Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR Advice on 50-90 Dies

Hey everyone, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on where to find some dies for the Big Fifty? I have a Shiloh 50-90 in production and need to get set up for its arrival. I'm hoping someone has some ideas I haven't thought of. I've looked at BACO, Shiloh, C. Sharps, Midway, Brownells, etc. I'd love to get a good set of dies and a compression plug but they aren't to be found ANYWHERE.

Get a set of Lyman dies they are less expensive and work fine. Baco for the compression stem.

Try contacting RCBS directly. Their website shows out of stock but they have done custom orders in the past.

Manny

Yep, Lyman, pull the guts out of the dies, degrease all of it, cut a quarter inch wooden dowel about 5 inches long, saw across end, install in hand drill, affix a wad of 0000 steel wool, oil it and run it into dies back and forth to slick them up, Lyman dies need a final polish, makes loading much smoother and more enjoyable.

Thats good to know. I've only ever used RCBS and Redding. I did use Hornady once but everything else has been in a green box. I have no experience with the Lyman dies. I did just buy a set of 45-110 Lyman dies off a guy on the ASSRA forum yesterday so that will be my first foray into Lyman dies.

You're welcome, and yes, only the Lyman dies have ever needed dressing, everyone else's are plenty smooth.

Call CH-4D and buy them directly from the manufacturer: CH-4D dies

Assuming you are loading greasers and not PP bullets. Heres what I'd do in a pinch.

Buy a set of Lee 50-70 dies

Universal Lyman M die to bell or use a 50-70 die

Seat bullets by hand or use the 50-70 seating die.

A universal decapper for knocking out fired primers.

BP cartridge single shots need no crimp nor do cases need to be sized.

I jumped in and bought 44-77 and 40-70 die sets way back.....I rarely ever use them .

First I would “very strongly” recommend talking to Shiloh, they will tell you who’s dies will work best with their chambers. I do know that another of their calibers has a specific sizing die made by only one die manufacturer. So asking them might save you a lot of trouble. Anyhow, if Shiloh doesn’t have a recommendation I would look at CH4D and wait on the expander until you see what the dies set offers. I grabbed a set for my 38-55 and it’s like they were custom made for it, everything was the perfect size. Then lastly I would recommend a Redding competition seating die.

Called Redding already. They haven’t made them in some time and have no plans to do so in the coming future. Plus their custom die shop is shutdown indefinitely. I will reach out to CH4D and see what they have.

You may be able to get away without a sizing and seating die. Buffalo arms sell custom diameter sizing plugs, order one .002 larger than bullet diameter to start with and seat bullets by hand. After firing see if a bullet can be seated with enough tension to hold it in place. If not buy the Lee sizing die and only size a quarter inch of the neck and use the sizing plug. May need to experiment with sizing plug diameters to find the right combination of hand seating and bullet tension. Meacham Hardware used to make neck bushing dies for BPR cartridges but are no longer in business. I covet my Meacham dies

You get some dies yet?.

Mb

Here you go https://opticsandammo.com/product/lyman-50-90-classic-3-die-rifle-set-mfg-7460501/

I have used the Lyman .50-2.5 die set since 2003 and it works just fine with over 25K loads it even got smooth from using it
It's not that rough and if you feel it needs to be smoother do what G-500 did .

Kurt

I have not found dies yet. Was going to try some of the options above. I have till late summer to find something that will work. But I'm hoping to get a set of Redding or RCBS dies, they're the ones I'm most familiar with.

I've never used Opticsandammo.com before. Are they a reputable site? Any first hand experience? I have a set of Lyman dies for my 45-110. They work.

Yes I found them to be reputable.
I ordered a high power binoculars from them and I found when using them that it would not work well for spotting. I called them and asked if I could exchange them for a 100 mm spotting scope and they said I will send you a return shipping label and we will get the scope shipped right out.
You cant ask for more than that.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DO NOT ORDER FROM OPTICSANDAMMO.COM<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Hey Men, there's a 92 page thread add up in the Optics Forum about that company, that guy is in jail for defrauding most likely thousands of folks, Kurt, sounds like the wheels fell off that outfit since you used them.

Thank you for the heads up Gunner!!!

I was just getting ready to to order a Vortex Razor straight body spotting scope from them.
Yes it has been some time since I got the last scope from them.

You're most welcome Kurt old buddy, a lot of shysters on the loose that need shooting!

I ordered my 50-90 dies directly from RCBS. Gunner was kind enough to point me in the right direction for the dies, bullets, rifle, brass, etc, etc, etc....