Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles if starting over, which reloading dies?

I have been reloading for nearly forty years. I have a mixture of reloading dies which include RCBS, Redding, and Lyman and have gotten usable service from all brands. I have recently (last three or four years) been favoring RCBS mostly due to the sizing dies having a vent hole which seems to help prevent shoulder dents. I know that too much lube, or different brands of lube can add to neck and shoulder dents, but as I stated it seems that the problem is lessened when using RCBS dies. Am I wrong thinking this? And the main question; if knowing what you now know, what brand of Reloading Die would you chose if you had to start over and WHY? Not talking specialty dies. Just standard handgun and rifle dies. I look forward to knowing your preferences.

If I was restricted to one brand, two die sets for my rifle cartridges I'd get Forsters with the neck portion of the FL size die honed to suit the brass I use.

Used to be that all I bought were RCBS dies. Over the years that's changed. Now, when looking for dies, I tend to lean toward Redding or Forester. I like the fact that I can add a micrometer to the seating die, whereas that's not always the case with RCBS. Hornady offers a micrometer for the seating die, but I'm not impressed with their quality

I started with RCBS, but slowly have changed to Redding. I recently bought a Redding bushing neck and body sizing die and it is really a step up IMO. I also like the Lee Collet Neck Sizing dies. The rest of Lee dies not so much.

I started out with the green machine and have never had any reason to change. I recently started using Lee collet neck sizers and like them very much especially because you don't need lube but RCBS has always delivered adequate accuracy for me for hunting and some competition reloading.

Redding.

RCBS dies have worked well for me for nearly 40 years.

RCBS, why change?

Forster

+1 Forster

LEE!

Redding. I knew and dealt with Richard Beebe for many years. Thought highly of him as the man knew his business.

I have used Redding dies and press for years started out with a big boss press and have not looked back. If I had to start over again I would be taking a serious look at Forster. Their design and location of the expander ball seems better to me and has a reputation for producing concentric brass they also have an awful lot of great reviews.

All that said Redding is great their customer service is great had two problems with them in all those years a full body die that was miss labeled and they promptly replaced and the 2400 case trimmer that I no longer use because I replaced it with the wilson sinclair micrometer unit which is just plain better. The 2400 trimmer is just not Redding quality IMO.

In short I would take a serious look at Forster and Redding is as good as it gets.

Good luck and shoot straight all

Bob

I was surprised to see "greg in temn: suggest Lee dies. I've used Lee dies with great results for close to 40 yrs. I would have recommended them if greg had not been ahead of me. I use RCBS and Redding dies also; but I have found that none of the higher priced dies produce more

accurate ammo than Lee dies. I load mainly for deer hunting ammo, so don't usually load more than 20=40 rounds at a time. YMMV from mine, but not recommending LEE's as do all product, rather saying they are damned good products that should be considered especially for a


new reloader trying to save oney as they learn,

I’ve got a little bit of everything. But I prefer Forster’s. Hasbeen

I have a bit of all of the brands. My experience leads me to RCBS first and Redding second for rifle dies. For handgun dies RCBS, Redding, and Hornady in that order. This is a reflection of design first and support second. IMO RCBS and Redding are the gold standard in customer support. Forster is good in CS too.

RCBS, Redding and Dillon.

Over the years, I've used RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Simplex and Hornady and never had a problem with any of them. If starting over I'd use the same again.

^^^This^^^

And of those 3 brands, I prefer the Reddings for rifle dies.

First, I am a hunter and most of my reloading is for hunting. I do reload for a couple of benchrest rifles, but not for competition. Also, I reload for several calibers and I use RCBS, Redding and Lee dies and in some cases, I have dies from RCBS and Lee for the same caliber. All of the dies work well and have the ability to reload good, accurate ammo.

Over the past few years, I have been using Lee dies more often than the others. They are more economical and (for my needs) work as well as the others and are just as easy (or easier) to set up. I like the idea that most of the Lee die sets I use have have bullet seating dies that do not crimp. Instead, they include their great factory crimp die in the die sets. I am happy with dies from all the different manufactures but, I now use Lee dies more often.