Non-carbide dies and progressive presses?

[lrrifleman]

Does anyone have any experience using traditional steel dies to reload cartridges on a progressive press?

I am looking to pick up some inexpensive dies for reloading some practice 380s. Every other set of pistol dies I have are carbide, and I am not looking to stray, but until the finances get stronger, I am considering steel dies.

Opinions, please?

 

[JBnTx]

If carbide dies are available, get them.
Steel is just not worth the hassle.

 

[OKFC05]

Steel dies on a progressive press is penny wise and pound foolish. A set of Lee .380 carbide dies is not that expensive if your press takes standard dies.
And if you have a Dillon SDB with proprietary dies, buy Dillon dies and smile forever.

 

[fredj338]

I use steel dies for 223 on my 550. Use OneShot, you don't need to remove the lube. A 380 has a small surface area, would work fine this way. I agree though, Lee carbide dies, about the cost of two boxes of factory 380???

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In 1984 I loaded a batch of 223's using RCBS Small Base dies. For lube I used Break Free (in the aerosol). It won't foul primers. If I did it today I would use One Shot or a similar product. The 4 week project turned out 20,000 rounds! I never loaded 55grain FMJ ammo again and still have about 6500. Shoots less than 1/2" @ 100 yards in my older AR and less than 1/4" in the Cooper 21 bolt gun. Absolutely shot terrible in my stainless Mini-14: turns out the Mini was junk (I tried 5 of them, blue and stainless. Blue would do 3" at 100 and stainless would do 5"). Use a good load! Use the same components in the whole batch (One lot of primers, one lot of powder etc.)

Use a good brand of steel dies! The quality of the dies is more important than weather steel or carbide!

Ivan

 

[Thomas15]

Are here any non-carbide steel .380 dies available anymore?

 

[epj]

Bad idea. Get Lee carbide and don't look back.