Folks,
I have noticed that most of the used dies encountered have every screw torqued at about 100 ft. lbs. The 6 sets of used dies I bought are in mint condition. However, I had to put them in a padded vise to get them apart. Someone even torqued the allen screw on one of the lock rings so tight it was stripped out.

I make die adjustments finger tight and have never had a problem with my reloads. Anyone else notice used dies that are overtightened? All the best...
Gil

Dies are so cheap that I have no used dies in my collection except the ones that I have made used by me...I do agree with you, Gil. I don't tighten them over finger tight except the decapping pin...I get tired of it slipping on those tough or slightly deformed cases...Especially rifle cases...

Nope, never noticed but then again the only used dies I have I bought brand new. I have never bought any used dies because any I've found weren't very cheap so I figured I might as well but new if I going to pay almost new price.

Like you said, finger tight, or just snug has worked fine for me as well.

Copykat!!!

I took longer to type then you did I guess, cause you weren't there when I started.

I have never bought used dies, and I don't intend to. I figure they are second hand for a reason...there is probably something wrong with them.

I'm like the rest of you guys, only finger tight, with the exception of the lockring grub screw and the decapping pin. Actually had one work loose to the point where the knurled mount that holds it in place was crushed out of shape. Now I use Loctite 222, the purple coloured stuff for screws. Easy to undo, but holds everything in place until I want it to undo.

Cheers, Vince

I guess depending on if you know the source from which they came it's A Ok. I bought .338WM dies from a friend for $10 and consider that $20 i saved just bought me more ammo .

I usually buy used dies that are priced right and pass my careful visual inspection. The ones that are hacked up, rusted and abused are overlooked and left on the shelf. I bought 6 sets of RCBS dies in mint condition from 1965, 1966 and 1967 for $8.00 each in .270, 7x57MM, .30-06, .308, 8mm Mauser and .32 Win.Special. Each was wrapped in wax paper in the original boxes. It cost $48.00 for these dies instead of $150.00 out of the catalog and the savings went into beer. All the best...
Gil

GilMartin wrote:

and the savings went into beer. Gil

Ok Gil, ya got me thinkin' now.... cheap tools = savings = more beer...hm



Cheers, Vince

Howdy. I have bought used die's with good success. I think the last one was a RCBS neck sizer die off Ebay for 10 bucks and it looks to be new
Joe

bought a set of RCBS 243 winchester dies the other day. lock rings had never been set on them. $10. can't beat that. I will say these were secondhand but probably unused.

I've bought several sets of used dies at various gun shows and been very satisfied with them. I don't buy used ones for my target guns though, preferring straight line Wilsons and Reddings for accuracy reloading. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Used dies are generally a great deal. For the price they can't be beat but you may ger a scratched one every now & then. If they are not a ball of rust they will normally clean up real well and serve very well. As a side note: How many of you that do load clean your dies and what do you do to preserve them when you put them up for storage??

I clean my rifle dies approximately every 500 rounds and my pistol dies around 1000 except for the seating die if using lubed/cast bullets then I will clean that die at around the 500 mark due to lube build up. When I put my dies up for anything over 2 months (anticipated) I will take them apart and spray them down with ACF-50 and put them in their box. Prior to using them they will get a complete cleaning. I have dies from Herters back in the late 60s that are just like new. So I believe that keeping them clean and properly stored will make them last a lifetime or more.

Howdy flint54. When I get used dies I clean them as well. I probably don't clean my dies as I should but I use either hoppes or powder blast and cotton swabs and it seems to be workin ok.
Joe

Flint54,
Good points. I clean my dies after every use with a clean cloth and Shooters Choice or Hoppes. Since my reloading area is in a damp basement, I need to apply a light film of grease inside and out to all dies placed in storage. That really works and I have not had any rust in 20 years. These dies go back to 1965 and still look like new, after the grease is removed. I degrease them before using them. All the best...
Gil