Which Die brand do you prefer?

Which brand of reloading die do you prefer?

  • RCBS

    Votes: 60 27.3%

  • Hornaday

    Votes: 20 9.1%

  • Lee

    Votes: 98 44.5%

  • Other

    Votes: 42 19.1%
  • Total voters
    220
  • Poll closed .
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I voted Lee. First because their value is hard to beat. Second because most of what I have is Lee and I've never had an issue that was caused by the dies.

I'll buy any brand of dies if a deal is to be had or I cannot find that cartridge in Lee.

I have Lee, RCBS and Lyman dies.
 
For your reasons I would think Lee would be your choice as well. I have some type of 6 brands of dies. They all work well for that matter but for the money invested whether purchasing new or used you would have more choices available for the same $$$ invested if you purchased an assortment of Lee dies IMHO. If you are going to do that sort of thing look for other used gear and get it cheap before the time you are going to sell the stuff and really max out your selection. I have done this as well at a local gun show and made out well in the end. YMMV
 
Nobody has mentioned Forster dies. I voted "Other".

Six months ago, I replaced my RCBS X-dies (after some research) with the Forster Ultra set for .223.

Now I want to replace my 30-06 dies. As far as rifle dies go, the Forster Ultra set is my first choice.

Full disclosure: I've never tried Hornady, or Redding, but considered both when I was in the market.
 
I use Lee for (most) pistol, RCBS for rifle. I will eventually try Redding dies, just hasn't happened yet. I have a set of Forster benchrest dies for my 270 WSM and I dig those. Don't know how necessary they are, but couldn't pass on them at $60 shipped.
 
Lee for equal (or better) function, any of the others for cosmetics.

Well, except, sometimes, Forster/Redding for rifle but only then because of the straight-line seater design, not "tolerance." Fact is, some conventional seaters load as straight as possible and it can't get any better than that no matter what die we use.
 
I like lee dies because the price and because they include the shell holder. RCBS are excellent quality. I like Redding's Competition seating dies. I am starting to develop a fondness for Hornady dies as well. I like their lock rings, and with the free bullet promotion the are running it brings the cost of the dies down somewhere between Lee and RCBS. The best thing about the Hornady dies is that they still fit in the box when you install the LnL collars on them. The seating dies are very nice also and you can add a micro meter adjustment to them.
 
I prefer Dillon dies for all normal handgun cartridges,308,30-06,223 they did make dies in 303 Brit and 30-30.Then I use Redding dies and for oddballs like 577 Snider 577-450 MH is use Lee and their .50BMG dies have worked well.
 
"A micrometer seater die is much more than cosmetic. If Lee makes one, I am not aware of it."

No, Lee does not, but those are just another feature that some like and some don't care. IF most people thought they were very helpful and wanted them badly enough to pay for 'em all seater dies would have them. Fact is, all any micro seater spindle does is make it a little easier for some people to achieve a given OAL but that can be done just as well without the micro heads. And mix heads add exactly nothing to the quality of ammo that can be made with the die and that was the my point.
 
Then perhaps you were looking for a word other than 'cosmetic'. I can only respond to what you actually type, not what you meant when you typed it.
 
Scott, what Ranger typed is something I agree with.

I use RCBS for all of my pistol stuff. For rifle it could be Hornaday, Forester, Redding and RCBS.

I had one Lee carbide 38/357 die set. I gave it away after using a RCBS varbide die. The RCBS was smoth as silk compaired to thew Lee. The Lee felt like rock crushing was going on in my press. I also found RCBS shell holders not as sloppy with machining as the Lee's.
 
P-32,

I think you need to reread what Ranger typed, or maybe I do.

Looks to me that he is saying Lee is as good or better than the others, and the only thing the others have over the Lee is cosmetic.

Is that not what it says?
 
Pacific was bought by Hornady in 1971.

In 1983, Pacific reloading Tools were renamed Hornady Reloading Tools

rc
 
90% of my dies are Lee.
Price was a deciding factor.

Once I had experience with them, I thought they did a fine job.
And just kept buying Lee.
 
I voted before I really read the initial post.
I voted for Lee because I fee that they are very good for the money, and I like their lock ring better than dealing with the stupid little brass allen screws.
But as rcmodel said, the more expensive the die, the more they'll be worth in a trade.
 
Looks to me that he is saying Lee is as good or better than the others, and the only thing the others have over the Lee is cosmetic.
Click to expand...

I tried two sets of Lee dies, but they didn't meet my standards.

I'm sure folks get acceptable results with Lee dies, but IMO there are better choices available
 
I like RCBS dies but I also like the Lee FCD. The Lee sizing dies I own are junk.
 
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