Max Payne Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Just ordered a Mr. BulletFeeder from Dillon for one of my 650's to load 125Gr 38's for cowboy. Since I use the powder-check, I'll need to use a combo seater/crimper. I like carbide dies. Any recommendations, along with where to buy? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 There's probably a lot of combo dies that would work fine. On my Lee Turret, I use all Lee dies and for most calibers I use a separate factory crimp die, but for .38/.357 the combo seat/crimp has always worked fine for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Ain't any carbide seater dies, whether they are combo or not. They're all steel. For seating/crimping .38 special, it does not take a complicated or expensive die. I have used an RCBS seat/crimp die in .38 spl with good results. Unfortunately, I have not found a combo quick-disassembly die design that is easily cleaned like the Dillon seater die - pull the clevis pin and the guts just drop out. If you were working with a thin-wall bottleneck cartridge, there would be a whole different level of discussion. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 In all of my years reloading. I have never found a combo seat/crimp die I liked. I always seat & crimp on 2 different stations. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggus Deal #64218 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 While I haven't used the Mr. Bullet feeder, my GSI bullet feeder and the Hornady feeder seats in the feeder die. You can still and must use a separate crimp die. Looking at the Mr. Bullet feeder, it does not work that way. Redding are the only combination seat/crimp die I would use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO JACKSON Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 4 hours ago, Max Payne said: Just ordered a Mr. BulletFeeder from Dillon for one of my 650's to load 125Gr 38's for cowboy. Since I use the powder-check, I'll need to use a combo seater/crimper. I like carbide dies. Any recommendations, along with where to buy? Thanks! Are you using a different powder check than what comes with the loader? I have a powder check on both of mine and could use a bullet feeder and still seat and crimp in two different spaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Payne Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 Thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Payne Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 Dillon 650. decapper/sizer on 1, 2 is primer & powder. 3 is powder check, 4 is bullet seater, 5 is crimper. I'll install the bullet feeder on 4 & do the seat/crimp on 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 For forty years I've loaded with seater/crimp dies. Getting it adjusted correctly will drive a nun to cussin'. But, as a help: Proper Rollcrimp Adjustment, Updated. Even I didn't get it perfect in this tutorial, but... it should give you an idea of exactly how to do it. One key I've found, if you load a number of bullets in the same cartridge, make a dummy round for each bullet. That will ease you along to making changes to and from those bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Recommendations? Stick to one brand of 38 Special brass. I have 38 Special cases from manufacturers on four different continents made for both civilian and military use. There are so many dimensional variations that I cannot seat and crimp at the same station. However my wife's .32 H&R mag cases are all from Starline and Federal and crimp and seat well as do my .44 mag cases (all from US manufacturers). Uniformity is needed to seat and crimp at the same station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ricochet Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 On 9/11/2017 at 11:19 AM, Max Payne said: Just ordered a Mr. BulletFeeder from Dillon for one of my 650's to load 125Gr 38's for cowboy. Since I use the powder-check, I'll need to use a combo seater/crimper. I like carbide dies. Any recommendations, along with where to buy? Thanks! I am not sure how a Mr. Bullet affects all this so my comments are for a single station Redding Turret / Rock Chucker that I have used. I use and like the Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension Nitride 3-Die Set. No lube, no nutting. I think the OP meant Titanium Nitride not carbide - just sayin' I'm new to CAS and my Rossi 92 .357 is on its way to me so I just last night setup my dies for .38 and used my seater/crimp to load up some dummy rounds, crimping on the "lube" groove (not the normal crimp groove) for a COAL of 1.530 which I think will work good in the rifle. I gave it a "strong" crimp. Really wasn't all that bad to get set up. Anyway, my two cents worth at no extra charge! Ricochet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roscoe Regulator Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Been very happy with RCBS Cowboy Die sets in every cartridge size they offer. They match lead bullet diameters. Only wish is that there was a set screw for the seating stem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Max, I've had great success with Lee and Hornady combo dies for .38/357 cartridges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Payne Posted September 13, 2017 Author Share Posted September 13, 2017 Actually, the Dillon dies work the best for me. But, they don't make a combo Seat/Crimp. My Dillon seating die is very forgiving as opposed to others I have used. The bullet can be at a pretty severe angle & still seat properly. With others I have tried, it hangs up if the bullet isn't close to perfectly straight when going into the seating die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Payne Posted September 13, 2017 Author Share Posted September 13, 2017 Again, thanks all for the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Ya beat me to it, Max. If you haven't seen it already, my post is above yours. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 4 hours ago, Roscoe Regulator said: Been very happy with RCBS Cowboy Die sets in every cartridge size they offer. They match lead bullet diameters. Only wish is that there was a set screw for the seating stem. By a set screw do you mean having a means of keeping the adjustment once you get the stem adjusted? Have you tried ordering an extra locking ring, and turning it down tight over the one that comes with it? I've done this with various parts like expander plugs that I change frequently. I use nothing but standard RCBS dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Yes, tangential set screws that would allow the seating stem locking ring to be tightened up would be great. A set screw through the ring into the threads of the stem is not all that effective and chews up the threads. A doubled lock ring - even a couple of jam nuts of the right size - is about second on the list for ease of setup and change. You can get those thin jam nuts at major hardware stores (but not all big-box home supply stores, unfortunately). Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roscoe Regulator Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said: Yes, tangential set screws that would allow the seating stem locking ring to be tightened up would be great. A set screw through the ring into the threads of the stem is not all that effective and chews up the threads. A doubled lock ring - even a couple of jam nuts of the right size - is about second on the list for ease of setup and change. You can get those thin jam nuts at major hardware stores (but not all big-box home supply stores, unfortunately). Good luck, GJ RCBS Cowboy lock nuts are brass, as are the set screws, doing no harm to the threads. That die series (Cowboy) costs more but really does the job for me, and I have compared with others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Brazos Kid Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 This is all OK if using a Dillon 650, but won't work on a 550B. That is if you are also using a RCBS LocK-Out die. Since the 550 only has 4 positions for dies, the only way you can seat and crimp on different dies is to do the crimp separately, usually on a different press. I have for years used Redding Profile crimp dies for ALL straight sided pistol cartridges, and won't do it any other way. So after seating on the Dillon, and setting that die to just straighten, (not crimp), the case mouth flare, I run them through the Redding die on a separate press. Doesn't take that much more time, and the Redding die eliminates having to use a case checker. If it runs through the Redding die, it WILL fit any standard chamber on any gun, without question. RBK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROKLOK Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Lee dies have always worked good for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667 Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 The Hornady New Dimension dies are standard three Die sets with a combination seating/crimping Die. It has a floating "bullet alignment sleeve" that seems to do a good job preventing the bullet from tipping as it is being seated into the case. I've had good results with it, with the exception of the time when I reinstalled the sleeve upside down after cleaning the Die. That I don't recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 If you load bullets with plenty of soft lube, the Hornady alignment type seater is NOT your friend. Too many moving parts to jam up with lube and even lead and then have to disassemble and clean. BTDT. they shine when loading jacketed bullets, though. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Haven't used a combination Seat/Crimp die in over 20 years. When I did, I used RCBS Cowboy dies. It think. Been a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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