Mixing dies & shellholders okay?

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igotta40

igotta40

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A beginner here with a question- I’m about to start hand loading with a new Hornady Lock N D48794F2-7618-4D9F-9762-5C92D9E9C8C3.jpeg 2D49C6C7-171C-4FCA-AB0F-E68871730F5C.jpeg Load single stage. I have a set of RCBS dies and a Hornady #12 shell holder for .224Valkyrie. Should I use a RCBS shell holder? My product instructions for the die set mention head spacing issues if the shell holder isn’t RCBS.

want to get it right the first time here in Texas, thanks!
 
You should be good to go. I am a fan of Lee products, but they are the only ones that I have ever had an issue with shell holders. Had a couple that were slightly uneven on the base, such that it would not properly guide the brass into the die, causing crushing.
 
I use whatever is available. However, I will say that some are tighter than others. CH/4D shell holders are tight, while RCBS are loose, not that it really matters.
 
To the best of my knowledge they all conform to a caliber case specification. The die is adjusted down to either touching of near touching the shell holder. Any thickness difference would be made up there. Case rim fit in any specific holder would be a personal choice. My self I mix and match.
 
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Only time I have ever seen an issue is with a bottleneck Lee factory crimp die. The shellholder was a little taller/deeper seated so the crimp was slightly higher when the collet pushed up. Super easy fix to polish the top down a couple thousandths on a sharpening stone. Otherwise on any other operation screwing the die in or out of the press adjusts for any variation in dimensions of the shellholder.
 
The top of the shell holder to the base (where the brass sits) should be 0.125". I found 1 (don't recall the mfg) shell holder to be 0.124" a little short. Normally not a problem as long as you use the die combo. Other wise it will push the brass an additional 0.001".. I've also shaved some over the years and I have those marked so they don't get mixed in with the standards.
 
For the most part, I have no issues mixing one manufacturer’s dies with another’s shell holder.

Over the years, some of Lee shell holders that are rated for use with 9x19 and 38 Super have not performed as advertised.

So, be fore warned. Shell holders are inexpensive so if one brand is not working well for you, buy a different brand.
 
Yes and no. It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

If you're loading up some blasting ammo it probably doesn't make much difference.

Shell holders are massed produced and have some height variance between lots of the same manufacturer. Brand to brand there will also be some height variance. At a very minimum, I would have one dedicated shell holder for each set of dies and always use that shell holder with that set of dies. This will keep your die settings consistent for that caliber.

At a more advanced level, competition shell holders are precision ground to a measured height and come as a set typically in +.001 increments. This allows the user to add a little extra or a little less bump to an operation just by changing the shell holder. Just another tuning knob to dial in.

.40
 
Will add that the center hole may not be the same size through the center. This only comes into play if you prime on the press. And the numbering system used is not the same. Example, RCBS #1 = Redding #3. So which ever brand you go with, you need to look up which one they call for your application.
 
RCBS shell holders are countersunk on the bottom for their handpriming tool. You need a carbine countersink burr to do it yourself.

Redding shell holders lack the proud primer relief, and so provide a tiny bit more head support for really hard caseforming (ie .222 from .223). They're also knurled, so aren't so slippery.

Other than that, mix-n-match.
 
I have die sets from C&H that came in a fiber counter display box, at the time they were in El Monte, California. C&H printed the instructions in the bottom of the box. The instructions suggested the dies should be used with a shell holder with a height of .125".

I measure the deck height of shell holders, most of my shell holders have a deck height of .125". And then there are differences between shell holders, because of the difference between shell holders it is worth it to me to have shell holders that are no longer maid At one time there was a reason for the difference, how the shell holder is used is up to the reloader.

Some insist on matching manufacturers as the OP. I have three different sets of RCBS shell holders. One day I called RCBS with a problem, new shell holders would not fit my old equipment. They suggested I send them my 'old' shell holders for an exchange as in one for one. I suggested I could modify my equipment to fit new shell holders, I thought that would be easier and I explained to them a few of my old shell holders were unique because the deck height was not .125".

And I could modify my old shell holders to fit new equipment.

F. Guffey
 
badkarmamib said:
You should be good to go. I am a fan of Lee products, but they are the only ones that I have ever had an issue with shell holders. Had a couple that were slightly uneven on the base, such that it would not properly guide the brass into the die, causing crushing.
Click to expand...
Same here, sometimes the Lee shell holders are a bit tight.
rfwobbly is right; we often take this for granted, but to a newbie, I could see where it could cause confusion.
 
Trivia: I have often heard the common T-slot interchangeable shell holder referred to as "RCBS type", but it and the near universal 7/8x14 threaded die were actually introduced by the old Pacific Gun Sight Co. Pacific was bought out by Hornady when they wanted to add reloading tools to their line of bullets.

A coworker was mystified when the RCBS A2 press he bought second hand would not accept an RCBS shell holder. Turned out the press predated interchangeable shell holder standardization, the shell holder was machined right into the top of the ram. At the time, you could still get rams cut for different rims or even a ram made for interchangeables.

See also shell holder adapters for the Herters lineup of presses.
 
New
Trivia:
Click to expand...

RCBS made equipment for Pacific. Rams were identical and interchangeable, the dies looked the same with the same knurling. Some dies looked the same as they do today with changes; it would appear some one did not like a few of the features so they made modifications.

The old dies, shell holders and presses came with instructions, in my opinion nothing has changed.

F. Guffey
 
My input is maybe.

I have a RCBS shell holder for .223 that refuses to work in my Hornady press with Hornady dies. If I use the correct Hornady shell holder everything is fine.
 
Thank the Lord you asked in time!

Never! NEVER! Mix shell holder and die brands!

The result can be catastrophic!

Your press will implode and take your bench with it, crushing it into a super dense mass.
If enough raw material is collapsed in with it a small hyper dense star can be born inside your handloading space.
This stars gravity will begin to pull the rest of your home into the photosphere, incinerating and then casting back coronal flares.

That, will burn your house down.


Let’s stay safe out there humans!:thumbup:


:D
 
Texas10mm said:
I have a RCBS shell holder for .223 that refuses to work in my Hornady press with Hornady dies. If I use the correct Hornady shell holder everything is fine.
Click to expand...
Could you elaborate a bit on what the difficulty is?

I have found RCBS shell holders to be a bit looser fitting. Otherwise, I use RCBS, Hornady, and Lee shell holders without issues in my Rock Chucker press.
 
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