Best dies What's your opinion???

I'm trying to decide on the best full size die setup for a 7mm-08. Can some of you experienced re-loaders lend your opinions on this? I also want to be able to re size 308 brass for the 7mm-08 so that will be a consideration on the die set. Thanks in advance for you help!!

Okay I guess I need to make it simpler.... I have Lee dies for everything else I reload. For the 7mm-08 I want something better. I guess more bells and whistles so to speak. I've looked at RCBS Hornady etc. What kind of experince have ou folks had with re sizing in plain dies and which ones have you had the best experiences with???

I used the Lee collet die for quite a few calibers and really like it. I also use Hornady and RCBS dies for times I need to full length size. Die choices is somewhat subjective. I also get good service out of Redding and Forster products.

For me personally, most of my shooting (100-300yd informal paper punching, blasting, etc) can be handled w/ Lee dies- FL and collet. However, for F Class 1000yd shooting I chose Redding Comp. Bushing, dies. I have never done a back to back test as I don't own a set of Lee in 6BRX/ 260AI caliber, however, it was an "eliminate variables" purchase for me. Everything matters at 1000yds. But, I have loaded 10's of thousands of rounds- maybe closer to 100,000 rounds (been doing this for 25ish years) with Lee products. They stand behind their products and they work.

I just bought a set of 7-08 dies. Based on my experiences, here's my pecking order

If you intend to FL resize each time
1) Forster Ultra set - FL & Micrometer Seater
2) Redding dies w. Comp micro seater

If you intend to NS only
1) Redding collet NS w/ TiN bushings
2) Lee collet

I may check to see if the new Forster bump die (for 308win) will work for the 7-08 if I swap out the right bushings.

My preference:

Lee Collet die
Redding body die
Forster benchrest seater or ultra seater

I use mostly Lee Deluxe Die Sets, and love them! Have some RCBS for Pistol Calibers, and some RCBS I inheritted from my Grandfather. Have my Lee Deluxe Die set and Gramp's RCBS 3 die set in 22-250 Rem, and the Lee set wins hands down. I have a lot less trouble with the Lee, set up is easier when running single stage. It may just be that the die making process has improved in 40+ yrs? Gramps' RCBS dies were special order wildcat dies. He still had the sticker on the end of the box that said "Special Customer Order 22-250" and receipt dated 1962. I don't believe the 22-250 was tamed from being a wildcat until 1965. So there might be the difference as to why the Lee dies work better perhaps? A sized case out of Gramp's dies measures the same as one out of my Lee Dies however.

Have heard 3 different people tell me that they have had trouble with the Hornady Dies. They make good bullets, so I would think good dies.

All that said, if the Lee Dies have treated me (and I assume you since its all you have so far) well, stick with 'em and use the money you saved to buy add on's for your 7-08. ;)
JMHO

.

Guess every nationally-known brand of dies and many custom die makes are somewhere in the shed.


For handgun, use Dillon if they're available.

RCBS and Hornady otherwise.

Am sure there are some Redding out there. And some Lee too.



For rifle, use a lot of Hornady and RCBS. Redding too.

Hornady makes custom dies for a lot less than RCBS. Just send the case/reamer drawing from PTG to Lonnie Hummel at Hornady.

Use Dillon for rifle on the progressive presses when they are available.

Have nothing against others brands.

.

+1 on hornady and rcbs dies

I am with Hammer on this one - DILLON for pistol....period. Others are fine, but when you finally get a set of the new style Dillon pistol dies, there is no looking back...they ARE that good.

Have a little of everything, but Redding, Forster, and Lee are the dies of choice. An older set of RCBS would be purchased when looking for a specific caliber though. Believe the quality was better in the 70's and 80's.

i am firmly convinced that hornady dies do the least stretching to the neck area. redding and lyman seem to be the best dimensionally wise. not knocking rcbs but i always seem to need to trim brass with their use more often then they others. fwiw, bobn

Thanks for the input folks, I really appreciate it. I have read on some other sites that the Lee dies leave a mark on the cases during resizing due to the air holes in their dies. Any one have any experince with that? Makes me wonder if they wern't ramming the hound out of the cases in the press. I can see where it could happen if you torqued it down really hard but just by applying a good even pressure? Hmmmmmmm..... Makes a man think.....

Can't say that I have had that happen. My cases look fine.

Redding for Rifles 8)
Lee for Pistol

I Stay away from Hornady

Redding competition seater
Lee Collet die
RCBS or Redding full length die
Redding standard seating die

RCBS.

My best experience with tight tolerance case/neck runout has been with
Forster and Lee. Also have Redding, RCBS, Hornady and Pacific. My worst
experience with case/neck runout has been with Hornady. They would
have done well to NOT "improve" Pacific's expander ball.

Herters' -- by a wide margin! :D :D :D :D

especially the ones that look like comp dies. Man was one of the great plagiarizers.

He was better than great!! ;D