Redding lock rings suck!

[WildBill3/75]

Was resizing brass the other day and the ring wiggled loose.....to top it off I removed it to replace it with a hornady lock ring and the bastard took a piece out of the resizing die threading while unscrewing it. You would think for the price of these dies they would come with better lock rings.

 

[Big Z]

RCBS and a little wrench by your press...

 

[milo 2.0]

Was resizing brass the other day and the ring wiggled loose.....to top it off I removed it to replace it with a hornady lock ring and the bastard took a piece out of the resizing die threading while unscrewing it. You would think for the price of these dies they would come with better lock rings.

No shit, I had a small fortune in Sinclair rings, and their fancy plier, then bought a coax, now another small fortune! Hornady's are nice!

 

[flashhole]

"suck" is an inadequate description. After many years of trial and evaluation I went with the Lee rings with the embedded O-ring. Forster rings came in second, Hornady third. Redding makes some nice dies .... but .... as so eloquently stated, their die rings "suck".

 

[excaliber]

Don't use lock rings. Let the die "float". Helps reduce runout.

 

[Fatelvis]

Don't use lock rings. Let the die "float". Helps reduce runout.

So if that statement is correct, the Lee design should be the best design?

 

[flashhole]

That was my conclusion.

You can't not secure the die because the threads will back out. Having it secure with a bit of float is very good. Even better is proper installation of the die in the press. I run the case up into the die before I lock it down. It self centers.

 

[flashhole]

Now we will have to suffer through all the Co-Ax press people chiming in saying floating dies is a design trait of the press.

 

[milo 2.0]

I've had dies back out when fl sizing, yup, free floating, big fucking mess. Either resize or load, load, you better have a body die!

 

[mb3]

I use the Hornady lock rings, for the price I don't think they can be beat. The Forster lock rings were also nice, but a bit more expensive.

 

[WildBill3/75]

Don't use lock rings. Let the die "float". Helps reduce runout.

I'm using the hornady LNL bushings in my lee classic cast. I find they "float" the dies and make changing dies very fast...doing it this way I need a lock ring.

I'm also using an autoloader and got to bump the shoulder back when I FL size and I am to cheap to buy a bump gauge. So removing the ejector out of my bolt is not something I like to do often.

 

[lightman]

The split rings like Hornady or Sinclair are nice, but I've never had a problem with a lock ring. I loosen the set screw and tap it with a hammer handle or plastic mallet and they unscrew. Lightman

 

[Sonic Crack]

I use the Lee lock rings. Just didnt like the idea of the Redding lock rings

 

[maggitas]

When I bought my Forster Dies I purchased some Sinclair lock rings. I have never regretted it. for 15 bucks you have a lock ring that will last as long as you own your set of dies.