When is the EGW U Die needed?

[Pro2AInPA]

10 minutes seems to be enough. If you're worried about wearing the burn inhibitors off the surface of the powder kernels, try the bathtowel and alcohol method. A couple sprays on the towel seems to do the trick.

Not worried about it at all. I don't buy into that theory whatsoever. Just wondering how long it took to get the lube off.

[lugnut]

The EGW U die does a good job of sizing all the way down. It is not a "bandaid". Glock .40 chambers are notorious for buldging brass and the EGW die does a good job of removing it.

My reject rate went from ~10-15 per 100 using a Dillon die to 0 using the EGW die. I would highly recomend using One Shot case lube if you decide to get the EGW die.

I've been loading .40 for 10 years and I would not consider loading without it.

Another +1 to what Singlestack says. I use One Shot or Dillon lube for ALL my pistol cases.. but only use the U die on .40 for reasons he mentioned. I also had about a 10% reject rate without the U-die with my .40 when I gauge checked them as well.... now when I get a reject the brass gets thrown away and it isn't that common.

[boz1911]

I'm with SingleStack also. My case gauge rejects for 40 cal went to zip. I don't even check them anymore except for major matches. The U-die rules for 40. Lack of bullet setback is just a bonus.

Are you using jacketed bullets? I'm using moly lead, which are .001" bigger. I've heard from more than one person on this forum that the U die plus lead bullets isn't a great idea?

Lead and jacketed. I shoot both.

[Singlestack]

I'm with SingleStack also. My case gauge rejects for 40 cal went to zip. I don't even check them anymore except for major matches. The U-die rules for 40. Lack of bullet setback is just a bonus.

Are you using jacketed bullets? I'm using moly lead, which are .001" bigger. I've heard from more than one person on this forum that the U die plus lead bullets isn't a great idea?

Lead and jacketed. I shoot both.

+1

[G-ManBart]

I'm with SingleStack also. My case gauge rejects for 40 cal went to zip. I don't even check them anymore except for major matches. The U-die rules for 40. Lack of bullet setback is just a bonus.

Are you using jacketed bullets? I'm using moly lead, which are .001" bigger. I've heard from more than one person on this forum that the U die plus lead bullets isn't a great idea?

Lead and jacketed. I shoot both.

+1

True, but I have seen folks have issues with lead/moly if they had a combination of bullets on the generous side and cases with slightly thicker walls. Probably not all that common, but it has happened. With lead/moly the U-die probably isn't offering anything extra in the way of neck tension (since the bullet is already .001 larger) but it'll still cut down on the bulge reject problem. R,

[98sr20ve]

A couple thoughts to consider about the U-die reports. Most people who LOVE the U-die are converting from a die not made by Lee or Hornady. Both the Lee and Hornady dies have a minimal taper. Dillon and others have a little more. It's the lack of taper making the difference. People struggle believing the Standard Lee die would solve the issues a expensive Dillon die does not solve.

FCD is .006-.008 larger then the standard Lee die. It's not solving anything at the base that a standard Lee die wouldn't already have solved.

I like the one hornady sizing die but thier seating die is a little fickle in my experiance.

A good sizing die will provide plenty of tension to prevent bullet setback. If you have issues with sizing start measuring what your sizing die is actually doing. Measure the outside of the case and compare it to your specs in the reloading manual. Measure the inside of the mouth and compare it to the size of your bullets. Size some cases and drop them in a case gauge. Take all the slack out of your existing sizing die. It's OK for it to lift the toolhead a little. Most toolheads have a little slop in them. Use the seating die to take most of it out.

Using a Lee dieset with no FCD (don't get me started) I get less then 0.1% failure rate in my Dillon Case gauge loading 9mm and 10mm. All brass from a Glock barrel. All cases pass the case gauge for sizing. Sure I might have burrs or something not sizing related. But ZERO sizing issues. Lee dies generally size .010 smaller then sammi spec. Thats plenty.

[Singlestack]

Using a Lee dieset with no FCD (don't get me started) I get less then 0.1% failure rate in my Dillon Case gauge loading 9mm and 10mm. All brass from a Glock barrel. All cases pass the case gauge for sizing. Sure I might have burrs or something not sizing related. But ZERO sizing issues. Lee dies generally size .010 smaller then sammi spec. Thats plenty.

The EGW U-Die is a Lee U-Die that has been trimmed to allow it to size further down on the brass. The Standard Lee die does not go far enough to remove all of the bulge a Glock chamber can leave.

If you loaded .40 for a 1911 chamber, you would understand. Glock 9mm and 10mm chambers do not leave a bulge like their .40 does.

[G-ManBart]

Using a Lee dieset with no FCD (don't get me started) I get less then 0.1% failure rate in my Dillon Case gauge loading 9mm and 10mm. All brass from a Glock barrel. All cases pass the case gauge for sizing. Sure I might have burrs or something not sizing related. But ZERO sizing issues. Lee dies generally size .010 smaller then sammi spec. Thats plenty.

The EGW U-Die is a Lee U-Die that has been trimmed to allow it to size further down on the brass. The Standard Lee die does not go far enough to remove all of the bulge a Glock chamber can leave.

If you loaded .40 for a 1911 chamber, you would understand. Glock 9mm and 10mm chambers do not leave a bulge like their .40 does.

Untrue. I thought it was for quite some time, but I have seen an e-mail from EGW that clears it up. The EGW and Lee U-die are one and the same. EGW does nothing additional to the U-die as delivered from Lee. This may be why Lee doesn't list it on their website, but you can call and order it. R,

[Singlestack]

From EGW's website:

Undersize Reloading Die

EGW offers custom made, carbide sizing dies that are 0.001" smaller in diameter than typical dies. These dies also flair lower than some other sizing dies and size the case further down, which may prevent feed failures from cases bulged near the base as is typical of brass fired in Glock and other loose chambered guns. A must for the serious competition reloader.

It does not say they trim it... I am under the impression they do.

[G-ManBart]

From EGW's website:

Undersize Reloading Die

EGW offers custom made, carbide sizing dies that are 0.001" smaller in diameter than typical dies. These dies also flair lower than some other sizing dies and size the case further down, which may prevent feed failures from cases bulged near the base as is typical of brass fired in Glock and other loose chambered guns. A must for the serious competition reloader.

It does not say they trim it... I am under the impression they do.

Yeah, George said they don't. They have it made to their spec...that's all. That's probably why Lee can't advertise it themselves. R,

[SA Friday]

Whatever works for you to get it done. For me, I use an EGW U die for my 9mm, 40 and 45 ACP rounds. I reload lots of different bullets, but primarily moly coated lead in 40 and 45 acp. I never use lube on any of these three calibers. I don't use two different resizing dies. I average one reject round out of every 2500 loaded. My ammo chambers and runs at matches and it's the last thing I have to think about. I don't have to sweat bullet set back in any of the three calibers. I won't reload competition ammo without a U die. It just works.

Lee FCD's are the devil.

[D.Hayden]

This is the real story on the die..

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=285205

[G-ManBart]

This is the real story on the die..

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=285205

Thanks. I literally just found it two minutes ago and was going to edit my post above. I knew I'd read his comments somewhere. R,

[Singlestack]

Well, now that you bring that thread up, I remember reading it

I do know the die rocks! I have one on my .38SC, .40 and .45 tool head. I need one for the 9mm...

[98sr20ve]

From EGW's website:

Undersize Reloading Die

EGW offers custom made, carbide sizing dies that are 0.001" smaller in diameter than typical dies. These dies also flair lower than some other sizing dies and size the case further down, which may prevent feed failures from cases bulged near the base as is typical of brass fired in Glock and other loose chambered guns. A must for the serious competition reloader.

It does not say they trim it... I am under the impression they do.

It flares lower then "some other dies" Does not say it's been trimmed. If you look at a Lee Die there is really nothing to trim. Flare is in the carbide. And it's almost non-existent. Sure I don't shoot them in a 1911. But you missed the post. They all pass the case gauge easily. So I shoot them in a 10mm at MAX loads. They bulge, I resize thm, they pass the Dillon Case gauge. When I see a bulged .40 I size it in my press and it sizes perfectly fine. Drop in the 10mm case gauge easily. My point is this. The U-die is a Lee Die, it's exactly the same except its .001 smaller. I am really posting this to let the people who are tired of having a undersized die make their press more difficult to opperate that maybe they should try a regular Lee sizing die and see if that works just as well. Because other then .001" they are the same. If need the U-Die to make your brass work then of course use it. Some people might like to know they have other options as well.

[98sr20ve]

If someone wanted to get really fancy, they could take about .008" off the bottem of the standard Lee die and have the carbide flush with the bottom. My guess is that material is needed to keep the carbide ring in place.