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Reloading dies
- Thread starter Cliff Mitchell
- Start date
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Hoppsing55
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2015
- Messages
- 137
I run a LNL with Lee dies. (RCBS and Hornady dies as well) Have had great success - accuracy with the Lee's. Especially like their collet / neck sizer dies, included as part of the "ultimate" dies sets. Find them to be very good bang for the buck. $50.00+- on Amazon.
Tatsnscoots
Well-Known Member
I've had good luck with standard Hornady dies in 6.5 cm.
e1harris
Well-Known Member
Look no further than this combo. Only $72 and has everything you need. The Lee dead length bullet seater and Neck sizer is still an old school gold standard. It's what a lot of bench rest guys use to use before micrometer seaters became en Vogue.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011211120/lee-collet-2-die-neck-sizer-set
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018046992/redding-body-die
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011211120/lee-collet-2-die-neck-sizer-set
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018046992/redding-body-die
A Forster set with a standard seating die is pretty cheap. The Ultra micrometer seating die is very nice but not required and will save you money.
I have Hornady dies as well and despite be inexpensive, they work very well. They're not flashy, but they work well.
You can get the Lee Ultimate four die sets for dirt cheap ($50 or less on sale) and they are really good dies for the money. They include an full length sizing die, collet neck sizing die, bullet seating die and a crimping die. Their machining looks rough on the outside, but is good where it counts.
I have Hornady dies as well and despite be inexpensive, they work very well. They're not flashy, but they work well.
You can get the Lee Ultimate four die sets for dirt cheap ($50 or less on sale) and they are really good dies for the money. They include an full length sizing die, collet neck sizing die, bullet seating die and a crimping die. Their machining looks rough on the outside, but is good where it counts.
ericbc7
Well-Known Member
I agree that the Lee 4 die set is a good value, I would replace the lock rings on them with Hornady rings and they should serve you well.
I also like the Redding and forester brands an would recommend the carbide expander kits for both. I prefer the Redding bushing dies over the forester because the Redding bushings are compatible with some other brands (ex. Whidden).
For p-dog hunting(ie. higher volume loading) I use my Redding bushing full length resizer with a size of bushing that tightens the neck just enough so that the expander ball hardly has to work the brass. This puts less stress on the brass and has less chance of increasing run out.
For target shooting I like the Lee collet neck sizer with a .001 undersized mandrel and Redding body die.
In your situation, the Lees with Hornady lock rings look like A good solution.
I also like the Redding and forester brands an would recommend the carbide expander kits for both. I prefer the Redding bushing dies over the forester because the Redding bushings are compatible with some other brands (ex. Whidden).
For p-dog hunting(ie. higher volume loading) I use my Redding bushing full length resizer with a size of bushing that tightens the neck just enough so that the expander ball hardly has to work the brass. This puts less stress on the brass and has less chance of increasing run out.
For target shooting I like the Lee collet neck sizer with a .001 undersized mandrel and Redding body die.
In your situation, the Lees with Hornady lock rings look like A good solution.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
If you just want to reload ammo, any dies on the market will suit your needs. Buy whatever is on sale, or check Ebay for used. Will work fine, and just tuning the ammo to the rifle will normally give you increased accuracy over factory. Actual accuracy loading is a whole nother world and runout is just one more thing to contend with when looking for that last little bit. It is very important to me. It will be important to you if you really get in to this. You can spend a little more now, or do a redo when you get more experience.
Dell
Well-Known Member
My Choices 1-3. Forster...Forster...Forster.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Absolute truth. No one ever saved a dime reloading. Per shot price may be cheaper, but in the long run you will shoot a lot more and spend more. You will have more accurate rifles and shoot better because of it though.
aushunter1
Well-Known Member
If your not willing to spend $90 on a die set then maybe its an idea to just keep using factory.
Dies are just a small outlay in what you need in the overall scheme of the reloading thing!
Redding is my go to. I like the Master Hunter series with micrometer seating die and I needed something that I could use a smaller diameter depriming pin with as I use Peterson SRP brass.
Whatever you do, DO NOT buy Hornady micrometer seater... the markings are in the white (so no color, just engraved on the dial) and you can't see them. I have no clue why they did and keep doing them like that but it's dumb.
Redding's are awesome in every way. I have a cheap Lee's set that I started with, I thought, "I don't need micro seater, I don't need to spend that much". Realized quickly that I should have just bought the better to start with. So now all I use the Lee set for is so I can crimp for autoloader but I mostly load for bolt gun so it doesn't see much action.
e1harris
Well-Known Member
Too his point, I would not recommend the lee die set that includes the die that crimps. The collet 2-die set only includes a neck sizer and a dead length bullet seater that does 'not' crimp.
