RE: dies?
A die is a tool that forms solid material under pressure. Some dies also form by cutting, such as a bolt or pipe threading dies or even a cookie cutter, which is also a die. With respect to reloading, the brass forming dies that we use size the brass back to unfired dimensions if it is a full length sizer, or just the neck of a rifle case is sized, if the reloader is using a neck sizer and desires to use his brass fireformed to the chamber. The sizer dies also have a rod inside with a pin called a decapper. The pin pushes out the old primer while the case is being sized. There is also the seating die that seats the projectile to a depth set by the reloader, to achieve a specific O.A.L., (Over All Length). The seating die will usually be tooled, but not always, to crimp the case mouth on the projectile, if desired. If loading pistol, there is also a case mouth belling die. Lee also makes a sizer die for loaded pistol rounds, which can make auto loading pistols more reliable, like my finicky Kimber Gold Match.
Many more dies are used making the brass and bullets that we use. There are draw dies, that in steps, turn die cut wafers of brass into shells. A similar process is used to make beverage cans. Also, dies are used to swage projectiles, and draw dies are sometimes used to draw the copper jacket onto the bullet, from the back to the front. Too many to list here, really. But by now, you know what a die is.
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