What dies do i need?

[huntandjeep]

Got an RCBS for xmas and now I need dies. Im only reloading for 7mm right now but have no idea what dies to get. Midway USA has a lot of RCBS dies  , a 2 die set , a neck sizer 2 die set , a seater die , a trim die , X-die full length sizer 2 die set , Gold Medal Match series 2 die neck sizer set , GMM series 2 die neck sizer set , GMM series neck sizer (only) , GMM series full length sizer die (only) , and a GMM series seater die (only). Do I just pick one? Whats the difference between say a 2 die set and the Gold Medal Match series dies other than a  $100 bill  Thanks Allen

[bullcanyon]

I prefer redding and hornady over rcbs.  But generally a 2 dies set is all ya need.  Just a full length resizer and a bullet seating die will do. 

[Crunchy]

I also shoot 7mm and started reloading earlier this year.  Major improvement in accuracy. I enjoy reloading.

[Wazukie]

Lee dies have worked well for me.  I have RCBS, LEE, Lyman

[6x6in6]

I use the RCBS dies and have for years without issue.
You'll need a RCBS shell holder #4 along with.
A good quality set of dial calipers should be on your list of things to get too.
Add a deburring tool and and primer pocket brush.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Most of my dies are RCBS, some Redding, and Hornady neck dies for my wildcats.  I'm impressed with Hornady's bullet seating dies with the guide sleeve, especially for the smaller caliber rifle bullets.  They save pinches on the fingers.  The standard 2-die sets are for rifle reloading.  The 3-die sets are for pistol cases, and one of the 3 dies "bells" the case mouth to aid seating the bullet, especially lead bullets.  A case trimmer is a necessity for bottle-necked rifle cases because they do grow longer with each firing.  As 6x6 said, you will also need a shell holder for the case you are loading.  A squeeze type primer seater makes the repriming job easier and faster, too.  The fancy rifle dies are for benchrest shooters, so you probably won't need them right away.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have.  All of us reloaders added up probably make well over a thousand year's experience. 

[Blacklab]

Some use some don't the lee crimp die 

[GoldTip]

For rifle reloading, I personally prefer the Hornady 2 die sets over the RCBS dies.  For pistol it's the other way around.  Get a good case mouth chamferring/deburring tool and a primer pocket brush and your set.  I've never trimmed cases, I always get three loads out of fresh cases without them getting to long, then just buy new cases and I've never had a problem with bullets not chambering.  I've been reloading for probably 20 years now and the cabinet you keep your dies in will appear to have mold, as in you start with one die set and then the next thing you know you look in the cabinet and there is dies for 20 different calibers!  It can be an addiction, especially when you seen the consistency of your groups improve.

[huntandjeep]

So you can use any brand die with any press, good to know. So i don't need fancy just a regular 2 die set. The rifle I'm reloading for already has a recipe that shoots extremely well, but I only got 50 rounds with it so now I have to learn  . Still need a tumbler ( should I get electric) .

[wsmnut]

Get a Thumbler's tumbler.
Made in Auburn, WA.
If you get some of the other cheaper makes out there you'll end up owning several.  Ask me how I know!

Wsmnut

[Hilltop123]

So you can use any brand die with any press, good to know. So i don't need fancy just a regular 2 die set. The rifle I'm reloading for already has a recipe that shoots extremely well, but I only got 50 rounds with it so now I have to learn  . Still need a tumbler ( should I get electric) .

What other type is there?

[rbros]

Redding 2 die set is a good starter set.  If you want more, get the set that has the standard FL sizing die and the comp seating die. 

[Heredoggydoggy]

Yes, all modern dies are 1"x14 thread.  Years ago, some dies were smaller but you could get an adapter.  Now they are standard. 

Redding dies are good dies.  My .223 die set is a Redding 3-die set that I bought used.  The extra die is a neck sizing die only, but I reload for my AR, so I always full-length resize.

[Hilltop123]

Let your buget dictate what brand, chances are this will not be your last set of dies for that caliber.....

[MtnMuley]

Personally, I'd recommend the RCBS full length die set.  Around $35-$40.  I've experimented with GMM and X-dies, and honestly notice no difference.  Keep it simple, especially at first.

[AWS]

Beware!!!  You know when reloading has become more than a hobby when you find a set of odd-ball dies at a yard sale and then go out and buy a RIFLE to match.

[Don Fischer]

Buy the die you can afford. I have RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Herter's, Lee and maybe a couple other's. My favorite are the Redding. They don't do a better job than the other's but the finish on them is super.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Some good advise in this thread...   I have an RCBS Rock Chucker right next to my Dillon press.  I use different brands of dies on each just because that was what was available at the time.  RCBS dies are just fine. Redding or Sinclair dies may provide a finer adjustment or 'might' be machined to a slightly tighter tolerance. But you'll pay more for them. Since you're a hunter and not a benchrest competitor, the RCBS two die set will be spot on for you.  Down the road you might want a neck sizer die.  I use one for my cartridges so I don't work my 'fire formed' brass more than it should be.
 
And if you ever have to call RCBS customer support you won't feel funny telling them you're using xbrand of die on that green press!
 
Thumblers Tumbler.   http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/vibratory.html   I have a Dillon vibratory brass polisher that is near 30 years old and has never failed me. (predecessor to the CV-2001. Size matters!) Others haven't been so lucky with Dillon.  Lyman vibrators are terrible. Midway used to have one that was pretty good.  You can also put your brass in a sock, tie the end and toss in the next batch of laundry. -Your wife may not agree with this though.
 
I don't want to insult your intelligence, but don't try to teach yourself everything about reloading by just reading books or watching video. Get with someone that has reloaded bottle neck belted magnum cases before. There are a few tips that any experienced reloader should pass on. Case length is important -especially if you're crimping into a canelure and want a consistent crimp. Inconsistent crimps lead to pressure variations that affect velocity and consistent grouping. All bottle neck cases stretch. -But your 7mag case will stretch at the belt, not so much at the neck. A belted magnum cartridge headspaces on the belt, not the neck/shoulder. Trimming case length is a convenient way to get more reloads out of brass instead of buying new brass every few reloads. If you necksize only, then you're allowing that fireformed brass to headspace on the belt, but also at the shoulder of the cartridge in the chamber. Thus neck sized reloads will stretch at the neck and much less at the belt. The neck is generally thicker, so you'll get more reloads out of neck sized brass. 
 
-Steve

[Biggerhammer]

Beware!!!  You know when reloading has become more than a hobby when you find a set of odd-ball dies at a yard sale and then go out and buy a RIFLE to match.

Hahaha! I've had several rifles build due to a smoking deal on a set of wildcat dies.

[rbros]

One note, only bump the shoulder on your belted cases.  After the first firing treat it as a normal beltless case and your case life will increase dramatically and won't have the separation that so many worry about with belted mags.

[Huntbear]

Redding sells a 3 die set, includes the necking die.. I love em. 

[JackOfAllTrades]

One note, only bump the shoulder on your belted cases.  After the first firing treat it as a normal beltless case and your case life will increase dramatically and won't have the separation that so many worry about with belted mags.

Basically using a full length sizing die to almost neck size only.
 
-Steve

[rbros]

One note, only bump the shoulder on your belted cases.  After the first firing treat it as a normal beltless case and your case life will increase dramatically and won't have the separation that so many worry about with belted mags.

Basically using a full length sizing die to almost neck size only.
 
-Steve

Kinda, but it does more.  A neck sizing die only sizes the neck and none of the body.  Using a FL die and bumping the shoulder back .002-.003" sizes the neck, shoulder and body.  Doing it this way won't overwork the case and keeps them from stretching in the web/belt area, which is where the separation occurs.   

[wadu1]

Buy the die you can afford. I have RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Herter's, Lee and maybe a couple other's. My favorite are the Redding. They don't do a better job than the other's but the finish on them is super.

I have all of them and a Forster they all work just fine for me. The only advise I can give is to get a good case lube, I only use i think it is Rockford from MidWay USA pump spray. Since I switched no dents from to much lube and or stuck cases. Somebody said to see video clips or learn from someone to me that is the best. Watch what they do ask questions most likely they have gone through the learning the hard way.

[Heredoggydoggy]

One note, only bump the shoulder on your belted cases.  After the first firing treat it as a normal beltless case and your case life will increase dramatically and won't have the separation that so many worry about with belted mags.

Basically using a full length sizing die to almost neck size only.
 
-Steve

Kinda, but it does more.  A neck sizing die only sizes the neck and none of the body.   

Wrong--A neck sizing die that's made for that cartridge will tweak the case body if it's out of spec.  It will only touch the case body enough to  bring it back to specifications.  It will not do the same job as a full length sizing die, though.  Neck sizing is good if you are shooting the ammo out of the same gun, but after 4 or 5 shootings, the case should be run through a full-length resizing die.  Recently I saw a guy at the range try to shoot some 6.5x55 Swedish rounds out of a Brno rifle, and the loads he only neck sized wouldn't even chamber all the way.  It was sickening to see him striking the bolt with a block of wood to eject the stuck case.   

[JackOfAllTrades]

I guess my cheap ole Lyman neck sizer for my 30-06 isn't out of spec then.. Because I haven't used the full length die in 25 years. As a matter of fact, I think I stole the decapper pin out of it years ago. Never had a problem ejecting cases. 100's maybe even 1,000's of rounds...

Some people seem to take things way too far...  I said to the OP was that he'd be fine with a two die set, and down the road he might want a neck sizer die.  And I explained why. That's it.  It is not a dispute about whether to neck size or not.

-Steve

[Heredoggydoggy]

I guess my cheap ole Lyman neck sizer for my 30-06 isn't out of spec then.. Because I haven't used the full length die in 25 years. As a matter of fact, I think I stole the decapper pin out of it years ago. Never had a problem ejecting cases. 100's maybe even 1,000's of rounds...

Some people seem to take things way too far...  I said to the OP was that he'd be fine with a two die set, and down the road he might want a neck sizer die.  And I explained why. That's it.  It is not a dispute about whether to neck size or not.

-Steve

Not trying to start a dispute!  I've been reloading for 40 years, and cut my teeth on RCBS 2-die sets.  Only recently have I used Hornady's non-case specific neck dies to make cases for my AR wildcats.  Only recently did I learn that case specific neck sizing dies actually do some body resizing IF IT'S NEEDED.  I just didn't want the OP to wait until he was in his 60's to find out! 

[wadu1]

Today at 1500 hours I picked up an extra set of .223 dies at Walmart in PA, they also had 7MM at $31.97. All satandar two die sets are the same price, to bad they were out of 45ACP my next round to reload.

[huntandjeep]

OK so what I gather so far is I can use a regular 2 die set and don't have to step up to say the  x-dies or the Gold Medal Match. What about the dies I see with the micrometers built in to them what's the purpose ? Will I need a neck sizing die in the future?

[JackOfAllTrades]

You will not 'need' a neck sizing die in the future.   Dies with micrometer adjustment are pretty sweet if you load different bullets for that cartridge. You can fine tune the seating depth, keep a log with notes and set them up without trial and error. If you're sticking with one bullet for that 7mag, Set the die and forget it. I have some dies that I haven't adjusted in years.

-Steve

[wadu1]

The neck will be sized with the with the first die and de-primed. The second die sets the bullet and the third crimps the neck. I neck crimp my 45-70, 45 LC and my 6.5X55. The lube was Frankford they make loading trays and stuff.

[Heredoggydoggy]

OK so what I gather so far is I can use a regular 2 die set and don't have to step up to say the  x-dies or the Gold Medal Match. What about the dies I see with the micrometers built in to them what's the purpose ? Will I need a neck sizing die in the future?

The Match and Micrometer dies are mainly for competition shooters who load to the gnat's eyelash.  You don't need them for hunting and casual shooting purposes.