Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Thoughts on Die Lock Rings

Well I abandoned the set screw design when I first started reloading in 1975 and just reset my dies every time I used them . This was ok cause I only had a couple of rifles and one 41Mag Black Hawk. When I discovered the Hornaday crossbolt design I converted all my dies for use in my single stage presses to this design. In my turret press i use the older Lee lock rings without the o'rings and i use two lock rings to lock the die into the turret . In other words I double nut the die because it stays in the turret . I recently bought some of the new Lee cross bolt lock rings that come with their little "spanner" wrench and I am trying them out on some 357 Lee dies . These are aluminum which I like but they too have an o'ring which I don't like. So I have been installing them in the die with the o'ring side face up and removing the o'ring . I don't know how well the little "plastic" spanner wrench will hold up but it does allow you to snug the die up which I think is a benefit. Just thought I would see what you guys are doing and get your thoughts

I only use Hornady lock rings on my dies. I only use a RCBS rockchucker single stage press and RCBS dies.

Use the round knurled lock ring a la the old rcbs rings. The new rcbs rings get tossed and replaced with Bonanza Co-Ax rings.

obviously I use a Co-ax press.

Just an update I use an original Rock Chucker as my primary single stage press but I also have two small presses; an RCBS JR3 and a Redding Boss. Both of my smaller presses are used in a portable role . My Turret is a Redding T-7 Dedicated to 223's and 22 Hornets .

Hornady lock rings for the win.

Yes! And Redding for replacement! Only use Lee Collet dies and those rings suck more but in fairness it does not really mater with the collet die. I quickly adjust it everytime I use them.

There is a seller on Ebay that has a thin open end wrench that works perfectly for the Hornady rings.

Has anyone tried the new Lee split rings?

https://leeprecision.com/ultimate-lock-rings-4-pack.html

Hornady split rings and Hornady die bushings.

Never had a turret press, but I can't imagine a turret press is much faster or easier to set up.

I use Hornady or the old RCBS split rings, the set screw ones get taken off first thing

+1

Hornady #1
Forester #2

Set it once and forget it for me.

RCBS, Lyman, Redding, or Hornady. Whatever is on sale.

Yep. The set screw type, especially the brass set screws, are garbage. Funny thing is I sold a bunch of those on ebay a while back because I had a stock pile. A lot of them were new because that is the first thing I do is replace them with Hornady lock rings. I don't know what those people were using them for?? Big hoop earrings??? Who knows. All I know is they suck for die lock rings..


That is what I do too^^^^^^, but I get the feeling some of these guys moving their dies from press to press may have to re-adjust them??? As always, I like keeping shcidt simple. You start bouncing around from press to press and having to continually adjust your dies, you are not going to get optimum results.. I find there is always talk about "best", especially when it comes to hand loading. Where I shoot now, I am a new member, so I just listen and watch. Its funny the guys that talk the loudest and think they handload the best with all their fancy schidt, don't always shoot the best.

Yes. They work well. I set and forget on all my collet and seating dies.

I just use Forster split rings with the crossbolt screw for anything that I want to retain any kind of precision. I set them and leave them unless I feel like I need to adjust something, which I've done a few times. For stuff like Lee decappers, FL dies used for necking down, and stuff like that I'll use pretty much whatever happens to be handy. Where precision is a concern, my thinking is that Forster's rings are engineered and produced for results in a Co-Ax press, which is what I use. I suspect they know what they're doing.

Hornady for the win.

Hornady all the way!

Interesting about the forester lock rings. I saw those yesterday. $46/dozen in a bag at scheels. My complaint with those are they are aluminum and they don't have flats for a wrench to tighten down. Nicely knurled, but no provision for a wrench.