Lee dies... slight difference

[DannyD]

I have only been using RCBS dies up until now. I just bought a set of Lee dies for my 30-30 and 45ACP.

With the RCBS dies, i screw them in and they come to a hard stop when the lock ring comes in contact with the top of the press.
With the Lee dies there is a rubber washer. Once the washer contacts the press there is still some play and depending upon how tight i finger tighten the die down the depth of the die will be different.
It may not be a big deal but it seems like consistancy could be an issue with the Lee dies.
Am i overthinking this?
Should i just remove the rubber ring?

Your correct. Going to be extra slop. But I never minded with loading 45ACP. Rifle I do.

I always get crummy runout using Lee dies.

[Dave Bone]

I have some Lee dies, but I do not use the nuts they brag so much about. Took those suckers off and bought locking nuts, like the RCBS, Hornady and others.

[DannyD]

Interesting.
BC,
I hear ya on the rifle vs 45ACP difference. I dont quite need the accuracy out of the pistol. I sure do want it out of the rifle though

DB,
So i can just buy a locking ring from RCBS and replace the Lee ring with it?

[NY Harvester]

Took all the LEE locks off & replaced them with RCBS and Lyman's. I like the Lyman lockrings best , the brass locknut on the RCBS will strip out with a little muscle. The Hornady rings look similar to the Lyman's, but I havn't tried them yet.

[Dave Bone]

The Hornady's are good too. All standard dies have a 7/8-14 thread, Danny.

[DannyD]

Thanks DB

Hey BigC,
Above you used the term "runout". What is that?

Originally Posted by DannyD

Thanks DB

Hey BigC,
Above you used the term "runout". What is that?

Runout referres to the concentricity of your ammo. Or straightness.

If you roll your ammo on a mirror, do you see the tip of the bullet wobble? Thats tip runout. they sell concentricity gauges to measure it. You can roll your ammo on the gauge and measure the runout at the neck, at the base of the bullet, at the tip.

Alot of things can contribute to runout. Varying neck thickness for one. You can get tools to turn your necks, but I highly recommend against it. I went down this road, and its painful, time consuming and in the end, just cull your brass. Other things that contribute is your decapping expander ball. Does it sit straight in the die? Lack of inside neck lubing can contribute. When you drag your expander thru if one side slides thru easy you can get runout. I find the shell holder to be a big culpit. The slop in a shell holder when you push a piece of brass in can make a bullet seater die not load your bullet straight. Anymore I let my shell holder/brass float.

[DannyD]

BC,
Thanks for the explaination. Will full length resizing reduce the chance of neck runout versus say neck resizing?

Originally Posted by DannyD

BC,
Thanks for the explaination. Will full length resizing reduce the chance of neck runout versus say neck resizing?

Yes, with convential neck only sizers. There are some real good neck sizers but expensive. Like the redding competition neck bushing die. But its pricey.