Die Labels?

[dski]

With all of the different dies that I have now, it would be really nice to have a 'die ring' with the caliber clearly displayed rather than picking up the reading glasses to read the small stamp. I have just used a sharpie at times but that doesn't really look very nice and some of the dies don't mark well.

Thinking the same type rubber type of materials like the old livestrong bracelets that you can slide on/off.

Just a large .338 Lapua, 6.5 Creed, 28 Nosler...etc. would be nice.

They may already exist but I can't find anything. Do they exist or what are you are using to help with die identification?

 

[Mainer]

I keep my dies in the boxes that they came in. The boxes are pretty clearly marked.

 

[Nimothy]

I use in-line fab die rack with label maker on the wall behind them, just have to remember to put them back after you use them

 

[MarinePMI]

OP I agree. Some threaded plastic rings, wide enough to accept a label maker tag, or something similar would be nice. These could then be threaded onto the top of the die for use. Might not work in a Co-ax press, but would for standard O/C style presses.

 

[MarinePMI]

I wonder if color coded rubber bands would work too....kind of like the ones people have for their braces. For me, I have several rifles and dies in .223. Specifically, seating dies are set up for certain bullets, in certain guns. Maybe colored rubber bands to identify a set for a specific rifle/bullet combo?

 

[kthomas]

I use in-line fab die rack with label maker on the wall behind them, just have to remember to put them back after you use them

I'm doing the same, but the dies themselves are marked clearly so I don't do any further labeling.

 

[dski]

Love the inlinefab stuff as well! Might try both (put rubber bands on and mark the wall behind them) The bonus of the rubber band is that I can see what I have in the different presses pretty easy.

Looks like a business opportunity

 

[Nimothy]

I'm doing the same, but the dies themselves are marked clearly so I don't do any further labeling.

View attachment 7290645

If you use a lnl system sometimes it covers the caliber, like on whidden seaters

 

[kthomas]

If you use a lnl system sometimes it covers the caliber, like on whidden seaters

That's fair. I only load for 3 cartridges, and they are setup from smallest to largest.

I could see how it could be hectic for those members here that load for lots of different cartridges.

 

[Nimothy]

Love the inlinefab stuff as well! Might try both (put rubber bands on and mark the wall behind them) The bonus of the rubber band is that I can see what I have in the different presses pretty easy.

Looks like a business opportunity

I think I’d buy them like little live strong bracelets for your dies. That will help folks like me that have 6 Redding type s sets that all look them same

 

[1moaoff]

I made myself a large plastic plate like a reloading block to hold the stuff I never put away

 

[ken4570tc in WY]

I'd go the dollar store and grab a bunch of different colored nail polishes. If you clean all of the residue off the surface to be painted it will adhere well and last a long time.

 

[Sirshredalot]

White heat shrink tubing around the upper body of the die...then sharpie or adhesive backed label maker.

Youre welcome.

Shred

 

[dski]

Heat shrink, that might work! I'll give it a whirl. Thanks!

 

[zeroz]

I can cut you out some vinyl stickers if you want.

 

[dski]

That would be awesome!. I'll pm you

 

[sanpedroranch]

If you run a turret press like a T7. What I have done is buy additional heads based on Bullet Diameter. when I get enough dies in one bullet diameter to fill. I take a sharpie and write the caliber by the slot.

 

[sanpedroranch]

I can cut you out some vinyl stickers if you want. View attachment 7292362

That is slick, they don’t peel off easy?

 

[zeroz]

The 260 and the 45 you'd have to pretty actively peel them. You'll get pissed when they rip instead of peel and you have to get another nail under it. The one on the knurled 270 could peel easier because it has less adhesion area. You can see it is worked into the grooves a little; its definitely not going to fall off. I guess I don't subject the outside body of my dies to a whole lot of abuse so Im not worried about it taking much wear. That particular white vinyl is about the stickiest one they make. I was just playing around with little numbers on the cutter and threw those on. Most of my stuff lives on dillon toolheads, so that is whats marked; nice flat surface for bigger numbers.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Could get a label maker.

https://www.amazon.com/Brother-PTD210-One-Touch-User-Friendly-Templates/dp/B013DG2FNW/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=brother+label+maker&qid=1586270702&sr=8-5

 

[spife7980]

I would just pick up a little magnifying card and leave it with your dies, it can be done for a dollar and a nickle. Seems the cheapest and easiest solution could be the cheapest, easiest and best to me.

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[2aBaC̶a̶]

Or some electrical tape and a sharpie from home depot.

 

[lightman]

I keep my dies in the boxes that they came in. The boxes are pretty clearly marked.

I leave them in the factory boxes too. It protects them from dirt and dust and keeps them together.

 

[MarinePMI]

I think you guys missed the part about multiple dies for the same caliber/cartridge....

 

[spife7980]

My multiple dies each came in their own boxes. I dont see how thats germane to a guy not being able to remain organized with all fo the other options.

If someone needs a special livestrong bracelet to identify a die to be organized then... well I dont think itll make a lick of difference since they cant do it already.

 

[MarinePMI]

Yes, and no. I have one rifle that I load in .223. I load 55gr Nos BT"s, 75 gr ELDM's and 70gr RDF's. Sooooo...I have three seating dies for that rifle set up. Then I have another set of .223 dies for a couple AR's set up for AR Mag length for 55gr, 69gr and 62gr bullets.

See where I'm going with this? Never mind the four 6.5 CM guns I load for (one being a semi)...

 

[spife7980]

Just get one micrometer seater that you can use for all of them and keep notes of what your individual chambers lengths are?
That seems a hell of a lot easier to me than trying to color coordinate the dies outfits if none of the methods listed above wont work.

 

[MarinePMI]

Yeah, I suppose that's one route (not disagreeing with you here). But here's the rub. I'm fucking lazy. And I can afford to be fucking lazy, so I am. It's the reason I have two Co-Ax presses, because I'm too lazy to change the shell plates from small to large.

The same goes with the dies. I've been reloading for, crap, 30 years now, and even with PCS'ing across the country for a third of that time, I've accumulated quite a stash of dies. Some bought new, some picked up used from friends, and some given to me by older friends who can no longer shoot (who reloaded their entire lives). So I have multiples, and I just saw this post and thought "Now, that's a good question I'd like to see responses to, because I'm in the same boat". And so, I found this thread pretty interesting from an ingenuity perspective.

Could I just use a single micrometer die (I already keep hard notes, just in case)? Sure. But I prefer (and can afford) to buy a die, set it, and forget about messing with it every time I want to switch to another bullet that I shoot often (and maybe have a couple thousand, sitting under the bench).

<shrug> Different strokes, for different folks...

 

[pilotjoe]

I always kept the dies in the box they came in until I switched over to Hornady Lock-N-Load quick-change setup. They don't fit in the box anymore with the LNL adapters on them. So I'm looking for alternative ideas on how to store the die sets. Thanks for all the comments so far!

 

[Rlandry]

If you run a turret press like a T7. What I have done is buy additional heads based on Bullet Diameter. when I get enough dies in one bullet diameter to fill. I take a sharpie and write the caliber by the slot.

Same here. I have three turret heads and the dies are on them in groups with the caliber and type of die it is written on the side of the turret with a sharpie. It works well when you load the same caliber for different rifles, standard and small base, etc.

 

[Geno C.]

I keep mine in the box.

 

[MarinePMI]

For dies that I use constantly, they get put on a sliding table drawer under the reloading bench.

For those that are used less frequently; they get stored in their boxes.

As you can see, it helps to have some way of identifying identical sets (there’s another row of dies behind the ones shown on the shelf).

I suppose everyone just goes with what works for them.

 

[MarinePMI]

And then there’s my bag of random bullshit that has been given to me by other shooters who are no longer able to shoot, and are oddball calibers (even for me).... (25 Krag, 5.7 Spitfire, 218 Bee, 219 Donaldson Wasp, etc.)

ETA: And I hate all you guys that somehow have neat, clean reloading benches. LOL! ?

 

[Geno C.]

And then there’s my bag of random bullshit that has been given to me by other shooters who are no longer able to shoot, and are oddball calibers (even for me)....View attachment 7293834

ETA: And I hate all you guys that somehow have neat, clean reloading benches. LOL! ?

You notice I didn’t show the bench top ?

 

[MarinePMI]

You notice I didn’t show the bench top ?

Duly noted.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

It ain't much, but here's what I've gotten done so far. And yes, some sort of 'labelling' for my old eyes would be beneficial. Add to that the proven practice of only having ONE set of dies, ONE type of bullet, ONE type of powder, and ONE type of primers on the bench when there is ONE selection of ammunition being made. This makes for FAR FEWER mistakes, oops's, and potential explodications.