What sizing dies do you use?

[blasternank]

I'm new to casting. I've been acquiring items over time and am getting ready to jump in. What sizing dies do y'all use? I've only seen Lee sizing dies, what are your thoughts about those? What other ones are out there? Are any available now?

Thanks.

[gpidaho]

blasternank: I like the Lee push through sizers but mostly use the Noe bushings in the adapter for the Lee APP. I have a Saeco lube sizer that is a very good tool but it just sits on the shelf since I powder coat most all my cast bullets these days. Gp

[Old School Big Bore]

I use Lyman (or the RCBS clones) H&I dies and top punches for conventional lube-in-the-grooves sizing in a Lyman #450 lubrisizer, and Lee push-through dies in a compound-linkage "O" press for no-lube, size-only use on powdercoated or plated bullets.
Ed <><

[Conditor22]

I started with the Lee push-through sizer dies But found that in the long run, NOE is cheaper, had more sizes available, had now sizing attachments, and fit in a smaller storage case.

[smithnframe]

I use Lyman, RCBS and Saeco!

[onelight]

Lyman and Lee but will try the NOE sizers after hearing all the good reports on the forum and the availability of more size options.

[GhostHawk]

IF you have a Lyman #450 lubrisizer or similar machine you'll use dies that fit it.

For the rest of us there are Lee push through dies, which do work. My experience with them shows they may tend to size a hair below listed diameter. But that is adjustable with time and the right materials.

I also don't size as often as I used to.

For example a year back I cast and loaded some 250 .430 .44 mag bullets 200 grain. Of those any that would not fit into a lightly flared neck got set aside. I eventually sized perhaps 50 out of the 250. Rest were loaded as cast.

All depends on what you want to do.

[wmitty]

You asked about availability... you can check on: reloading equipment - used on e-bay and find some of the boolit sizers every so often. This is a pretty tough time to be a buyer looking for reloading equipment/dies. You also might post a want to buy a specific item on swappin and sellin on this forum. What are you looking for exactly?

[charlie b]

Never happier than when I switched to a bushing system. I chose NOE since I don't have a Lee APP to take their bushing system. I also powder coat.

[Targa]

I started with the Lee push-through sizer dies But found that in the long run, NOE is cheaper, had more sizes available, had now sizing attachments, and fit in a smaller storage case.

Yes sir, I have a couple of Lee’s and they do what they are suppose to do but the NOE’s do it much more efficiently. Once you buy a kit it is simply a matter of buying a bushing for the caliber you are wanting to size. I also like that I can use the top punch’s that come with MP molds with the NOE sizer for example and size my bullets base first which is nice for gas checked bullets.

[USSR]

Lyman sizers all the way.

Don

[RU shooter]

Started with Lee push through and really they every thing I need them to do so I still use them their cheap and simple to hone out if I need to alter the size slightly to fit my gun .

[Wayne Smith]

There is a difference between simply sizing and lube sizing. Those of us who don't powder coat still lube our bullets, and for that purpose a lube sizer is the best approach. If you are going to powder coat then one of the push through sizers (Lee, NOE) will be your best approach. if you are not going to powder coat you will need some way to lubricate your boolits. A lube sizer is your best approach - the Lyman and RCBS use the same H&I size inserts and are probably the most common. The Saeco and other lube sizers use their own unique size dies. You will need a size die for each size boolit you use, no matter which system you choose.

[Yooper003]

As others have stated ,I have both Lee & NOE. (Both types of Lee). As you are just getting started I would recommend the NOE.as they have the most sizes. I use 2 for each boolit I cast, 1 size smaller then powder coat , then resize .001 larger.

[ioon44]

I use Star type dies and the NOE adapter for the Star with NOE dies.

[AndyC]

1. Star sizer with Star dies/punches.
2. Same Star sizer for some additional calibers using the NOE adapter, NOE bushings and lathesmith's sizing punch - I expect to do all my calibers this way this eventually.
3. Also have a few Lee sizing-dies laying around.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Just a note, My corhort in crime who is just starting into casting for his Trapdoor reports that Lee is moving away from the screw in size dies in favor of size dies with their new bushing system. He ended up buying the press to go along with the standard and custom sizer he wanted.

[mdi]

For my casting style (old and slow) Lee dies have been working for 30+ years. Mainly because I don't own a lubersizer (early in my casting I didn't want to have to get a die and nose punch for every different bullet shape I cast). I have maybe a dozen Lee push through dies, with some "custom" sizes and I pan lube and dip lube my cast bullets. Since I don't ever need 500 sized and lubed bullets right now my methods work quite well...

[StuBach]

As stated above, if your planning to PC than any sizing die to the correct size should work and push through is easiest. If you plan to Traditional lube or just want the ability to traditional lube than a beat up Star sizer is the best bet by my money. I started with a Lyman 45 and a Star both inherited. Tried to make the 45 work cause I had more dies for it, ended up upgrading to 4500, waste of my money. Once I started with the Star and got the dies I needed I never looked back. Lyman now sits gathering dust for if I ever need it again for some specialty application.

As for Dies I have traditional classic Star dies as well as several ones made by forum members Lathesmith and they all work great for either Pc or traditional lube and the push through design makes things move quick.

[tankgunner59]

All of my sizing dies are Lee push through, and they work great for me. I haven't had any problems with any of them. I started out using Lee tumble lube but now I powder coat and the Lee sizing dies work really well.