What/which/who's dies?

[GRH]

As parts are trickling in to put together my upper, I've been thinking about components and dies.

I figure since Hornady came up with it, I might just get their dies (?) or RCBS SB dies as a place to start. What's working for you, and what should be avoided?

[alwie]

As parts are trickling in to put together my upper, I've been thinking about components and dies.

I figure since Hornady came up with it, I might just get their dies (?) or RCBS SB dies as a place to start. What's working for you, and what should be avoided?

That was my motivation to buy Hornady dies too.

[grayfox]

Mine are hornady. At the time that was all there was, but they work fine for me so feel no need to go rcbs. If I did anything different it would be to find a forster micrometer seating die... but I'm not good enough yet to need that even if it were available (which it is not, far as I can tell).

[gorillamotors]

How about adding Redding Widden Forster dies to that list??

[GRH]

How about adding Redding Widden Forster dies to that list??

If I could figure out how I would open it to public additions, or add whatever anyone suggests.

[GRH]

Mine are hornady. At the time that was all there was, but they work fine for me so feel no need to go rcbs.  If I did anything different it would be to find a forster micrometer seating die... but I'm not good enough yet to need that even if it were available (which it is not, far as I can tell).

yeah... I'm right there with you.

[Old Bob]

I have both Hornady & L.E. Wilson 6 ARC dies. The Wilson dies have bushings for neck tension instead of an expander ball de-capping rod. I use mostly the Hornady dies 'cause I've found the neck run-out isn't that much better with the Wilson dies when I size cases without the expander/de-capping rod in the Hornady die & then run the cases through a separate neck mandrel operation. I'm getting .001/.002" run-out using PMA mandrels.

https://www.pmatool.com/expander-die-bod...lock-ring/

[CZ527 Guy]

Whidden Click Adjustable Bushing FL Die Set was introduced to my loading bench when 6mm ARC came in to my stable. Not for everyone, though I have nothing but praise for all the tools I have tried thus far from Whidden.

[r.tenorio671]

...I have the Hornady Custom Dies (2 die set) as they were the only ones available at the time.  I have had no issue with them, especially as I had to convert 300 Starline 6.5 Grendel brass to 6ARC brass (no 6ARC brass or ammo was available to me). 

...The Hornady sizing die "appear" to be FL/SB die as the case web will be sized down to 0.438", just below the SAAMI spec of 0.4410" (at least MY die does).  This is with the die set to just barely touch the shell plate of my Lee LoadMaster, no "cam-over".  At this setting the shoulder will bump to 1.188", near the middle of the SAAMI spec range of 1.183" min - 1.190" max.  Each chamber will differ so you will have to re-measure your fired cases to get a final die setting.

...I did add the Hornady Micrometer Adjuster to the seating die.  The seating die comes with the stem for A-Max/ELD-M bullets, they offer a separate one for A-Tips.  I found it works with Berger Classic Hunters, VLD's and Nosler RDF's as well as the Hornady VMAX bullets.

YMMV

edited: Corrected mis-type of  my original shoulder bump...

[popgun]

I've been using the Hornady custom set with a microjust on the seating die. I just recieved a Mighty Armory sizing die. I went with that because the Hornady die would size the web area down to 0.436" and leave a sharp ridge on brass if that area was over 0.439".

[6mmbrguy]

RCBS for me. Midway had them on sale for $27.01 when I started looking for dies, so I bought them.
Only issue I have had was 103gr ELD X bullets sticking in the seating plug.. A minor modification fixed the issue.

[Newmexican]

RCBS for me. Midway had them on sale for $27.01 when I started looking for dies, so I bought them.
Only issue I have had was 103gr ELD X bullets sticking in the seating plug.. A minor modification fixed the issue.

---

I bought the Hornady dies as well. Not too worried about runout using the floating seating due in my Forster press, but fine-tuning seating depth will be a tougher proposition.

[Roy Hocker]

I picked up Hornady initially. When I found Short Action Competition I picked up a sizer. I like the way they handle the gushing as part of the shoulder. As has been said, they aren't for everyone.

[GRH]

Been a while I know...

I bought Hornady custom grade dies and the micrometer seating stem. While waiting for them to arrive I searched the Hornady website in a vain attempt at finding out what actual stem is inside the die. I don't know who designs websites but I find the vast majority severely lacking. Lots of useless marketing pitch and power words but little real information required to make an informed purchase.

Not knowing any better, naturally the first thing I did was buy the "custom" 6mm seating stem only to find afterwards it is the same one that came with the die, so I have a spare I guess.

A few weeks ago I made the trek to the only "big" gun store in this state to see what/if they had, and there was a lot of discontinued Hornady A-Max 105gr on the shelf for $25/100 so I bought 500 of those, and they happened to have TAC so I grabbed some also.

Yesterday I was tipped off that our local Farm & everything else store had Varget on the shelf so I scooted over and grabbed some. I checked Midsouth also and they had A2520, ANo.5 and XTP .312 85gr pistol bullets all in stock so those are on their way. The No.5 and the bullets are for my 7.62 Tok which has been on hold for a year waiting. I think I should have bought a lottery ticket yesterday too.

Not being able to find any other brass, I bought PPU 6.5 from Grafs, and have reformed 25 of them, annealed and prepped. Yes I've heard PPU isin't the best, time will tell.

So shortly, I will have TAC, A2520, and Varget and everything else required to get started.

[grayfox]

Good shoppin'. We really need to get this panic-dimm-created crisis behind us!!

[GRH]

Good shoppin'.  We really need to get this panic-dimm-created crisis behind us!!

I'm on Discord Reloading channel, and unfortunately it's still all too common to read comments that $100(+) for primers is "the new normal" and "a decent price" "never going down".

I cannot believe that as my own eyes tell me the prices have already eased from just a short time ago. While we aren't back to leisurely shopping around, powder and primers are more frequently available for longer.

I couldn't have predicted additional future powder requirements, but I did see it coming enough that I'm still using $35/1K primers.

[grayfox]

I've seen a couple of primer deals under $100/brick that were actually in stock, but for the most part if it's less than $100 you also see OOS, been true for a while now.
There do seem to be a couple 5000 qty sizes but I'm not in the mood for an extra different mfr of primers, nor for buying at 5000-qty bunches. That's just my take.

[Old Bob]

I bought some Winchester brand #41 primers back in January at $73/1000 & some Federal SRGGM at $78/1000 in February. I'm set pretty well with primers now so I haven't checked prices lately. Not surprised they'd be around the $100/K now days.

[kevad68]

A vote for the Mighty Armory die. I'm using it to bump back my shoulder 0.002 for my bolt gun testing and it's a solidly built die.