Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Which brand dies if Lee is not available?

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!