Are Dillon dies inferior in quality?

[dspring]

Time ago I bought a Lee undersized die to replace my Dillon sizing die based on recommendations from the Forum. It works well, I would say better than the OEM. 

 

A few days ago, I opened a thread because of an issue with bulging rounds and I received the recommendation to replace the seating die with a Hornady custom. 
 

Now, before buying it, is there something else I should replace? The crimping one? The powder? All of them?

 

in other words, I am used to think of Dillon as top of the line (I use a 650 and am very happy with it; in the past I have owned also a 550 and a SDB and both were excellent) but it seems that it is not true of the dies that come with it. 
 

Thoughts? 

[iflyskyhigh]

Got my popcorn [emoji897]. Standing by.

 

Seriously thought, I sold all my Dillon pistol and rifle dies years ago.

 

I don’t know if they are inferior? I personally just think the Lee Pistol dies do a much better job for WAY less money. The radius in the bottom of the Dillon dies is supposed to help with progressive presses but I found it just caused mixed range brass not to get sized all the way back down, hence causing issues. And even with the non radiused Lee dies I can still run my 650 as fast as can be reasonably expected.

 

I saw in a post on here a few days back where someone talked about people trying to turn reloading into rocket science. There is some truth to that. Unless you a bullseye shooter, most quality reloaded pistol ammo and the pistol they’re being shot out of will outshoot the shooter.

 

If your shooting 1000 yard precision rifle then yes, tweaking and expensive dies can make a difference. But most of the tweaking and expensive dies for pistol, IN MY OPINION, are a waste of time and money. A waste of time and money I admit to being guilty of on occasion. I enjoy reloading. I like tweaking. But I know at the end of the day it makes little difference. I would, will , and do gain much more from repeatedly pulling the trigger than tweaking pistol rounds.

 

PS I think pretty much everything else Dillon makes is the bees knees. I’m a complete utter total Dillon fan boy. Go team blue

 

 

 

 

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[AHI]

most of the answers in your other thread said to load longer.  it would fix the issue.only a couple said to get a Hornady seating die.

If buying new dies i like Redding. I like the way they adjust etc. Dillons 9mm sizing die will size the portion of the case that holds the bullet smaller

than lee but not as far down on the case. Some have issues most don't.A mister bullet feeder powder expander is a better design than Dillons  but 

again more dont than do have issues. Seating yea Dillons adjustment sux if your changing to different bullets . Crimp  it works .I have dies from most

major manufactures they all have advantages and disadvantages. Are dillon dies poor quality ?

 

[HesedTech]

After trying many dies from different manufacturers here’s my hotpot set up for 9mm.

One pass processing. 

1. Dillon sizing and decapping die.

2. MBF powder funnel

3. Hornady seating die.

4. Dillon taper crimp die.

 

I rarely have a round fail gauge check these days. 
 

Two pass processing

 

First pass

1. Mighty Armor universal decapping die (BTW not so good with 223/5.56 brass, for that the Lee sizing decapping works best).

2. Dillon sizing die.

wet tumble clean, no pins.

 

2nd pass

1. MBF powder funnel

2. Hornady seating

3. Dillon taper crimp.

 

Used these set ups on 650 and currently on 1050.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by HesedTech

[Pnut]

I wouldnt say they are inferior quality, it all depends what you want to do. If you are only reloading plinking ammo, you can go all Dillon, even for pistol march ammo Dillon will be good. But if you want a seating die with a micrometer adjustment or a U sizing die, you will have to look somewhere else.

 

I use Hornady seating and crimping (because I already had those) and a Lee U sizing die because Dillon doesnt sell one. 

 

For presicion rifle I have a mix of Lee, Hornady and Redding.

[m700]

After 10 years of use I replaced my pistol sizing dies with mighty armory after a fairly new 9mm die failed. The Dillon dies are fine depending on what your doing with them. I also swapped out my crimp dies for Lee factory crimps early on.

I'm not shooting bullseye so I held onto my seating die.

For rifle I just replaced my 223 sizing die and have been using a mix of dies .

Like others have said every die is good for something. It seems Dillon tries to make them for everyone. By picking and choosing dies from all over we can fine tune our process

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[Sarge]

I wouldn’t call them inferior. They are way overpriced though and there are much better available for half the cost

[RickT]

Also depends on bullet, OAL and firearm chamber.  My PCC requires a short OAL and loading 145gr RN coated I'm using a LEE undersize sizing die and FCD; probably overkill, but I'm having minimal problems using a Hundo checker.  I found for pistol the Dillon sizing die was fine, but my 9mm 1911 is very forgiving.

[MikeyScuba]

The Dillon lock nuts are useful.  I found myself the other day digging through my blue die boxes for a few. I was setting up my Evo tool head and Lee makes great dies-they just fail on the o-ringed lock nut or new wheel design.  Combining these with the fact their dies are super short necessitates the Dillon Lock nut.

[chevrofreak]

The Dillon seating die is a pain to adjust, and doesn't have a floating alignment collar like the Hornady and Redding.   I like the Hornady because of how inexpensive it is. 

 

I like being able to adjust my crimp more easily as well, since my 650 loads many different types and diameters of 9mm bullets, which is why I switched to a Lee FCD. 

[Joe4d]

I will call them inferior at least in design.
The sizers dont size down far enough and the seaters screw something up with the rounds.
Been using mostly Lee on my 550 and for some reason I decided I needed to "upgrade" my seating die to one I could clean easier. As at the time I was using plain lead with lube so needed to clean die . The dillon could do this without loosing your OAL adjustment.
At which point I promptly started getting failure to chambers. Or failure to extracts with loaded ammo. No matter what I did to that stupid die, or what length, I would get failures. Messed with everything. Finally put the Lee die back in and problems stopped, Dillon die is gathering rust whereever  it landed when I chucked it 10 years ago.
As much as keep looking at a SDB as a spare press for 1 caliber. My horrible experience with Dillon dies scares me off.

Edited July 13, 2020 by Joe4d

[RePete]

I'm running 4 calibers on the 1050 with Dillon dies, and have never had a problem with them.  I've had them for 14 years.

[dspring]

Thank you all for the replies. Just to clarify, my question was focused on 9mm which is the caliber I load the most.

 

Is this the for those who recommend Hornady as a better alternative for seating?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-044144-Bullet-Seating-355/dp/B003D75LR4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=298DCJEQ8YK1O&dchild=1&keywords=hornady+seating+die+9mm&qid=1594658538&sprefix=9mm+hornady+seating%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-2

 

And for crimping?

 

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90860-Carbide-Factory/dp/B000O7HCK0/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=hornady+crimp+die+9mm&qid=1594658676&sr=8-4

 

 

[iflyskyhigh]

Thank you all for the replies. Just to clarify, my question was focused on 9mm which is the caliber I load the most.   Is this the for those who recommend Hornady as a better alternative for seating?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-044144-Bullet-Seating-355/dp/B003D75LR4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=298DCJEQ8YK1O&dchild=1&keywords=hornady+seating+die+9mm&qid=1594658538&sprefix=9mm+hornady+seating%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-2

 

And for crimping?

 

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90860-Carbide-Factory/dp/B000O7HCK0/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=hornady+crimp+die+9mm&qid=1594658676&sr=8-4

 

 

 

 

The set up for 9MM (ESPECIALLY if loading mixed pickup range brass) is: 

Lee U Die

 

Mr Bullet powder funnel (makes a HUGE difference with mixed pick up brass)

 

Your choice of seater (Lees work great, easy to adjust, and cheap)

 

Lee Factory Crimp Die

 

You can buy the whole 4 Lee Die set on Amazon for cheap. Then just pick the Lee U die. It’s cheaper to do it this way than buying individual dies.

 

That’s the set up I use on my 550 and 650. The only exception is on the 650 I have the Redding Pro Series Seating Die https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012613199?pid=720594 But the Lee works fine. Just happened across some good deals when I was setting up the 650.

 

I also have a bullet feeder and case feeder on the 650.

 

 

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[belus]

The one (only?) advantage I've noticed with Dillon dies is that they don't rust as easily as Lee. Wasn't an issue in Arizona but now that I live in Texas I appreciate them more.

 

I use a mix of Lee and Dillon for pistols. Mostly use Foster for rifles.

 

edit: 

I basically use the same arrangement as @iflyskyhigh recommended for 9mm.

Edited July 13, 2020 by belus

[Tokarev]

The one (only?) advantage I've noticed with Dillon dies is that they don't rust as easily as Lee. Wasn't an issue in Arizona but now that I live in Texas I appreciate them more.
 
I use a mostly use a mix of Lee and Dillon for pistols. Mostly use Foster for rifles.
 
edit: 
I basically use the same arrangement as @iflyskyhigh recommended for 9mm.

My Redding dies look they they were stored outside after just a few years in VA humidity.

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[JFlowers]

Comparing stock Dillon dies to special purpose dies is not an apples to apples comparison.  Normal Dillon dies are just that, stock dies designed for automated presses.  Lee Factory Crimp, Redding Competition dies, etc are special purpose dies made to meet specific challenges.

[Tokarev]

Normal Dillon dies are just that, stock dies designed for automated presses.  Lee Factory Crimp,

Not really. The Lee FCD is hardly a special die. Heck it comes standard with many of their die sets.


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[Service Desk]

Dillon dies are not inferior...they are an alternative. Some brands have different features that Dillon don't and some have a lower cost. Consumers produce the market...manufacturers service the market and you decide how to spend your hard earned cash. I have Dillon 38Special dies that came with my first 1050, they have loaded lots of high quality ammo since 1988 and still do... Dillon is built to a price and offers that lifetime warranty. The U die and FCD  are great options and really come into their own when conditions are met. Otherwise Dillon do just fine. YMMV 

[chevrofreak]

9 hours ago, dspring said:

Thank you all for the replies. Just to clarify, my question was focused on 9mm which is the caliber I load the most.

 

Is this the for those who recommend Hornady as a better alternative for seating?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-044144-Bullet-Seating-355/dp/B003D75LR4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=298DCJEQ8YK1O&dchild=1&keywords=hornady+seating+die+9mm&qid=1594658538&sprefix=9mm+hornady+seating%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-2

 

And for crimping?

 

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90860-Carbide-Factory/dp/B000O7HCK0/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=hornady+crimp+die+9mm&qid=1594658676&sr=8-4

 

 

Yes, those dies are great.  

[boatdoc173]

On 7/12/2020 at 3:48 PM, chevrofreak said:

The Dillon seating die is a pain to adjust, and doesn't have a floating alignment collar like the Hornady and Redding.   I like the Hornady because of how inexpensive it is. 

 

I like being able to adjust my crimp more easily as well, since my 650 loads many different types and diameters of 9mm bullets, which is why I switched to a Lee FCD. 

any idea where to find just a seating die from Hornady?  redding pro series?

 

all I can find is complete sets.

[HOGRIDER]

1 hour ago, boatdoc173 said:

any idea where to find just a seating die from Hornady?  redding pro series?

 

all I can find is complete sets.

Here:

https://www.amazon.com/Redding-Reloading-Competition-Handgun-Seating/dp/B000PW6548

 

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/14741

 

[dspring]

I have changed out my dies as recommended here, and am VERY happy. No issues whatsoever with the rounds I am producing (bar the occasional primer sideways which happens on the 650) and flawless quality. 

 

Thank you, the money spent on changing up  the dies was very much worth it. 

[noylj]

No, but I don't care for the Dillon sizing dies. Much prefer Lee and Hornady as they size further down the case.