Which brand of reloading dies have you found work well with your Model 14-3?

Thank you.

38 Special (includes 357 mag too) are made by every die company. My favorite are RCBS. Redding makes really nice micrometer adjustable seating die that are available separately (Very pricy), but not all that necessary. Many reloaders find that seating the bullet to length then crimping it gives marginally better results.

There are over a million reloaders, each has two things in common; an opinion and a rear orfice. Follow the manufacture of your choice recommendations and ignore the two things!

Ivan

Use what you already have when possible.....Ivan was spot on ....any quality manufacturer of dies will do a great job. I too have used RCBS dies for many years with great results.

Randy

I would suspect that.38 dies are very popular with all die manufacturers and any would be sufficient.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

If you're new to reloading, I'd suggest the Lyman dies with carbide sizing die. I suggest Lyman because the decapping pin is in a "top hat" that screws into the die. You can remove the decapping pin easily without changing adjustment. This comes in very handy should you find yourself pulling bullets (for whatever reasons) and starting the reloading process again. You can pull the top hat so that when resizing the primed case, you don't pop the good primer out.

While Lyman's patent on their expander die has expired and others (RCBS included) now use the design, it's nice to reward the originators of the better system.

Whichever brand you decide to buy, try to get a set that has a carbide sizing die. It eliminates the need to case lube. Most all Lee die sets for straight walled handgun cases have the carbide sizing die, as do some of the other manufacturers. The Lee die sets are by far the least expensive. I like RCBS too, though a set with the carbide sizing die will cost twice as much as the Lee.

John

Eeany, meany, miney, moe ..

Carbide is a worthwhile upgrade but beyond that, for most of us, they all get the job done.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

If you're buying new, the best deal would be a set of dies (vs individual). I bullet seat and crimp in two separate steps, so I prefer the 4 die Lee set that includes their factory crimp die.
I also like using the powder through expander die for charging the cases.
FYI, die sets are more expensive buying direct from Lee Precision. Midway has better prices.

George

Remember that you can also use 38 dies for loading 357 if you go that route. You just adjust them for the case size difference.

Buy the deluxe set with extra bullet seaters for nose types. They load 38 357 too.

I use REDDING-- for 38 and 357 -- sets for each in their own Redding turret. No adjusting. I find these works for any 38/357 I have or ever had, including my 14-3.

Mine started with Herter's, then RCBS. Finally went to Lyman. They all worked well. Whatever you buy, a stepped expander button is best.

I bought the Lee carbide 3-die set for my first ever handloads, .38 Special for a S&W 686-3. That was 1989 and I am still using exactly that set of dies. (And many more also)

I also like Ivan’s reply!

Thanks guys.

I went with an RCBS carbide set with RN and WC seating stems.

Good choice!

Dillon because I need a large quantity of them for my model 14 (dash 1)!

I started reloading with a Lee 38/357 die set in 1971 (after a year using a Lee Loader). Since then I picked up a Herters set and an RCBS set, all can produce excellent handloads (my Lee dies are set up for my Co-Ax). I believe 98% of quality handloads are the results of the nut behind the handle...

When I need a set of dies I look for used Redding first, then RCBS, then any good name set after that. when I can't find a set it turns out to be a New Redding set if available, if not RCBS nothing else for me. but I am an opinionated old fart as my wife used to say.

I load several calibers using only carbide dies. Case lube is very useful the bench gets rockin' and my arm gets tired if I don't.

38,45 no need..10mm and 44 a must..

case lube leads to consistency with COAL and the difference can be felt on the Dillon. Hornady one shot is a great product. All of my dies are carbide.

YMMV

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The American dream is alive

I use 2 different sets of rcbs reloading dies, 1 for the 38spl & the other for the 357's. Bought them both decades ago used at gunshows.

I do use a lyman m-die with those rcbs dies. The rcbs expanders are designed for the smaller in diameter/shorter jacketed bullets. I use the rcbs expander with jacketed bullets and the lyman m-die with cast/coated/plated bullets.

RCBS makes different seating stems for different bullet nose shapes/designs. 1 set I bought had a small indent flat faced seating stem for wc/swc bullets. The other set had deep swc faced seating stem that also worked for wc/swc bullets. I called rcbs and they sent me (free) a rn seating stem.

Those rcbs dies have served me well over the decades producing quality ammo that has fed a bunch of different firearms.