Who makes the best dies?

bnnlli

bnnlli

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I know as with anything their are probably a thousand right answers. I'm new to reloading and thinking I'd like to give it a try. I've read a lot of internet articles about it and have a couple of manuals coming.

Just thought it was a good time to ask before I bought anything.
 
Prob RCBS is best but also most expensive, I've loaded a LOT using cheapy green box Lee's with excellent results. Only dies I've ever had trouble with & had to send back were Lyman.
 
What are

the best? On this forum you will get different answers.

Myself personally for an off the shelf die it would be Redding bar none.

Ideally a die made to fit your fired brass is the best. Custom dies are the crem de la crem of the die world.

You will hear Lee collet, RCBS, Hornady to name a few of the top brands. Basically one should buy the best they can afford or if the line of credit still has room, buy the best first and never look back.....

Again BEST DIE will get you lots of different opinions.

cycbb486
 
I guess we would have to define your definition of the best. A set of straight line bushing dies like those made by Wilson for use with a small arbor press might very well make the most concentric ammo, but few would be satisfied with the production rate they could get using this system. I have never run across a set of 7/8X14 dies that made poor ammunition, although I've seen poor ammunition made by some handloaders. Lees dies are the most reasonably priced, although I'm not crazy about the decapping rod being held in place with a collar, but on the other hand the Lee Factory Crimp Die is a must for those who load straight wall handgun ammo. Lee's Universal Neck Expander is also very good for those who load cast bullets and wish to slightly bell their case mouths so they can seat bullets without shaving. Most of the dies of this type from other makers are cartridge specific. I've used Hornady Dies, and again I think the retention of their decapping rod is their weak link. The majority of the dies on my bench today are RCBS and Redding, but I also have a few specialty dies made by Forster and Lee. The Redding dies are available with a bushing neck sizer which is of interest to some. RCBS probably produces the most specialty dies for creating new cartridges from a standard cartridge. An often overlooked item is the shell holder. I have come across out of spec shell holders from all makers, including Redding. I kept that one to prove the point.

Perhaps the best sizing die is the one made by your gunsmith for a specific chamber. If he makes a neck sizing die from a piece of barrel stock, he can chamber it with the same reamer he used to cut your chamber, resulting in just the correct amount of neck tension, and the shoulder of the die will set back the shoulder of your cartridge to just the minimum amount that allows easy chambering. Naturally this die would be useless if you needed to load ammo for more than one rifle, so depending on your needs this one might not be so hot.
 
He's new to reloading.
GGB "Really Good Buy" Lee's will make bullets with enough quality & accuracy to make an average Varmint guy happy @ 1/2 the cost. Nowdays there IS a substantial cost to get into reloading.
 
The redding competition die sets are fantastic. It includes a neck bushing dies (once brass is fire formed to your chamber, it only needs the neck re-sized with occasional bumping of the shoulders) a body die for body re-sizing and bumping and a micrometer seating die to accurately seat your bullets. Serious precision shooters pay very close attention to seating depth in relation to the lands of the rifling, and neck tension. All these parameters can be changes with these dies.

Good dies are worth their weight in gold. Crappy dies are a source of constant frustration.
 
Redding dies are the same very high quality as RCBS, but usually less expensive. Same excellent customer service too. Been using both makes for about 30 years with no fuss.
 
I use Redding body and necksizing dies and RCBS Comp seaters for all rifle calibers. Revolevers are RCBS or Redding carbide and Lee factory crimp dies. None of it matters unless you have a quality press, Forester Co-ax is my choice and I have used most of them.
 
If you want the best Warner Tool Makes them

Home Sights Rifle
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Custom Sizing Dies





At some point, you have or you will spend the money for a high dollar target rifle. Why feed it ammo from a commercial, off-the-shelf die that may or may not yield optimum results for concentricity and brass life. WTC Dies are made from samples of your fired brass to full length size only .001 to .0015" on the body diameter and just enough on the necks to get 30, 40, or even 50 reloads from your brass (neck annealing required).

We are pleased to announce the introduction of the Magnum die. Where the standard full length sizing die is limited to cartridge size up to 30-06, the magnum die will accept cartridges larger than a 30-06 and up to a .416 Rigby. Additionally, if the base diameter of the cartridges to be sized exceeds .560, it is best suited for the magnum die.

History & Development
About 8 years ago, I decided to try to improve on a commercial die I was using for my .308. There was enough room to remove the banana shape of the body and establish a closer tolerance of concentricity of the neck. Well, that got screwed up and had to be thrown away. I then bought a new one, only to find that it was worse than the one that I had just tossed. Having wasted my money twice, I decided to make my own and began cutting the first two of what you see here.

Alan Warner




Concepts - This is what WTC Dies will give you:
Minimal brass sizing for flawless chambering and maximum case life.
Concentricities of .0005" or better from top to bottom.
Head space adjustment within the die via hardened and ground tool steel retainer rings.
Standard die body will accept die inserts for any caliber from 6mm to 30-06.
Now introducing the Magnum die body that will accept larger cartridges up to 416 Rigby.
2 part die insert construction - one for the body, one for the neck and shoulder.


Materials:




Body: 4140 Pre-Heat treated & blued.

Head Space rings: Case Hardened 12L14 (Located at bottom of body).








Die Inserts: Cru-Wear tool steel hardened to R.C. 63 and finish ground between centers.







What You Get:
One complete assembly includes:

1 Head space ring & Shim set to achieve desired head space w/ spare screws and allen wrench
Die holder body & Lock ring (Your press must accept an 11/4-12 thread). 2 part .750 diameter die inserts for one caliber.
Top retainer, lock ring, & lock washer.
Industry standard decap/button rod assembly.
Lock ring wrench.





© 2010 Warner Tool Company - 201 Old Homestead Hwy - N. Swanzey - NH - 03431 - 603-352-9521 - info@warner-tool.com
 
If it is off the shelf dies, the Redding Competition dies imho and I've tried pretty much every other die out there.
 
I'd like to thank everyone for the replies. Gives me something to start with, and some really good info. I hope to have everything by summer to start. I'll likely have plenty of questions.
 
If your just starting out a regular set of RCBS or Lee dies will suit your needs just fine. No need to get into expesive compititon dies unless your getting into competive shooting and have the abiliy and rifle to match. For the average reloader who wants to shoot a little more and taylor make his own hunting ammo you can't go wrong with either.

Good luck and happy reloading.
 
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