Some questions on reloading dies.

[Light Infantry]

Going through my stuff, and have found some duplicate sets of dies. Some are even of the same brand.

Time to get rid of some.

How do you tell which are “better” or less worn out? Or am I overthinking it?

Wrt to brands, how would you rate them in quality?

 

[BigBraz15]

Well I think many are loyal to certain brands and some think whatever they have is best. I have only used 3-4 brands, and out of the ones that I find most common to everyday folks I rate as:

Redding
RCBS
Lee
Hornady

I have probably made my most consistent ammo with the RCBS dies, but the Redding sets have made some fantasticly accurate ammo for me.

I have a couple beefs with the Lee dies… the decapper lock method can slip with tight primer pockets, and their locknut system sucks compared to the others.

It’s probably unfounded but I would take the Lee’s over the Hornady dies I have used, just not a fan of the setup, especially the seating dies.

You can disassemble the dies and clean them up good and check for any damage. I can’t see a normal shooter wearing out dies unless you get some grit in it and it scores them.

 

[BattleRife]

In my experience, damage is far more common than wear.

Broken decapping pins, marred wrench flats, scratched resizers, rusted bodies. All of these are easily visible, except the internal scratches.

 

[bearhunter]

Keep the newest looking ones, make sure they are complete by scavenging the components from the others.

Whatever is left over, sell

One thing you may want to consider, is that you can use sizing dies for a specific cartridge for sizing necks on wildcats or reducing the necks on cases for wildcat cartridges.

I've sold off lots of part but have a bin with all sorts of spare or oddball stuff. It comes in very handy at times and doesn't cost anything to than a bit of storage space.

The bin is 15 inches deep x 24 inches long and 16 inches wide. It's full and I wouldn't get rid of any of it, unless I can no longer play.

 

[Potashminer]

In my experience, damage is far more common than wear.

Broken decapping pins, marred wrench flats, scratched resizers, rusted bodies. All of these are easily visible, except the internal scratches.

Function and looks! I have some "ancient" RCBS 308 Win dies (I bought new in 1970's) - corrosion showing on the knurling, channel lock marks, etc. - yet the de-capping / expander rod is dead straight, expander ball mikes to what I want, insides of that sizing die is like a mirror, and I have correct spare de-capping pins for it. So, looks "bad" - works very good. I have likely sized several thousand brass since I have owned it. Also had even older set - came with a rifle - "Bonanza" brand - 308 Norma Mag Bench Rest Die set - dismantled and cleaned - if it had been used much, it sure does not show inside anywhere that I could check - I probably have done up less than 20 rounds with it, but no complaints at all - just have to read and follow each brand's set up instructions - often little variances one brand to another. There are also Lee die sets, Lyman and Hornady in the drawer - each has it's "things" - is nice to figure out ahead of time how to extract an inadequately lubed case from sizing die, before it happens - each brand needs a bit different approach, I think?