies out there, my last Redding dies cost $35/set.....Unlike some others, I have no affiliation with any makers or sellers, just many years of trying to make the best, most accurate ammo I can.
Click to expand...

Aren't you a couple threads down telling a guy how to make a shim with a washer to get his redding bushing die to work properly? :rolleyes:
 
I use dies from all manufacturers including lots from Lee. One thing I do with Lee (and sometimes other manufacturers too) is to polish the full length sizers with flitz on a bore mop in a cordless drill.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom