If you can't find Lee dies which brand do you settle for as a close second?

Nothing wrong with RCBS--they make accurate ammo.

For me, Lee dies tend to be towards the bottom of the list--don't get me wrong, Lee's are good dies......

Casey

I like the Redding 3 pc sets....Forster also.....

Redding dies, even if Lee were available.

After my experience with RCBS last eek, I'll be going with them for most of my needs.
I bought an APS strip loader from SW about three months ago. then a couple weeks ago I was gonna use it for loading up some .223's...Well upon opening it I notice that someone broke the small primer plug & while fiddleing with it I also notice that when I screw the large primer plug in, it just keeps turning, like the threads on the primer rod are stripped...hmmm
Well I call RCBS & tell them about the problem & how I need a small primer plug & how I think Sportsmans warehouse took back a return that had broken parts...Well a couple days ago I got three new parts from them...Primer pd assy., & large & small primer plugs...free...no charge.
It's that type of customer service that makes me a return customer...Same as with Leupold scopes.

RCBS does have customer service that is second to none. They are alot like Dillon.

The only dies I refuse to bring home are Hornady dies. I literally threw a set of them in the trash.

RCBS has the best warranty on the planet of any manufacturer of any kind of item.

Casey

A close second to Lee? There is none. Thay're at the bottom as far as I'm concerned. Most of my dies are Forster's with some RCBS and Redding.
The Forster competition seater is the best of the bunch IMHO.
Bear in Fairbanks

I have more RCBS dies that any other brand. I like their dies and other products also. As previously stated, RCBS customer service is excellent.

Redding is always my first choice, RCBS and Forster are good, too. Lee's are on the list, just above Hornady, but it's a long list.

RCBS is my first then Hornady, most of my RCBS are the older green box that I have been using for 30 yrs or so.

I use RCBS and Redding. I like the adjustment knobs on the Redding significantly more than the screws on the RCBS. However, like others have stated, I too had a problem with a RCBS die and they fixed it without question or hassle.

Rest assured, you can't go wrong with any of them. Strong personal opinions aside, there is no material advantage to any die brand other than that the Redding and Forster BR types, and they aren't ahead by very much.

Well, that depends. If you are a fan of Lee dies because of the Lee Collet Neck Sizer and they are not available in your caliber, then the next best choice of dies WITHOUT THE EXPANDER BUTTON are the Redding bushing dies. Although others are also making bushing dies now.

If you like the regular Lee Full Length dies with the expander then almost any die manufacturer would be better as posted above. There are lots of better seaters from other manufacturers, especially the competition seaters.

If dollars are your main concern then find your best deal among RCBS, Redding or Forster and go for it. They will cost more than the Lees but they will be better dies.

WOW! Bunch o Lee haters! In any case...

Thanks for the replies!

But could someone please explain from a machinist and engineering perspective with technical facts as to why you don't like Lee?

I always use the green stuff....

Just read the Barsness article on seating bullets straightly and he gives high praise to the Lee dies.

I learned a long time ago to take a gun writer with a grain of salt.

Die technology is not complicated and all of the above mentioned die manufactures put out similar products despite the dissimilar price points.

The unique exception is the Lee collet die and that is a product well worth considering if one is resizing just the case neck.

In many instances, it ain't the tool, it is the tool user that determines if the tool works satisfactorily or not.

"Just read the Barsness article on seating bullets straightly and he gives high praise to the Lee dies."

"There are lots of better seaters from other manufacturers (than Lee), especially the competition seaters."

Well, I agree there are two better seaters - Foster and Redding - but from what I know of the very high priced RCBS "competition" seaters, they are no better for concintricity than common seaters.

As Carbon says, user skill has a lot more to do with quality ammo than the brand of tools. A skilled hand loader can make good stuff on any brand. An unskilled reloader can't....

No offense intended, but those who "only use brand "X" really no experience base to expond on the merits of much. I've used, and measured, ammo from all dies, and know there is no average "quality" difference between brands. Lee's dies are as good as any of our common brands/models.

Forster BR stuff is #1; if you're looking for more "standard" dies Redding.

I love the Lee Collet Neck Sizer but their other stuff isn't so great to me.

Hey boomtube

I have to disagree. I have multiple RCBS Competition seaters and Redding Competition Seaters and prefer the RCBS Competition seaters. They are comparable to the Redding Seaters and I do measure runout with the Bersin. I prefer the RCBS because of the side loading which starts the bullet inline with the neck. The RCBS Gold Medal Match are even better than the Competition seaters and are better than the Redding Competition Series. This is from thousands of rounds loaded and tested.

I wouldn't use LEE unless I could not get Redding,Forster or RCBS.

For the record, I own dies from all of the popular manufacturers-from Lee to Wilson, the only exception is I've never owned Dillon dies.....

The best description of Lee equipment I've heard:
"Lee, fantastic engineering, middling quality control, questionable materials."

The one exception is the Lee Clasic Cast Press--a great press. And inexpensive.


Casey

I use the Lee's lowest level press (from their Anniversary Set) for calibers up to 416 Rem Mag without a problem. I swear by their collet dies and factory crimp die. Their prices are terrific.

The only documented problem I've seen for myself is with their progressive presses.

I don't like dies using collets to hold the expander rod,because I have had problems with them slipping.

There are collets and then there are collets,you should see the difference between my Bosch and Dewalt routers.The Lee collet grips better than the Hornady. I like collets as they center better. I noticed Lee has picked up my comment in their latest cataloque. The Lees work fine if you remove all oil as in Morse taper drills.

Forster BR dies.........best bullet seater around.

The only Lee dies I'll use are the collet neck sizer & their crimping die for pistols.

MM

Actually I do it the other way, Hornady,RCBS,Lyman etc, then if and only if I get really desperate will I go with Lee's dies.

RCBS has always been my first choice and mostly my only choice after working with redding, lee, hornady and lyman.

1) Forster 2) Redding 3) Hornady 4) RCBS 5) Lee

I haven't used Lymans in 30+ years so I don't have an opinion about them.

I have all kinds of dies and after buying a casemaster and checking runout, forester is the hands down winner. I wonder if mine is an isolated case of one or a trend. With 18 calibers and rcbs,pacific, hornaday,lee,c&h, redding,lyman etc. I find it odd that my 270wsm forester dies have less than half the runout of any of the others.

Thanks Fred

The only trend azrancher is noticing is that Forster dies have a trend of producing GREAT ammo!