Dillon users: Which dies do you use?

[SWThomas]

I just got into reloading and have only done 9MM so far. I will be getting into 40S&W and 308WIN very soon though. I've read a lot about people not being satisfied with how Dillon's resizing dies size pistol brass. The Dillon dies are not full length dies and leave a slight bulge at the bottom of the case. I've seen some folks saying to get a LEE full-length resizing die to eliminate the bulge when resizing. Other have said to use a Bulge-Buster. How many of you have done this and how many of you just use all Dillon dies and have no issues? If you use dies other than Dillon on your Dillon press, which calibers?

I've loaded about 400 9MM cases so far and every one of them fed, chambered, fired, and ejected perfectly. All of them were sized with a Dillon die and all had the slight bulge.

[Tigereye]

I use Dillon dies for 9, 45, and 223 with no problems. I haven't tried the others.

[RearwardAssist]

I also use dillons dies 9 40 223 and 308.

[1_click_off]

Lee 9mm, 45acp, 45-70
RCBS 40/10mm, 357
Dillon 9x25 Dillon

All of my rifle stuff is RCBS. .223, 6mm, 6.5 jap, 243, 30-30, 308, 30-06, etc....

I like the added chamfer that the dillons have for the powder/expander die, but not enough to purchase one yet. May pick it up if I want to speed up my 9mm loading.

No particular reason for the brands, it is just what I have picked up over the years.

[Coal Dragger]

The Dillon resizer in my Square Deal B tool head for .45ACP has never given me trouble and I've never noticed any bulge at the case web in my brass that was abnormal.

Loot at the instructions for a full length resizing die that will resize all the way down to the shell holder like my Redding .454 Casull dies and they tell you to back it off so you don't. I ignored this on one piece of brass to see what would happen and it pretty much ruined the case swaging and shaving brass off at the bottom. I did this with a Redding T7 turret press that has a lot of leverage, not even sure a Dillon could make enough leverage to do the same thing. Either way you don't want to and don't need to.

Of all the brands of dies that I have used I like Redding dies the most, by a wide margin I might add.

[thopkins22]

Dillon dies for 9mm, .223, and .308. No problems...ever.

I just picked up a Redding Competition seating die for .308...but it's not like the Dillon dies weren't providing subMOA loads.

Ignore the bulge...In fact since it will stay there and won't continuously be worked all the way back to straight the brass won't suffer as much. Shy of some ridiculously tight chambered gun you want to run the brass through I can't imagine it ever being a problem for you.

ETA: When I was starting I remember freaking out about the bulge and thinking "is this a sign that my case is going to rupture" and all sorts of nonsense. As it stands I've never had a round of 9mm that I loaded not behave perfectly...even the ones that failed the case gauge.

[frankgh22]

Mostly Redding, but some RCBS and 1 Lee. Cals: 38, 357, 9mm, 45, 45LC, 40 in pistol and 223, 243, 300, 308, 30-30 in rifle. Never had any problems. Just have to adjust for shoulder sometimes on homemade 300 Blackout.

[polymorpheous]

Geez, I didn't know Dillon .223 die were not full length resizing.
Is this going to be a huge problem for reloading for my AR's?

[1_click_off]

If you have 1 AR, probably not. If you have two or if share reloads it may be an issue.

Just have to test it out. Brass will last longer if you don't have to FL resize.

[polymorpheous]

Yeah, I got multiple uppers.
I'm not looking at a kaboom right?
Just a stuck case?

[1_click_off]

Good question, not sure if you can fire out of battery if the case is not fully seated. I would think you could split the upper and drop a factory round in and then drop a reload in to see if they both stop on the shoulder. If the reloads don't go all the way in, I would get a FL die and pull the reloads down and load them again. If they slip right in, I'd run them.

[joedirt199]

I have never seen a full length shell sizer that actually goes all the way to the bottom of the shell. if it bothers you that much, there are certain sizers that sit on top of a single stage press and allow you to push the shell up through the bottom and out the top. those are designed to size the whole shell and eliminate the bulge at the bottom when shooting brass in glock style pistols. I think lee makes one but I have never found the need to size brass that way. all my brass sizings have a little over a 1/8" spot that you can see was not sized by the die above the bottom shoulder before the case rim. that is with bottoming out the shell holder on the die.

[thopkins22]

Geez, I didn't know Dillon .223 die were not full length resizing.
Is this going to be a huge problem for reloading for my AR's?

They're full length in the sense that they aren't just neck sizing...I imagine it would be a pain to truly 100% full length size and have something useable on a progressive press.

No, it's not going to be a problem.

[glocktogo]

For pistol sizing, I use the Lee/EGW "U" die. I use a Hornady seating die with the floating seating stem that seats on the ogive rather than the meplat of the bullet and is fingertip adjustable. Lee factory crimp die finishes it off. This all results in a much lower cull rate with scrounged range brass.

[Boxerglocker]

All dillon rifle dies are small base... http://www.dillonprecision.com/Dillon_223_rem_sizing_die-98-14-311.htm
If loading a semi auto FL sizing is mandatory for reliability of feeding. Though small-based dies is mostly a marketing description. Any modern reputable die maker offers dies that size a case to fit a minimum-spec chamber. Before doing anything else, size a case and see if it fully chambers, the bolt locks completely, and the case easily extracts. Often it requires running the size die down not just until it touches the shellplate, but up to 1/4-1/2 turn beyond that, to take all the play out of the linkage, toolhead, etc. A headspace case cage makes it easier to adjust the size die, as it substitutes for your chamber, and indicates where maximum and minimum headspace are.

[polymorpheous]

All dillon rifle dies are small base... http://www.dillonprecision.com/Dillon_223_rem_sizing_die-98-14-311.htm
If loading a semi auto FL sizing is mandatory for reliability of feeding. Though small-based dies is mostly a marketing description. Any modern reputable die maker offers dies that size a case to fit a minimum-spec chamber. Before doing anything else, size a case and see if it fully chambers, the bolt locks completely, and the case easily extracts. Often it requires running the size die down not just until it touches the shellplate, but up to 1/4-1/2 turn beyond that, to take all the play out of the linkage, toolhead, etc. A headspace case cage makes it easier to adjust the size die, as it substitutes for your chamber, and indicates where maximum and minimum headspace are.

That is exactly how I set the die up.
Passes the gauge easily.

I do have a Lee die set for .223.
If the rounds are problematic, I'll pull the Dillon die.

[shootist~]

...and how many of you just use all Dillon dies and have no issues?

I use a Dillon Size Die if I'm sizing in the progressive loader, which will be for any pistol caliber. I generally size bottle neck rifle case in a single stage, then after de-lubing, load in the 650 or 1050.

Dillon sizer dies are set up for the progressive - slightly radiused at the bottom and they don't make contact with the shell plate, which seems like it might be a good thing.

I've done a gazillion .45 ACP and .40 S&W and have never seen "the bulge" when reloading my own brass. Getting back into 9mm after many years and loading for a different pistol (with old brass from a BHP), I did. Maybe it's a chamber thing, but since the Dillon sizer is one full turn off the shell plate, I just ran it down a little and de-bulged all the old brass. Then back to normal.

Dillon is one of three brands of dies I prefer to use. The other two are Redding and RCBS. I consider Lee a step down - just my opinion based on the one set I had.

[Sparky5019]

For 5.56 I use Dillon with full carbide size die. For revolvers, I use Dillon seat die, Hornady crimp die (best roll crimp), Redding Titanium Carbide size die. For autos I use Dillon seat and taper crimp dies and Redding size die as above. Great results!

You can accomplish excellent results with most any good quality dies; longevity is the key...the above combos have lasted the longest so far in 25 years of reloading.

Much luck in your quest!

Sparky

[smoe806]

I use RCBS , Lyman , Lee and Dillon dies . One thing about Dillon when choosing Dies . I am really talented I managed to get a case stuck and bend the threaded piece in my Dillon .223 sizing die . I called Dillon they replaced the bent piece with No Cost to me .

[polymorpheous]

For 5.56 I use Dillon with full carbide size die.


Sounds expensive.
I'll check it out.
In the meantime, I think I'll swap out to the Lee full length sizing die if I have any problems.

All my uppers are BCM, so maybe there won't be an issue.

[polymorpheous]

Hold up!
According to Dillon's site, their sizing dies ARE full length!


The sizing/depriming die is full-length, to minimum tolerances, sizing cases down to function in semi- and full-automatic firearms.

[thopkins22]

Hold up!
According to Dillon's site, their sizing dies ARE full length!

They're full length sizing dies...which hasn't been disputed. The pistol dies just have a slightly larger lead in radius(or base or whatever you want to call it.) Often leading to a barely visible bulge at the base of the cartridge.

Before matches I check every single cartridge with a case gauge and my cull rate is quite low. Even those that are culled seem to shoot just fine through the Glocks...I just don't take them to matches.

The rifle dies are small base dies so they won't exhibit that phenomenon.

ETA: I believe a case gauge to be essential equipment, at least for setting up the dies...the pistol dies set up perfectly using Dillon's instructions, for my rifle cases to fit the gauge I had to screw them down to where they touched the plate and then another 1/4-1/2 turn. No biggie, you just feel the slack disappear from the plate and head as you near the bottom of your stroke.

[polymorpheous]

I misunderstood to OP.
So the pistol dies are not FL but the rifle dies are?

I got gauges for both calibers I reload.
Those and calipers are must haves for me.
God only gave me 2 hands! :sarcastic:

[thopkins22]

So the pistol dies are not FL but the rifle dies are?

Right.

The rifle dies are conventional full length small base dies.

As for the pistol dies, the radius really is a nice feature...I wouldn't use something else unless I absolutely had to...and so far I have not had to. They seem to resize what needs resizing just fine...and thanks to the carbide they do it smoothly and without lube.

You can see a nice cutaway of the pistol and rifle dies on their site.

Rifle cutaway(notice full length) http://www.dillonprecision.com/uimages/reloading_dies/rifledieset.jpg

Pistol cutaway http://www.dillonprecision.com/uimages/reloading_dies/dieset.jpg

[Boxerglocker]

Right.

The rifle dies are conventional full length small base dies.

As for the pistol dies, the radius really is a nice feature...I wouldn't use something else unless I absolutely had to...and so far I have not had to. They seem to resize what needs resizing just fine...and thanks to the carbide they do it smoothly and without lube.




Spray a little Horandy One Shot lube on your pistol brass just once and I will bet you will never load without it every again. Makes everything so much smoother, easier on the press and the operator. It also enhances feel as your loading if you come across any issues that aren't just right, like a crimped 9mm or .45ACP primer pocket.

[Raven Armament]

Handguns: Redding Pro Series
Rifles: Redding or Dillon

[GSPKurt]

Handgun- Lyman or Lee.

Rifle- Redding

[davestarbuck]

I use Lee dies for 380,9mm,40,10mm,45/460 Rowland,38/357,44 mag,50 AE,50 Beowulf, 223,6.8 Spc,30/30,308, and 50 BMG.

Hornady for 6.5 Grendel.

Dillon for trim dies, and 9x25 Dillon.

I have a busy reloading room!

[Archer1440]

I use nothing but Dillon dies in my 550B and Super 1050 setups. More than than enough rounds of .45 ACP to pay for itself several times over from the 1050 and not one issue in the field related to reloading.