Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Who make the best pistol dies?

I was browsing around on 1911forum and was suprised to find that most of those guys seem to favor Lee dies. While I like the price of the Lee stuff, I don't want to buy something that I'll want to replace later. Need dies for .45 ACP and 38/357.

LSU Fan,

Having used lots of different dies I vote Dillon Precision, and they are well worth the extra money. Their dies incorporate a number of features that others don't such as a seating and crimp dies that can be cleaned without losing adjustment - a very nice feature if you use cast and lubed bullets.

Dillon dies are also designed to work better on a progressive press which is important if you might go that route in the future. I also like RCBS dies, but I did replace them all when I made the switch to progressive.

Dillon Pistol Dies

I am in the Lee carbide group, they just work for me. I load 38/357 and 44Spl/44Magnum and have a dedicated set for each one on turret plates for my Lee press.

Lee's dies are the only Lee products that I can recommend. They're good � his best products. I prefer Redding dies first, then RCBS dies. Shop eBay and get good dies at great prices. I've bought maybe a dozen sets on eBay for 'way less than list, all in excellent condition, some never used.

Put me in the Dillon camp. I've been reloading for about.35 years and I've used about every brand of die.(I started with a Lee Loader!)

Although I choose Dillon, everybody should use whatever works for them.

I like the RCBS Carbide dies for pistol reloading, and would recommend staying away from nickle brass, nickle plated cases are hard on the dies.

Haven't paid much attention to dillion dies. Guess it's time to break out the "Blue Press". Thanks for the info.

Jog

The only problem with Dillon Dies is that if you are not using their dies with the conversion kit for the appropriate caliber, then you do not have a belling die.

Don't get me wrong I have 18 sets of Dillon Dies and they are my #1 choice also, but their dies are set up for use on a progressive, and not a single stage as the powder-charger is what also bells the brass.

For a single stage press I would have to put my vote on Hornady, as I think the de-capping pin setup is the best, it is almost impossible to to break one due to the fact that it is held in please by a tension nut, not a fixed threaded rod like RCBS.

Zero

Zero,

DOH!

Great point. I often use a Dillon resizing die on a Rockchucker if the cases need trimming, or a seating die if the cases are already prepped - especially for small batches during load development. You're 100% correct tho - buying Dillon dies for other presses would be a mistake.

Glad y'all mentioned that. It had occured to me that Dillion dies might be designed for use in progressive presses but I was going to research that a little before asking.

Yeap that is why I buy a set of Dillon's and a regular set for pretty much everything I own.

Another note on getting the Die Set you want, the ones you want are VERY common, so you might want to goto a local gunshow and I am sure you can pick them up for about 10.oo$ each. Everyone and their brother reloads 38/357!

I have never been to a show yet that I did not look at the dies for sale on table and see 38/357, 45ACP, and 9mm.

They usually rot there as almost anyone that reloads already owns them.

Just a thought

Zero

Exactally what JOG said.

I love Dillon dies.

I do have a Dillon xl 650 so

their dies work great for me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Good luck

Brian