Best dies for 9mm

[MilkMyDuds]

I have run Lee 4-die set on single stage, then used Dillon SDB with proprietary 9mm Dillon dies.

I have a Dillon 650 incoming. I wonder what dies would work best with the 650?

I liked the quality of rounds produced from the single stage with Lee dies, more than the ones coming out of the SDB. Will the Lee dies work well with 650?

I heard the EGW u die is best for sizing, and the Lee FCD is the best crimpping die. I also heard some Lee sizing dies are relabeled EGW u die, is that true? Should I keep my Lee sizing and crimpping dies, and buy the Dillon seating and expander dies?

Thanks.

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[TDA]

Why worry about problems you you are not having?

Try the dies that you have and see if the results are satisfactory. If you were happy with the results when using the dies in a single stage press there is no reason that they wouldn't work on a 650. A press is a press, the dies don't know what press they are being used on.

[Steve RA]

Lee dies will work, the SDB is the only Dillon with proprietary dies.

[MrDesertBrat]

Great Question - wish it had been asked 4 months ago when I got my 650 {smiles} .. anyways, I have Lee, RBCS, Hornady dies for 9mm.. in the 650, I have found, through much experimentation, though most all work well the "best" combo I have is, by Station:

#1 - Dillon full length sized and decapper (though I size and decap separately, tumble/pin wash before I put in the 650)

#2 - Dillon powder through the die and flair/belling

#3 - Dillon Powder measure/cop

#4 - Dillon Bullet Seater

#5 - Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die

Note: A lot of the non-Dillon dies do not have enough thread length to be usually in the 650 - just can't screw them down far enough to be a proper distance from the shell plate.

Comments/Advise:

1. I had some issues at first - the cases were "bulging" about .150 to .250 above the extractor groove (bulge was NOT there prior to loading - they were gauged to check and passed). Found that I was not adding enough "bell" to the case, so the bullet seating die was forcing the bullet in the case, added more downward pressure on the case causing the belling. So, I added more bell, and just enough tapered crimp to remove bell (case mouth ended up .376 to .378.), and made sure I well lubed the cases with One Shot. Bottom line, I went from 1 out of 10 failures (no go gauge checking) to 1 out of 100.

2. Contrary to some folks belief, the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die does not resize the case. The carbine ring is at the die mouth and compresses the case base only to .391 - the factory/SAMMI spec for 9mm cases.

Hope this helps - all said as my view point and experience .. and sorry about the extra info - just though it might be helpful as you are going down the road I just travelled.

You just purchased an awesome machine - enjoy.

Edited June 23, 2015 by MrDesertBrat

[rdinga]

All Dillon dies with the exception of a Redding competition seating die.

[Sarge]

Note: A lot of the non-Dillon dies do not have enough thread length to be usually in the 650 - just can't screw them down far enough to be a proper distance from the shell plate.

This is why we screw them in and put the nut under the tool head!

Dillon dies just did not please me for many reasons. The sizer allowed setback with certain cases with thinner walls, the seating die was a PITA to adjust with it's course threads and the same with the crimp. I use LEE or EGW sizing die, Redding pro series seating die with fine threads for adjustment and a LEE FCD turned way out so it only crimps. LEE dies are very good dies for your 650!

[EDA]

I run the Lee carbide set with my Hornady LNL and have been pleased with consistency.

[MarkCO]

I run the Dillon Size/decapper die (the Dillon power drop/flare and check dies), Redding Seating Die and Lee FCD on the calibers I load (and shoot) the most.

This combination gives me the best performance in ease of loading and from my ammo. I do have a few calibers that are not like this, but I wish they all were.

[FlightMurse]

I was just in the exact same boat, been using Lee dies in a single stage and picked up a 650. I figured what the hell, try the Lee dies that have been working perfectly fine for the last 5,000 rounds and see what happens. I don't have any complaints so far, just use the Dillon die rings that come with the press, the Lee or Hornady rings are too thick to work on the 650.

[Philip Dedmon]

I like the Dillon Dies. I do use a Redding Competition Seating Die to do my seating.

[Yardbird]

Lee dies all the way around.

[vixty]

I had lee dies that I used in a turret press, but when I ordered my 650 I decided to try the Dillon dies. I found that the fl sizing die sized the casings to tight, so when I seated my bullets I could see the exact outline of the bullet in the casing. I went back to the lee die and didn't have the issue anymore. Some might say lee dies are horrible but after about 7k rounds I've never had an issue with them.

[brisix]

All Dillon dies with the exception of a Redding competition seating die.

I have the same setup. Tried using Redding sizer die on my 550 and would get miss feeds were the 9mm case would not always go into the die on the upstroke. Dillion feeds 99.9% and allows me to go much faster.

[GJGary]

Lee also, why fix something that isn't broken.

[stickboy44]

I have been running Lee dies for about 4 years on my Dillon presses and never had any problems

[EDA]

Anyone use their Lee die set without the expander die? My stations are 1. Decap/sizer, 2. Open, 3. Hornady Case activated powder drop, 4. Bullet seat, 5. Open. This is on a hornady lnl ap. I found that the sizer is opening the casemouth enough and after i seat the 124 or 125gr jhp, i dont need to add any crimp.

[noylj]

Sizing dies: Hornady are the easiest to size with. They also go down further than almost any other, but not quite as far as the Lee or my first generation RCBS carbide sizing dies that have almost NO chamfer. I use a LOT of Lee sizing dies. Dillon don't size down any where near as far and none of my 1050s have a Dillon sizing die on them (I have the dies, just didn't like them and use Hornady or Lee).

Expander dies: for the 1050, that is taken care of with the swaging station or the powder-through expander (Lee, Hornady, or Dillon depending on the powder measure used). Of the dedicated expanders I have used, Hornady are as good as they get.

Powder-through expander dies: depends on the powder measure. Lee PTE dies, Hornady powder die with PTXs, and Dillon powder dies with cartridge or caliber specific powder funnels all work GREAT.

Seating die: doesn't matter--it is the seating stem that matters and the best seating stems are custom made for a given bullet. I like the Hornady sleeve that helps keep the bullet aligned as it enters the die, but I really like having Lee make me a custom seating stem for $12 (may be $20 or so now as I haven't had one made in about 5 years).

Crimp die: ANY taper crimp die. I use lead bullets, and the Lee FCD has swaged lead bullets down on me, so I just use a regular taper crimp die. Lee's taper crimp die is/was about $10 and works as well as any other taper crimp die.

Best thing I have found to eliminate chambering problems has been to use Lee's Bulge Buster kit and the 9x18 Mak FCD, .40 FCD, and the .45 FCD die body to iron out any bulges after case cleaning.

EDA: How is the sizing die opening up the case mouth? The Hornady PTX will expand the case and flare the case mouth. If you don't flare the case mouth, you can load jacketed bullets without crimping, but I found doing so made seating more difficult than using a flared case mouth and maintaining the bullet square to the case as it enters the die was a problem.

Back in the stone age of progressive presses (the late '70s, when Hornady, Dillon, and Star were about all there was), I concluded the Dillon 4-stage wasn't enough so I got the Hornady. Set up then was:

1) size

2) expand/flare

3) powder drop (manually)

4) Inspect case for powder and seat

5) crimp

Now, my setup is

1) size

2) expand, flare, and charge case

3) RCBS Lock-Out die

4) inspect case for powder and seat

5) crimp

Edited June 26, 2015 by noylj

[FlightMurse]

Anyone use their Lee die set without the expander die? My stations are 1. Decap/sizer, 2. Open, 3. Hornady Case activated powder drop, 4. Bullet seat, 5. Open. This is on a hornady lnl ap. I found that the sizer is opening the casemouth enough and after i seat the 124 or 125gr jhp, i dont need to add any crimp.

I guess it could depend on what type of bullet you are loading, but one would think even a TMJ would shave some copper off of the bullet. I load moly-coated lead (bayou) and no expander die equals shaved bullets, which equals terrible accuracy.

[EDA]

noylj - you are correct, I used the incorrect term - the sizing die does not flare the case mouth. I should have said that the sizing die sizes the case well enough such that I can seat a jacketed bullet fine without needing a crimp to remove the bell. I haven't seen any shaving of the jacket (using Zero 125gr #162 JHP bullets). I also don't use the Hornady PTX, it's just a case-activated powder drop.

Maybe it's just a lucky perfect combo?

[Kaskillo]

Dillon Carbide sizer and crimper.

Redding or Forster micro seater.

[IDescribe]

Dillon 650 setup for 9mm:

Redding size/decap
Redding Expand

Hornady Powder Drop

Redding Competition Seater
Redding crimp