U-Die and Factory Crimp Die

[Mark K]

First - I treat most forums that I participate as if it is a bunch of like minded individuals that are getting together to BS together, and pass on opinion and knowledge. So at the risk of the old timers thinking "what is with the FGN?......"

Reading here (along with a couple of knowlegable shooting buddies), and am really learning alot about the shooting game, and more recently reloading. I also like to try new stuff.

With that in mind, my (new in November) Dillon 650 is now equipped with a Lee Factory Crimp die, a Redding Seating die, and since last Friday, a Lee/EGW U-Sizing die.

Over the last couple of days I have been loading some practice ammunition, and I am starting to feel like the character in "Lady in the Water" with an arm on one side like fricking Arnold, and Pee-Wee Herman on the other side. The combination of the two Lee Dies really adds resistance to the cycling of the handle. I can run about 13-14 rounds a minute with both in place, but replace the re-sizing die with a plain old Dillon die, and I can do 18-19 rounds a minute. Not that it is a race, just a comparison.

The rounds with both dies sure look nice, but I am not sure that there is any performace gain. All my brass is previously fired.

Am I over complicating the process? My current thoughts are to use both dies for match ammunition production, though I don't know about that either.

Thoughts (other than "You Dumb SOB".....)

Thanks

Mark K

[UW Mitch]

Depends what caliber and what gun. I'm loading on SDB and hadn't had problems until I got a 40S&W and tried to stuff 20 rounds in my mag (EAA Limited). Using a U-die is the only way I could make my rounds feed with that many in there due to tolerance stack up (without it, my rounds were 0.002" larger at the base than the top, over 20 rounds, that's a big angle). It's important enough that I'm single staging all my brass before I even get to the press. Maybe it doesn't matter for your application. Then again, maybe it does.

~Mitch

[yoshidaex]

first off, what type of case lube are you using? One shot works well but I found the dillon case lube makes it even easier to cycle the handle.

[John Dunn]

One Shot should be banned....RCBS Caseslick and Dillon spray lube are that much better.

One Shot sticks cases in .223 dies like crazy.

I will still be forever grateful to Brian for getting me to try lubing pistol brass...it is so much nicer than unlubed.

[revchuck]

Mark - If you're not shooting a gun with a super-tight match chamber, you can live without one or both of those dies. If your gun ran before you changed to those dies, you were fixing something that wasn't broke.

I use standard carbide sizing dies for all of my guns, including the two 1911s in .45 ACP that have match barrels. My other bottomfeeders in 9x19 and .40 S&W have factory barrels. My 9x19 die set has a standard taper crimp die; the .40 S&W set has a FCD, but it has never touched the bottom of the brass (including stuff fired in Glocks) so it functions as a standard taper crimp die. The FCD for my .45 ACP set sometimes resizes the case with .452 cast bullets. The FCD for .38/.357 often does with .358 cast bullets, so I'm using a standard Dillon crimp die for it with no problems.

If your gun ran okay with ammo from standard dies, I'd put the standard dies back in and save the hassles.

[DougCarden]

Mark, if you are going to use that die set up, dont want inflamation in your arm, and are going to load more than 300 rds at a time, I strongly suggest using Dillon case lube only. I have been there, done that.....coming from a guy that will load a couple K at a time on the 1050.....

DougC

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Just remove the FCD and go on. I use the "U" ,Redding and the stock Dillon crimp die with no problems on my 1050. Others around here use the same setup on there 550's and 650's. Let us know what you find. Thanks, Eric

[HSMITH]

If the FCD adds resistance to the press operation something upstream of it is WRONG! The FCD should not add any resistance if the dies are set correctly preceeding it.

A little One Shot works wonders on smoothing out the press and taming the beast.

[Mark K]

Thank you all for your observations. Here are responses to some of the questions/observations posed:

I am shooting an SVI in 40SW (though I also have these dies in 9mm) with a custom coned match barrel and trigger job (I bought the gun used, and can't remember the barrel makers name off the top of my head).

Right now I use Rainier plated bullets.

I have not had feed or chambering problems that can be attributed to the cartridges (had some problems with mag springs).

I bought these dies to hopefully reduce the chance of problems in a match, making the cases all consistant regardless of what they were originally shot in.

I was originally using the Dillon Case Lube but went to One Shot, to eliminate having to clean up loaded bullets. I have used both with this setup.

The FCD adds a little "Chunk" when bringing the handle back up, the U-Die adds resistance on the handle down stroke (plus it is more finicky about case alignment).

I guess I will just play with different combinations.

Thanks All

Mark K.

[G-ManBart]

I would ditch the FCD and just go with the U-die...if the rounds won't gauge that way something else is wrong.

I've had great luck using a case lube that almost nobody mentions. Get some pure, unscented lanolin from the drug store. Put a couple hundred tumbled cases in a box, put a tiny dab of the lanolin on your hands and work it into your sking (heat softens it). Then run your hands through the cases lightly (no need to get every case). Lanolin is the actual lube in many case lubricants that use different delivery systems, so you're getting the same thing. The press will cycle much easier and you won't have to clean your loaded rounds at all. A tube goes for around $9 and will last for tens of thousands of rounds. Try putting a dab half the size of a pencil eraser on your hands...maybe smaller and you'll figure out the right amount quickly. R,

[Chills1994]

Have you tried cleaning your dies?

I keep a can of WD-40 nearby and some Q-tips.

I very carefully squirt a little bit of WD on a Q-tip.

Then I run that end up inside the dies.

No, the Q-tip is NOT absolutely soaked in WD-40.

You'll be surprised at the the gunk that comes off the inside of your dies.

[Forester]

With the Rainiers you likely don't need the FCD, with brass fired previously in your gun you likely don't need the U die. I would not use one or the other at least. I tend to like the FCD myself so I would use a Dillon size die.

If you had a bunch of "Glocked" brass I would go on and use the U-die as well.

I think the FCD really shines with cast lead bullets since they are usually sized about .001" or so larger which has caused chambering problems for me in very tight chambered guns. With plated or jacketed it is just an easier to adjust crimp die...

That Redding seater will change the "feel" of the press as well, but I for one am sold on them.

+1 to those that suggest a decent lube, I like OneShot, doubly so since I can buy it locally.

[Chills1994]

I've never used any kind of lube with straight walled pistol cases.

I'm running both a U-die and a Lee FCD in my 550 toolheads for 9, .40, and .45.

I haven't run in to any problems, well, besides tweaking the paper clip doo-hickey so it pushes the case over just so and enters the U-die without help from me 95% of the time.

Have you de-clunked your powder measure?

Have you cleaned and oiled the press?

[Mark K]

Have you de-clunked your powder measure?

last night I took everything off the tool head, cleaned everything, reinstalled and adjusted everything with the U-die and the FCD installed. It runs much better now. Not sure why.

Anyway = How does one "De-clunck your powder measure?"

Mark K

[Chills1994]

try here:

http://www.ericwesselman.com/DillonPowderMeasure/

If you forget in the future, just go to google and type in "dillon powder measure retrograde". It will come up.

A drill press and a center punch comes in very handy for this, just to give you a head's up.