Lee Deluxe Handgun 4-die set vs Dillon

[njl]

I'm about to order a RL550b, and am trying to decide what to use for dies (whether to order Dillon dies with it or get others elsewhere). From what I've read, people seem to really like Lee's factory crimp die. What are the up/down-sides to Dillon vs Lee for the following (to be used in the 550);

9mm (Glocks)

.45acp (1911)

.30 carbine (for an M1 carbine)

.223 (for a 5.56mm chambered AR)

[David.Hylton]

I use Lee dies in my 550 and I haven't had any problems that weren't operator error. I shoot a Glock 34 and I've never had a round that wouldn't chamber.

I also have Lee dies for my 41 mag, 30-06, and 338-06 and they're all great dies.

[RustySocket]

Ive' got lee, rcbs and dillon dies. The only thing I have found with the lee dies is that the lock ring is at the end of the threads on the 550 toolhead. I know some guys switch out the lee rings and get the dillon locknuts. I did that on one set and on the other set of lee's I just put the lock ring under the toolhead from the bottom.

If I were buying brand new dies I'd probably just get the dillons at this point as they are nice dies and easy to clean without losing your adjustments. But I wouldn't replace something I already owned just for the sake of spending money.

[AZ-Ranger]

Ive' got lee, rcbs and dillon dies. The only thing I have found with the lee dies is that the lock ring is at the end of the threads on the 550 toolhead. I know some guys switch out the lee rings and get the dillon locknuts. I did that on one set and on the other set of lee's I just put the lock ring under the toolhead from the bottom.

If I were buying brand new dies I'd probably just get the dillons at this point as they are nice dies and easy to clean without losing your adjustments. But I wouldn't replace something I already owned just for the sake of spending money.

+1

Lee pistol dies are okay. Dillons are better.

Now there rifle seating dies are very inconsistent but I have never had a problem with the Lee pistol dies.

Edited January 26, 2009 by AZ-Ranger

[Graham Smith]

A 3-die set of Dillon Dies is $61 (Deprime, Seat, Crimp).

A 4 die set of Lee Dies is $34.50 at Midway (you won't use the powder die)

Dillon locking rings are $1.10 and seem to work better than the Lee lock ring.

That makes the Dillon dies $23.20 more.

If you already have Lee dies, use them. If you are buying from scratch, it's probably a toss up. As to the Lee Crimp Die, I'm not sure why people recommend this over the Dillon, but if that is true, then that changes the equation.

You could, of course, buy individual dies and get a Lee deprime and crimp die and a micrometer seating die from Hornady.

[2kcrewcab]

I have been reloading for about a year with a Dillon 550 and Dillon Dies in .38, .45ACP, and 9mm. I have yet to have a round that wouldn't cycle in my revolvers or autos. I have heard others talk about loading 9mm with Dillon Dies and have feeding issues in their autos, so they would go to a Lee factory crimp die to solve their problems. I don't understand this, as I believe if the Dillon Dies are setup properly, they will work fine.

While I have never loaded on "conventional" dies before, I like the fact that there is only one setting per die to worry about with the Dillon dies. With the seat and crimp functions separated into individual dies, it seems much easier to me to set them up. Of course, with multiple toolheads you rarely have to adjust them anyway, but the Dillon system just seems easier to me and worth the extra money.

Just my .02.