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Originally Posted by azasadny
Yep, I like Lee dies, but I do not like their hand primer. I use the RCBS hand primer and RCBS stands behind their products, as well as Lee does. The Lyman turbo tumbler rocks, too!
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I have used both the Lee and RCBS. I did like the Lee, but like I mentioned, I broke the lever 3 times on the Lee before I junked it.
The upside of the Lee design is that the feedback is better. I had a better feel for what the primer was doing with my thumb on the Lee than using my whole hand on the RCBS. The downside of this is if you are priming a lot of cases, your thumb can get really stiff/sore. Another downside is (or was at the time anyway) that you needed a special shell holder, where the RCBS uses the standard shell holder from the die.
In my personal opinion, Lee is the Harbor Freight of reloading tools. They work for the job they are built for, but there is certainly better stuff out there. Some of the stuff is really good for the price, some of it is garbage, and will not last very long. Their dies are good, and I have heard from several folks that their powder measure is also pretty good, and just as accurate as more expensive models (but have no personal experience with it).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rot 911
That RCBS kit looks like it may be the way to go for me. So as I understand it you order the kit and then you have to order individual dies for each caliber? And will it do both rifle and pistol?
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Yep. The threads are standard between brands, so you can use any make of die in the press.
For straight walled pistol cases, make sure you get carbide dies, so you won't need to lube the cases. Can you even buy pistol dies that aren't carbide any more?
For bottle-necked rifle cases, you will need to lube the cases if you full length resize, but neck sizing (either with a standard neck size die, or the Lee Collet dies) is preferable from an accuracy and case life standpoint.
Be aware though, neck sizing is generally only possible for bolt action guns, and as the case fireforms to the chamber it is only sure to work in the rifle they were fired in. In other words, if you have 2 rifles of the same caliber, neck-sized reloads made on fireformed cases from one may not chamber in the other.
Tom