9mm what dies to buy?
- Thread starter scott_r
- Start date
... Perhaps I'm a little biased, but ALL my Dies are RCBS. Warranty is great, and I've only used it once, and that was to ask about buying a locking ring for USED set. Sent free ! ...... You can, perhaps, buy used at a fraction of the cost of new dies, but don't forget to get the little part that holds the case in place (Case Holder ). Carbide Dies are the way to go, if at all possible ! ..... MTM Plastic Boxes are very useful, and cheap, as are reloading Trays. Although to be fair, you could make your own, but really it's not worth it, and you probably couldn't run the home made ones through the Dishwasher ! Two trays at a minimum ! ..... David K
I have a Lee single stage and a Hornady progressive.
I have only one complaint with Lee dies. They are barely long enough to fit in the Hornady LnL progressive press.
You need to have them screwed in completely for them to be adjusted properly.
I now buy Hornady dies for the progressive and Lee for the single stage.
This way I set them once and never need to readjust them.
The Hornady split lock rings are the cats ass.
I have only one complaint with Lee dies. They are barely long enough to fit in the Hornady LnL progressive press.
You need to have them screwed in completely for them to be adjusted properly.
I now buy Hornady dies for the progressive and Lee for the single stage.
This way I set them once and never need to readjust them.
The Hornady split lock rings are the cats ass.
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
On my singe stage:
I use Hornady the most as I really like the finish, floating seater guide and adjustments. And the lock rings are the best.
I use an RCBS set for my .257 Weatherby, and it's good. I could only find .257 Bee in RCBS. Same reason I use Lyman for my 6.8SPC.
Now the tits for rifle dies is the RCBS Competition set. These are best of the best.
On my progressive and turret I mix and match, generally using Hornady and Lee parts as I need them. Powder through dies and Factory crimp are well worth it.
In the end they all work well. It will be up to you to pick and mix and match what you like. As the addiction builds, you collect stuff and it gets better and better....
I use Hornady the most as I really like the finish, floating seater guide and adjustments. And the lock rings are the best.
I use an RCBS set for my .257 Weatherby, and it's good. I could only find .257 Bee in RCBS. Same reason I use Lyman for my 6.8SPC.
Now the tits for rifle dies is the RCBS Competition set. These are best of the best.
On my progressive and turret I mix and match, generally using Hornady and Lee parts as I need them. Powder through dies and Factory crimp are well worth it.
In the end they all work well. It will be up to you to pick and mix and match what you like. As the addiction builds, you collect stuff and it gets better and better....
You can use 9mm Lee dies on an XL650, but the threaded part is bit short and the locking nut will catch only a few threads if you're lucky. Since lots of threads are underneath the toolhead once you get your die adjusted, most people but on the locking nut on from underneath instead. That's a pain in the butt for adjusting though. The Dillon dies are good enough quality if you opt for them instead. I use a combination of Redding and Dillion right now for 9mm.
Using Lee dies, Hornady 115gr FMJ, Bullseye powder, was using CCI primers but recently switched to Winchester. Loaded and fired over a 1000 rds out of my M&P with no problems. Going to start casting led soon and trying that, want to keep cost down plus come up with an another alternative during these shortage times.
Hornady http://www.hornady.com/store/9mm-Luger-9-x-21-.355-Taper-Crimp-3-Die-Set/ Make sure they are SKU: 546516
Their older ones and a few other companys' 'taper crimp' dies were not taper crimp but roll crimp.
Those new Hornady dies are very good. Thou I still use their older ones and happy with them. Tried a few others and wasn't too happy..
Their older ones and a few other companys' 'taper crimp' dies were not taper crimp but roll crimp.
Those new Hornady dies are very good. Thou I still use their older ones and happy with them. Tried a few others and wasn't too happy..
I started reloading at quite a young age and all, but one CH, my dies are all RCBS. . In fact a everything is RCBS. . except I sure do like my Lee hand primer tool, holds about a 100 primers. . That aside I don't doubt Lee, Lyman, Hornady and all the rest are just as good or maybe better??? . I still use my RCBS single stage presses, a rockchucker and a junior, works for me I'm in no hurry.
My experience with straight wall handgun cases is very little lubricant is actually necessary for resizing if the brass is clean. . I give the casings a quick roll on a sparsly lubed case pad or sometimes I resize 50 cases by placing a very small amount of case lube up the hole of the resizing die with my fingertip, and just a tad at that, about every 25 casings or more, I can tell when if it starts to get tight. .
Rod
My experience with straight wall handgun cases is very little lubricant is actually necessary for resizing if the brass is clean. . I give the casings a quick roll on a sparsly lubed case pad or sometimes I resize 50 cases by placing a very small amount of case lube up the hole of the resizing die with my fingertip, and just a tad at that, about every 25 casings or more, I can tell when if it starts to get tight. .
Rod
Last edited:
