Hey guys just starting to buy equipment for reloading, bought rcbs dies for my 30-06 but my question is, all the videos I've been watching and dies of seen for sale on ee are 3 die sets, should I be purchasing. 3rd dies or Is it possible with out, I was under the impression it comes witht he seater die and deprimming die, wouldn't I need one to expand the neck to seat the bullet? Thanks in advace guys
newbie question about dies
- Thread starter mattman29
- Start date
Hard to imagine how they could have videos on dies and reloading, without explaining the simple fact of either 2 die or 3 die sets.
Tradionally, for a great many years, it was a 2 die set for bottle neck rifle reloading. On completion of the sizing operation, as the handle of the press is raised, a sizing ball is drawn through the neck. It leaves plenty of tension to hold the bullet in the neck. With any standard jacketed bullet, the bullet can be seated without expanding the mouth of teh case. However, a little chamforing tool could be turned in the neck, to relieve the sharp edge of the neck, giving less chance of the bullet catching the neck. This is not often required, except after trimming, but is just a precaution of less chance of the bullet catching the neck.
For reloading straight walled cases with cast bullets, a third die is required to expand the mouth of the case, so the bullet will seat, without shaving lead.
In recent times there is another die available for crimping, sometimes called a "factory crimping die".
Forget completely about this crimping die.
A bolt action 30-06, except maybe under rare conditions, does not require crimping. Period.
Thus, set your standard seating seating die so it does not crimp.
Tradionally, for a great many years, it was a 2 die set for bottle neck rifle reloading. On completion of the sizing operation, as the handle of the press is raised, a sizing ball is drawn through the neck. It leaves plenty of tension to hold the bullet in the neck. With any standard jacketed bullet, the bullet can be seated without expanding the mouth of teh case. However, a little chamforing tool could be turned in the neck, to relieve the sharp edge of the neck, giving less chance of the bullet catching the neck. This is not often required, except after trimming, but is just a precaution of less chance of the bullet catching the neck.
For reloading straight walled cases with cast bullets, a third die is required to expand the mouth of the case, so the bullet will seat, without shaving lead.
In recent times there is another die available for crimping, sometimes called a "factory crimping die".
Forget completely about this crimping die.
A bolt action 30-06, except maybe under rare conditions, does not require crimping. Period.
Thus, set your standard seating seating die so it does not crimp.
Most 2 die set have a full length die to deprime and size the whole case. In addition a 3 die set would have a neck sizing die only. It does not size the body of the case or push the shoulder back. The reduced sizing helps the case last longer.
It is little known, but you can neck size only with your full length die. Just set your die so that the press short strokes and does not let the case go fully into the die. I load some of my cases so only 2/3 of the neck is sized. That is lots to hold the bullet. Also, the remaining 1/3 is unsized and helps center the case in the neck of the chamber to improve accuracy.
Also ideally when you do full length size, because the fit is starting to get too tight, you should set the die so you only push the shoulder back 0.001-0.002", and not all the way. Hornady sell a tool called a "headspace" gauge which helps you measure this. It does not actually measure headspace but just the length of the case to the shoulder, and that is what you need to know.
So if you want to spend more $$, I would get the gauge instead of another die, and you will be ahead of most reloaders in loading for accuracy and case life.
If you do want to get a neck only die, I would suggest the Lee Collet die. It works the brass less, and gives less runout than a RCBS neck die. A bit of info on it at this link:
Lee Collet Die
It is little known, but you can neck size only with your full length die. Just set your die so that the press short strokes and does not let the case go fully into the die. I load some of my cases so only 2/3 of the neck is sized. That is lots to hold the bullet. Also, the remaining 1/3 is unsized and helps center the case in the neck of the chamber to improve accuracy.
Also ideally when you do full length size, because the fit is starting to get too tight, you should set the die so you only push the shoulder back 0.001-0.002", and not all the way. Hornady sell a tool called a "headspace" gauge which helps you measure this. It does not actually measure headspace but just the length of the case to the shoulder, and that is what you need to know.
So if you want to spend more $$, I would get the gauge instead of another die, and you will be ahead of most reloaders in loading for accuracy and case life.
If you do want to get a neck only die, I would suggest the Lee Collet die. It works the brass less, and gives less runout than a RCBS neck die. A bit of info on it at this link:
Lee Collet Die
BrotherRockeye
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another quick note to crimping in general-
if the bullets you are using don't have a cannelure or "crimp groove" then no crimp is required.
if the bullets you are using don't have a cannelure or "crimp groove" then no crimp is required.
