I don't want to start a pissing contest, but given the above criteria; what are your thoughts on the Lee Dies?
I've had excellent results making straight cartridges using their collet neck sizing die.
Older full length size dies came with an expander ball that was more like an expander pipe with a very long cylindrical section that did nothing but provide more drag going through the case necks. Newer dies have a much better tapered expander.
With one exception, every Lee FL size die I've used has been tight to very tight. Even if the die is set to bump the shoulder back only a couple of thousandths the body of the case will get a heavier than necessary sizing in both diameter and case taper. This causes the cases to lengthen, leading to more frequent trimming and shorter case life. The neck section of the die will also likely be on the small side which results in heavier drag on the expander ball and more cold working of the case neck material.
