A question for you veteran Reloaders

[Rusty Shakleford]

X2 hornady dies are trash Redding and rcbs are the last two that are plentiful and quality.

Wilson is the only seater die and a great company their full length bushing sizing dies are great they just can’t seem to keep up with demand. I’ve been a fan of Whidden full length bushing dies for a few years now they’re quality and usually ship to me fast if I can’t get to Nashville ga.

 

[basstracker89]

I've pretty much only used RCBS equipment. All pistol dies are carbide and I never lube pistol brass. Rifle dies are standard dies and I always lube the brass

 

[Allsmiles]

While we are talking about dies, I broke the decapping pin on my Hornady 9mm die. After getting it apart, it uses the new style pin with a head instead of the straight one. Are all the headed decapping pins universal? I see some on Amazon them for RCBS; but not Hornady? Just trying to get the rest of my loads knocked out. I can order from Midwest and get them in about a week if needed.

 

[BHPSteel]

While we are talking about dies, I broke the decapping pin on my Hornady 9mm die. After getting it apart, it uses the new style pin with a head instead of the straight one. Are all the headed decapping pins universal? I see some on Amazon them for RCBS; but not Hornady? Just trying to get the rest of my loads knocked out. I can order from Midwest and get them in about a week if needed.

Looks like they aren't, but there seem to be Youtube videos that talk about what you need to do to convert them. They're just pieces of steel, after all.

 

[palmettomoon]

While we are talking about dies, I broke the decapping pin on my Hornady 9mm die. After getting it apart, it uses the new style pin with a head instead of the straight one. Are all the headed decapping pins universal? I see some on Amazon them for RCBS; but not Hornady? Just trying to get the rest of my loads knocked out. I can order from Midwest and get them in about a week if needed.

RCBS flat head pins use a spring too, or can. Mine do.

 

[greg vess]

I might just invest in a set of RCBS. I love my Hornady seating die though. It has the tapered bullet starter so it positions the projectile in its own. I don't know if RCBS is the same but I use the Match Grade die with the micrometer adjusting do hicky in the top. I can make minute adjustments in the fly. I mean my ammo with the right load will shoot almost 1/4 MOA out of my one of my 6.8 rifles so it must do something right. I have fazed out most of my Lee components with Frankfort Arsenal and some Hornady parts. On my Hornady prep center one of the three attachment rotators bit the dust so I am going to get the Frankfort Arsenal prep center to replace it. The only Lee dies I use is the Deluxe Quick Trim die and the drill mounted trimmer. I can zip through 100 cases like crap through a tin horn. I was thinking of replacing my full length.223 sizer with a carbide job but if it still requires lube then what's the use in spending the extra coin.

 

[BHPSteel]

I'm not sure if you'll be able to find a carbide sizer for necked cartridges (or maybe it's more an issue of rifle cartridges).

As y'all know, I'm a noob to the dark arts of reloading, but my understanding is that carbide is mainly (exclusively?) a pistol brass phenomenon.

 

[Allsmiles]

Thanks, looks like I will order off Amazon for delivery tomorrow. I currently have Hornady, Lee, and RCBS dies so I have to figure out what to do when things break and be creative.

 

[BHPSteel]

Thanks, looks like I will order off Amazon for delivery tomorrow. I currently have Hornady, Lee, and RCBS dies so I have to figure out what to do when things break and be creative.

If you've got any combination decapping/sizing dies in any caliber, can't you just pull the decapping rod from that and use it in the Hornady die? I'm pretty sure they're all thread-compatible.

 

[1006]

If declaring favorites of the dies I own:
Rifles: Redding, RCBS is close second.
Pistols: Dillon

For the price, it is tough not to like Lee, I keep extra decamping pins on the bench, and prefer them for sizing 300BLK and 223, and I use their universal decapping and case mouth expanding dies.