9mm Luger Carbide Dies recommendations

novalty

novalty

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Well I am planning on picking up a set of dies to start reloading 9mm. My initial intention was to get another set of RCBS carbide dies, as that is what I have for 45acp. Once set up they have been consistant every time. However, the initial set up was kind of a nightmare with their lock rings. Which makes me nervous when I pick up a different style lead, and have to adjust the seater die :( . Should I just buy the RCBS and get a different lock ring for the seater, or should I look at dies made by:Redding, Hornady, Lee? I have been considering the Hornady dies, simply for their 100 boolits for just $6.95 s&h "Get Loaded Promotion", plus it looks like they have a better lock ring. They are almost the same price as the RCBS. The Redding's look like great dies and they have a great reputation, but they are priced almost twice that of the RCBS and Hornady dies.
 
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The Hornady split lock rings are pretty amazing. But if you have to have them too close together they may not have enough clearance in some setups. I don't like using the brass set screw on the RCBS dies unless I cheat it and drop a bit of lead shot under the set screw. Then you can smash it into the thread with the set screw. I started with RCBS dies and tried a few others I borrowed and now I buy Lee dies. The rubber o rings don't hold as well as they claim but I set them into the Classic Turret's head and when tightened down they stay. But when I used them in my Rock Chucker I had to adjust them a bit each time. I still reload rifle on my Rock chucker and still buy Lee dies for it but I buy a pack of Hornady split lock rings to add on the Lee dies for the Rock Chucker. But they work fine if you use them in the turret while the Hornady split lock rings won't fit.

Soooo....

It depends on what press you are using, what your goal is with them, and how much you have to spend.
 
I am loading on a RCBS Rockchucker II press, and prime on a RCBS Automtic Bench primer. The volume of my shooting doesn't call for upgrading my press to a turret or progressive, especially when I have all of a Maine winter to reload for the following shooting season. At this point I don't think I want to spend more than the $40-$45 for the dies which is right around where RCBS and Hornady's are priced at. The Hornady's have me intrigued, but haven't really gotten a first hand review.
 
I like things uniform so if you have some RCBS dies already and like them, then I would stick with that brand. But that's just me.

RCBS is quality and great customer service.
 
Having tried most, I prefer Lyman dies, expecially their "M" expander die. For the price, it's hard to beat Lees.
 
the price for lee dies are good. I don't mind the lock rings on the lee except the small plastic peice makes them a bit sticky at times.. a little bit of gun lube or some other sort of oil makes them slick. I don't have any other press besides the Lee, so... you know my answer. You can get the 4 die deluxe carbide set for what? 34 plus shipping so 42 or under depending on were you buy it from? if they were compatible with your press then that's what I would get. I own the 9mm die set for lee and have zero complaints.. EXCEPT! the torque nut ontop of the decapper / sizing die rusted a tad. probably from me over tightening and scratching off some of the finish.
 
Lee

I use Redding and Wilson for all of my rifle dies, but have been VERY satisfied with the Lee carbide die sets for .45ACP and .38 Special.

I recently bought a set of Lee dies in .17 Rem for a new upper I have on order, and will give them a try on that as well.
 
The Hornady TN dies are a better deal. Last ones I bought were $2.00 cheaper than RCBS and the free bullets sweetens the deal even more.
 
RCBS is my default recommendation for everything reloading. However, I happen to have a set of Hornady 9mm dies and really like them. The stem that straightens out bullets during the seating process is a great feature, and 100 free bullets from Hornady with the dies is hard to beat.
 
I used Dillon dies long before I owned a Dillon 550 press. WELL worth the money in ALL regards.
Randy
 
There you have it. Just about every current die maker has been named, take your pick.

I don't think anyone makes a bad die but we all have our preferences and opinion.
 
Which makes me nervous when I pick up a different style lead, and have to adjust the seater die
Click to expand...

I'm still trying to figure out why you adjust the whole die body just to adjust or change the nose punch for a new bullet?
On my Dillon dies, I just changed from 165gr to 180gr bullets and and adjusted by turning the seater plug about 30 degrees. Once adjusted initially for the caliber, the die bodies stay put forever in the die plate, and I just change the whole plate for a different caliber.
 
OKFC05 said:
I'm still trying to figure out why you adjust the whole die body just to adjust or change the nose punch for a new bullet?
On my Dillon dies, I just changed from 165gr to 180gr bullets and and adjusted by turning the seater plug about 30 degrees. Once adjusted initially for the caliber, the die bodies stay put forever in the die plate, and I just change the whole plate for a different caliber.
Click to expand...

Guess I had mistakenly thought that I would have to adjust the die body on the seater to adjust the crimp when going from 230gr plated, which I am currently loading, to say 185gr or 200gr LSWC. Be even more convenient if I didn't have to adjust the die body, as I am planning on buying some Lasercast 200gr LSWC at the Local Cabelas once my supply of Berry's plated runs out.
 
RCBS carbide die set and a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die. I use the RCBS seater die to seat the bullet without a crimp. The Lee CFC die makes a perfect taper crimp every time, is less sensative to case length, and will remove the glock bulge on range pick-up brass.
 
The seating/crimping die is only hard to set if you try to combine the seating and crimping operations. The bullet is pushed another 1/16" or so into the case while the crimp is forming. This requires a lot of force as the case digs into a jacketed bullet, or scrapes lead off a plain bullet. In either case, it's easy to buckle the case. The OAL length may vary because the force required changes with minor variations in case length.

The best solution is to have a separate seating and crimping die, like used in a Dillon press. My solution is to set the crimping die with the bullet seater backed out. Then I put a 1/8" x 7/8" washer under the die and set the seating post by feel, using a dummy round (the first time by trial and error). After seating a batch of bullets, I remove the washer, back off the seating post and crimp the batch.

It takes an extra pull for each round, but it's worth it. I rarely buckle a case, and the effort level is very low. It takes 10 seconds or less to set the seating depth by feel, and the results are within 0.002" of the dummy round. I can fill, seat and crimp a 100 rounds (using primed cases) in less than an hour on an RCBS Rockchucker press. (I'm definitely ready to get a progressive press.)
 
I have my seating crimp die set up to do both at once currently. It is working very good for the 230gr Berry's plated I am loading. the leads are unscratched and seat the same depth each time.
 
I have used RCBS, Redding, and Lee dies and for pistol I buy just Lee carbide dies and they work perfectly in my RCBS Rockchucker press.
 
For many yeras I used an RCBS A-2 press and currently a Dillon 550. All my older dies were either RCBS or Lyman. When I started loading pistol calibers in large quantity I purchased a set of Dillon dies in 9mm, 38/357 and 45 ACP. I also have used Lee dies on the Dillon after replacing the Lee locking ring with a Dillon steel locking ring. I prefer the seating die on the Dillon's if one is using lead bullets as their seater comes apart readily for clleaning without disturbing the die alignment. If one is using plated or jacketed bullets I prefer the RCBS or old Lyman seater die. The Lee seater die tends to loosen with time and does not provide consistent seating.
 
Other than my 45 Colt and 38 S&W dies which are RCBS all my handgun caliber dies are made by Lee.
Lee dies make very good ammo for not a lot of money. What's not to like?
 
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