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Author Topic: What dies do i need?  (Read 6958 times)

Offline AWS

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #15 on: December 27, 2013, 09:26:55 AM »
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.
After the first shot the rest are just noise.

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Offline Don Fischer

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #16 on: December 27, 2013, 10:41:47 AM »
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.
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Offline JackOfAllTrades

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #17 on: December 27, 2013, 01:22:02 PM »
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. 
 
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Offline Biggerhammer

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #18 on: December 27, 2013, 02:04:21 PM »
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.

Offline rbros

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #19 on: December 27, 2013, 03:22:41 PM »
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.
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Offline Huntbear

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #20 on: December 27, 2013, 03:25:49 PM »
Redding sells a 3 die set, includes the necking die.. I love em. 
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Offline JackOfAllTrades

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #21 on: December 27, 2013, 03:36:26 PM »
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
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If you never follow your dreams, you'll never go anywhere.

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Offline rbros

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #22 on: December 27, 2013, 04:10:33 PM »
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.   
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Offline wadu1

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #23 on: December 27, 2013, 04:47:12 PM »
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.
:yeah:
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.
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Offline Heredoggydoggy

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #24 on: December 27, 2013, 08:55:29 PM »
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.   :sry:
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Offline JackOfAllTrades

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #25 on: December 27, 2013, 09:32:26 PM »
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
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If you never follow your dreams, you'll never go anywhere.

Critical thinking keeps people from freaking the hell out every time some half baked blogger forgets his meds. Unlike some of you, I do not have TawkethOutOfAnus© syndrome.

Offline Heredoggydoggy

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #26 on: December 27, 2013, 10:00:31 PM »
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!  :chuckle:
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Offline wadu1

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #27 on: December 28, 2013, 03:44:00 PM »
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.
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Offline huntandjeep

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #28 on: December 28, 2013, 05:16:16 PM »
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?
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Offline JackOfAllTrades

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Re: What dies do i need?
« Reply #29 on: December 28, 2013, 05:21:04 PM »
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
The NRA says I'm a Master!
Colt's, Ruger's, Dan Wesson, & Kimber are my friends!
Proud to be a U.S. Navy Veteran.

If you never follow your dreams, you'll never go anywhere.

Critical thinking keeps people from freaking the hell out every time some half baked blogger forgets his meds. Unlike some of you, I do not have TawkethOutOfAnus© syndrome.

 


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