OT: Dillon Carbide 3 die set for rifle.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

Sorry for the off topic thread. Yes I know there are many forums that I could discuss this on but I really don't feel like joining and going through the vetting process and would much rather trust my SASS pards anyway. I want to start reloading for .223/5.56 and was looking at the Dillon Carbide die set for that caliber. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they worth paying 3x's the money over their steel dies for them.Do you end up having to lube anyway? I used Hornady One Shot when I do lube so not a big deal in the long run I guess. Don't mind going first class if it is indeed the case. I like the Dillon dies but not unwilling to consider other brands. The ammo will be for a AR-15. Thanks for the info in advance.

[Blastmaster]

Dillion has always made good stuff. Stick with them

 

Are the other brands 'Carbide' and thus are you comparing the cost for same type of die?

 

May have to lube the case no matter what brand of dies.

 

RCBS, Lyman and Lee all make good products too, so you wouldn't be wrong going with those brands either.

 

I don't know anyone that really reloads 223, they buy the bulk stuff.

 

Other than that, I can not help you because I do not reload 223

[Boggus Deal #64218]

No, Deuce, you're not loading millions of rounds a year. They are designed for that. A set of Redding dies will last you a lifetime. The Dillon carbide .223 dies still need lube and are made for commercial loading.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

Dillion has always made good stuff. Stick with them

 

Are the other brands 'Carbide' and thus are you comparing the cost for same type of die?

 

May have to lube the case no matter what brand of dies.

 

RCBS, Lyman and Lee all make good products too, so you wouldn't be wrong going with those brands either.

 

I don't know anyone that really reloads 223, they buy the bulk stuff.

 

Other than that, I can not help you because I do not reload 223

The Dillon carbide set is $163.95 and the Dillon steel die set if $67.95 so that is what I am comparing it to. I edited my question to be more specific.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

No, Deuce, you're not loading millions of rounds a year. They are designed for that. A set of Redding dies will last you a lifetime. The Dillon carbide .223 dies still need lube and are made for commercial loading.

Great! Thank you for the info.

[Blastmaster]

Dillion is a three die set, others are two. Redding makes a three die set, but they are price too.

 

Dillion are carbide, they say it still needs lubed. others are steel and will need lubed

 

I would be tempted to go with Lee or RCBS and save the money, expect to lube. Not a horrible financial gamble if it becomes a PITA.

 

Edit: I see your other post Deuce, for $67 for Dillion Steel, That price is close enough to Lee & RCBS, that I would stick will Dillion.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

Dillion is a three die set, others are two. Redding makes a three die set, but they are price too.

 

Dillion are carbide, they say it still needs lubed. others are steel and will need lubed

 

I would be tempted to go with Lee or RCBS and save the money, expect to lube. Not a horrible financial gamble if it becomes a PITA.

Thanks for the info. Less worried about saving money and more about function I guess. I learned along time ago thanks to this game that if you buy once and cry once you will usually be happier.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

No, Deuce, you're not loading millions of rounds a year. They are designed for that. A set of Redding dies will last you a lifetime. The Dillon carbide .223 dies still need lube and are made for commercial loading.

+1. If you are not going to load thousands of rounds at a sitting, the Dillon dies are not necessary.

[Reuben McCoy Rankin # 34239]

Just my experience and 2 others. DO NOT use one shot for rifle brass.

It works great for pistol caliber brass.

BUT before I wised up I stuck 2 pieces and others I know have done the same.

[Krazy Kajun]

I load .223 on a Dillon 650 using a set of Lee dies like these. I've not tried to load .223 without using some type of case lube. The only problem I've had is breaking decapping pins and getting the case stuck in the decapping die. It's a real PITA to unstick a .223 case in their decapping/resizing die. I only load a few hundred .223 rounds at a time but for that volume I've been satisfied.

 

Kajun

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/365677_carbide_dies_for_223__.html

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Make sure you have a case gauge(Wilson is what I use)anytime you load for bottle-neck rounds. This is to be sure you have the headspace set 'rite' when size'n.

Be prepared to trim cases as the will stretch.

I have not used the new Dillon dies for 5.56mm. I'm still using my 35+ year old Redding dies.

I use Dillon's case lube.

OLG

[Texas Bart]

No, Deuce, you're not loading millions of rounds a year. They are designed for that. A set of Redding dies will last you a lifetime. The Dillon carbide .223 dies still need lube and are made for commercial loading.

+1

I load 223 using the Dillon steel dies on my 650. Don't load that many so did not even consider the carbide. I lube with Dillon lube and think you still have to lube with the carbide dies.

[Marlin Buckhorn,SASS 51727]

When I started loading .223 I was using Hornady One Shot Lube with Lee Dies and having a terrible time. I called Dillon and asked about the carbide die .223. They asked how much I was doing, which wasn't much, and they said I didn't need the carbide die but I should use Dillon Lube. Switched to Dillon lube and have never stuck a case again. I like the shape of the Lee neck expander in their decapping die so I have stayed with the Lee dies. And I agree with Lumpy, did I say that, use a case gauge for less hassles and more shooting fun.

[Matthew Duncan]

I have Dillon .223/5.56 carbide dies with 2k plus reloads thru them.

Lube, yes
Am I happy, yes
Best value for the dollar, unknown. Son and I are expecting to get involved more with 3-gun. Expect to reload a lot of 5.56 in the next few years.

Unsolicited advice.

Long cartridge with small mouth. Cycle the press lever slower then what you may be use to. Takes a bit longer for all that powder to flow thru the small case mouth.

650xl has a "jerk" as the base plate rotates to the next station. Jerk may cause powder to flip out of the case. Taking a bit off the spring that holds the ball bearing against the bottom of the base plate solved this for me.

Evergladesammo has good deals on once fired 5.56 brass. 650xl to Deprime and resize, then hand Swage (Dillon super swage) and trim to length manually. First of the year we will be using a progressive press to Deprime, resize, Swage and trim to length.

[Most Wanted]

Hope this is not a hijack but since we're talking 223 loading and MD brought up 3G does anybody get they're brass back when shooting black gun sports. I would gear up to load but we did not get to retrieve our brass. Thanks and I won't take it personally if I'm told to start my own thread. MW

[Kid Rich]

I load for 5.56 and use my loads out to 700 yds. I use Lee case lube and have never had a stuck case. We recently bought some Dillon lube and will be using that as it easier. A little goes a long ways. If you are going to be shooting more than 2-300 yds you will probably be weighing every charge for consistency. The only advantage I could see in carbide dies for bottleneck cases is they would not be as easy to damage in case of crud or such on the outside of a case. kR

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Hope this is not a hijack but since we're talking 223 loading and MD brought up 3G does anybody get they're brass back when shooting black gun sports. I would gear up to load but we did not get to retrieve our brass. Thanks and I won't take it personally if I'm told to start my own thread. MW

MW, not likely in 3G or a lot of the other modern matches. At least in the bigger ones. Most of the time, the stage ROs get the brass. Sort of their compensation for working their tails off to make it work.

[Muleshoe Bill SASS #67022]

I have the Dillon carbide 223 dies. I use them quite a bit and am pleased. They need lube and seem to not scratch the brass as much as steel dies. I also run Redding small base die about every 3rd reload.

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

Since I run 3gun matches here regularly I load a LOT of 223. Just finished 500 this week. Loading 223 is a bit more difficult than some other rounds. I have loaded them on my 650 for others but load mine on a Redding Turret press. I have Dillon steel dies on the 650 and Redding dies on the Turret press. Depending on your chamber sometimes the Dillon dies won't size the base down enough to feed. A rare occurence, but it does happen. Hornady One shot is a TERRIBLE lube for bottleneck cases. I used Rooster spray for a long time on 223, but they quit making it. Now I either use Dillon of the new RCBS spray. On cases larger than 223 I only use Imperial sizing wax for lube. I have a Dillon carbide 223 die I use for once fired military stuff or brass I can't get really clean. I don't think it is worth the extra money. IF your brass is clean steel dies work fine. The key is to get it CLEAN with all bottleneck brass or you can have problems including damaged dies. (If you dry tumble make sure the medium is removed)

 

P.S. The Redding standard 223 die sets work with all my rifle chambers, military, actual 223 and Wilde.

The Redding small base die is for special cut chambers only. (don't ask me how I know)

The RCBS small base die works with all 3 chambers.

The Dillon dies may not work with some actual 223 chambers but fine with military and Wilde.

 

Also It is rare to get brass back at 3gun matches.

[Rex M Rugers #6621]

Reloading 223 or 5.56 brass with crimped primers is a big PITA unless you have some good way to swage the primer pocket. Or have a Dillon 1050 set up.

Good luck whichever way you go , Duece.

Rex

[J. Frank Norfleet]

Back when I shot a lot of 223 through AR-15's I had a method. First I cleaned the brass, lubed it with Dillon's spray and ran it through Dillon's case trimmer/sizer on a single stage press. The plain steel sizing die worked just fine in sizing the brass and of course trimming it. Then I'd tumble it just enough to get the lube off. Then to the 550 where the sizing die was set just to knock the primer out.

Short answer, no I don't think the carbide dies are necessary.

[Blackey Cole]

Being new to loading for rifle I stock with the dies I've always used since I started loading in the late 80's Lee dies they are nott the dies I used then the primer pin is way more breakable but their carbide dies last for ever I still have the 44 dies from then.

[Bones Z]

Since I run 3gun matches here regularly I load a LOT of 223. Just finished 500 this week. Loading 223 is a bit more difficult than some other rounds. I have loaded them on my 650 for others but load mine on a Redding Turret press. I have Dillon steel dies on the 650 and Redding dies on the Turret press. Depending on your chamber sometimes the Dillon dies won't size the base down enough to feed. A rare occurence, but it does happen. Hornady One shot is a TERRIBLE lube for bottleneck cases. I used Rooster spray for a long time on 223, but they quit making it. Now I either use Dillon of the new RCBS spray. On cases larger than 223 I only use Imperial sizing wax for lube. I have a Dillon carbide 223 die I use for once fired military stuff or brass I can't get really clean. I don't think it is worth the extra money. IF your brass is clean steel dies work fine. The key is to get it CLEAN with all bottleneck brass or you can have problems including damaged dies. (If you dry tumble make sure the medium is removed)

 

P.S. The Redding standard 223 die sets work with all my rifle chambers, military, actual 223 and Wilde.

The Redding small base die is for special cut chambers only. (don't ask me how I know)

The RCBS small base die works with all 3 chambers.

The Dillon dies may not work with some actual 223 chambers but fine with military and Wilde.

 

Also It is rare to get brass back at 3gun matches.

 

I actually would like to know what issues you are having with the Redding small base as I use them for all my .223 loading. Haven't had a problem, fits all my .223 guns, even those that won't function using standard .223 dies.

 

Thanks.