Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Hornady Sizing Die

I'm far from the most experienced handloader, but I have been loading for 14 years or so for a handful of calibers. The first die set I purchased 14 years ago was a Hornady New Dimension in 25-06. It is the only Hornady dies I have. In my very first full length sizing effort, I managed to stick a case. Assumed it was a rookie mistake, maybe associated with the somewhat finicky One Shot case lube. I typically neck size only with LCD, so don't run the length dies that often. Over the years I've stuck 3 or 4 more cases, most recently last week. Every single one of them were in this same Hornady sizing die. I have concluded that it is junk and I ordered a Redding body only die for my 25-06 to replace it.

Am I wrong? Anyone else avoiding Hornady sizing dies?

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Nope you are not wrong Junk+p. At least you now have a nice seating die.

drano, clean the die throughly using brakeclean and a 45 nylon brush. Then shoot the inside w/the spray lube and let DRY. After that use Imperial sizing die wax only. You will really like the body die but you also need something to size the neck. I use Redding w/a combo of body and neck dies (2) for my Swift (body only as needed).- Muddy

Am I wrong? Anyone else avoiding Hornady sizing dies?

Nope you aren't wrong, they are not good. Gave up on em 25 years ago.

I have had zero issues with Hornady dies.

I've found Hornady FL size dies to be the tightest of those I've tried, sometimes excessively so.

I've used many hornady dies in many cartridges for 30 years with no problems , guess I'm lucky or maybe .........

I can't speak to ones three decades old.

I have some of the newest "zip spins" too . I do like the older smooth stems better though

I ordered a Forster Ultra seating die as well. No real issues with the seater. The micrometer isn't very accurate, but it was pretty repeatable. Concentricity of rounds is good. Will probably just sell the seater. I love the Forster seaters.

Muddy, I am using a Lee Collet Die for the neck. The combo of the Redding body die, Lee Collet neck die and Forster Ultra seater has become my favorite 'die set'.

drano- if you are using a Lee neck sizer when are you using the Redding FL die?

I've got quite a few hornady dies. They do a pretty aggressive job of sizing but I've never stuck a case. I have a tight chambered savage LE 308. The hornady FL die is my only 308 that will get brass fired out of other guns small enough to chamber in that savage. I tend to think of hornady dies as a "small base" die. Ammo loaded/sized w the hornady dies really really fly out of an auto loader!

Ditto...

Have Pacific Durachrome, New Dimension smooth and zip spindles.

Have stuck cases in Hornady, Lyman, RCBS, etc whenever I've gotten stingy or lazy with lube.

Sizing really doesn't require much lube nor is the exact lube all that critical. However, it is very important. Lube doesn't work when mixed with solvents. (One-Shot is a very good lube, but like all the spray-type, solvent-carrier lubes, the solvent needs to be evaporated first.) Oils left in a die can also mess with you lube. And so can old crud/lube/dust that might have been allowed to accumulate.

Start with clean, dry dies. Make sure your cases are clean and free of grit and use a rub or roll on, or a well-dried aerosol and you shouldn't have any problem. The brand name on the die isn't the problem.

(Oh, and keep a 1/4-20 tap, a 13/64 drill, and a 1/4 bolt and socket available for those times when you're in too much of a hurry to do things right. )

Klik speaks the truth. Use your lube correctly and it won't matter the brand of die. Only time I've stuck cases has been from lack of attention. As far as One Shot goes following the instructions has worked for me. That includes a full cleaning of the die then coating the internals with One Shot before proceeding. As mentioned, aerosol brake cleaner works well on the disassembled parts prior to coating. On the part about Hornadys being tighter than other dies; I sent a full length .223 die back to Hornady because with a standard "die touching the shell holder" set up for full length resize the cases were still too oversized to cycle consistently thru 3 different rifles; a S&W AR, a Rock River AR, and a Mini 14. Just my experience. Edit: Hornady shaved the die a bit and returned it with a note from the tech stating to the effect "Die in spec. Altered to fit customer's ARs". Still a little annoyed about that.

Rather than head to shoulder distance, I'm referring to diameter and case body taper when I call Hornady FL size dies tight.