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I was curious -- the very first set of dies I bought was an RCBS carbide .38/.357 set in 1995. The tag on the box says I paid 29.99 for it. I used an inflation calculator, and in 2019, $29.99 would be worth $51.09. The current price for the same die set at Midway is $59.99 and direct from RCBS is $66.11. Apparently, these have actually increased in price faster than general inflation has.
I think I paid $15 for my 1st set of Lee dies, back in 1983
 
Well in two months you'll be shooting that per week if you reload! (EDIT: if you can find primers -- large pistol is still out there but small pistol and small rifle are rare -- if you have any .45 brass that takes large primers, treasure it)

There are some recent threads on this topic you may like to peruse:

And don't miss the reloading mistakes thread -- easier to read about them then to do them:
First one was me!! Since I posted that thread I have built my bench, bought a bunch of equipment, and made test loads for 9mm and 308. About 100rds each. I've also prepped and primed about 500 9mm cases and about 100 308. Just waiting to find srp to start with .223. This forum is filled with very generous, kind, and helpful people. You're in good hands.
I bought the lee breech lock challenger single stage kit. If I could do it over again I would buy the turret and individually buy some other items. But when you're starting out it's hard to know what's good and I'm still figuring that out for a lot of it. There are a couple things I'm looking at replacing, like my scale and powder measure. Also I would have gone without the breech lock system.. pain in the butt. A lot of lock rings get stuck on on the little detent button.. just not worth it. Maybe the hornady lock n load system is better.
 
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I bought the lee breech lock challenger single stage kit. If I could do it over again I would buy the turret and individually buy some other items. ... Also I would have gone without the breech lock system.. pain in the butt. A lot of lock rings get stuck on on the little detent button.. just not worth it. Maybe the hornady lock n load system is better.

Don't regret the single stage. I have two of them and recently got a Hornady LNL AP progressive press. I've been doing a lot of load development recently and that's definitely easier on the single stage. Right now both of my single stage presses are in use -- one for a rifle load I'm working on and the other for a pistol load.

As for the LNL system, I don't like it and I don't see it as much of an advantage, except perhaps for moving the powder measure off the press. The issue I have with it is that the collars or whatever they're called, have a round body making it impossible to use a wrench with them. As a result, to lock a die in place you must insert it into the collar and then both into the press, then lock down the locking ring, which causes the collar to seat hard into the press, and when you go to remove the whole assembly, it can be hard to do without loosening the lock nut, which of course screws up your settings. I don't know if what I'm saying makes sense, but to me, they're a pain. I'm sort of tempted to find someone qualified to weld aluminum to just weld a set of those collars in place because if find screwing the die down to a fixed lock ring to be more convenient and reliable, even if it takes 15 seconds of screwing/unscrewing.

I like the LNL AP press itself, just not impressed with the LNL part.

While I'm whining -- I do not like Hornadys primer pickup tubes -- I had to press so hard I was worried they would pop and my arthritic fingers started aching after only 10 primers. I haven't used them after the first 10 -- I have a set of Redding primer pickup tubes that are so much better so I use those. The press itself though, I do like it and it can crank stuff for sure -- but for load development, single stage is easier.
 
As for the LNL system, I don't like it and I don't see it as much of an advantage, except perhaps for moving the powder measure off the press. The issue I have with it is that the collars or whatever they're called, have a round body making it impossible to use a wrench with them. As a result, to lock a die in place you must insert it into the collar and then both into the press, then lock down the locking ring, which causes the collar to seat hard into the press, and when you go to remove the whole assembly, it can be hard to do without loosening the lock nut, which of course screws up your settings. I don't know if what I'm saying makes sense, but to me, they're a pain. I'm sort of tempted to find someone qualified to weld aluminum to just weld a set of those collars in place because if find screwing the die down to a fixed lock ring to be more convenient and reliable, even if it takes 15 seconds of screwing/unscrewing.

I've sort of had a similar issue, but not too bad.

The solution, which sucks, is to buy a lot of LNL die bushings and keep your dies in them. Once I get my dies set I've just left the the bushings on them and haven't had much issue removing or seating them in the press. Of course that's another $10 per die, which starts adding up quick. Right now I'm keeping just a set of bushings for pistol and a set of bushings for rifle, plus a spare bushing that I typically put on my universal decapping die but that thing obviously isn't sensitive to how its set as long it pops the primer out.
 
I've sort of had a similar issue, but not too bad.

The solution, which sucks, is to buy a lot of LNL die bushings and keep your dies in them. Once I get my dies set I've just left the the bushings on them and haven't had much issue removing or seating them in the press. Of course that's another $10 per die, which starts adding up quick. Right now I'm keeping just a set of bushings for pistol and a set of bushings for rifle, plus a spare bushing that I typically put on my universal decapping die but that thing obviously isn't sensitive to how its set as long it pops the primer out.

My issue is a little different -- I don't mind buying the bushings so much-- or at least accept that as a fact of life. It's that I find the dies sometimes come loose from the busing when I remove the die/busing combo from the press because there is no way to get a good grip on the bushing itself. So when I lock down the die lock ring, the press itself provides the resistance to lock the ring down, which drives the bushing into its slots hard enough to stick. Then when I go to remove the die/busing set, I have to exert a lot of force to unstick the bushing -- and that force is applied to the lock ring because the bushing has nothing to grab onto, and applying the reverse force to the lock ring can unlock it. Frustrating to spend 30 minutes getting the die perfectly set to have it come loose.

bushing.jpg
 
For my own knowledge what is the method designed TO secure the bushing into it's slots?


I think what he is saying is that when he tightens the lock ring down the counter resistance is provided by the secured bushing. However, this added pressure seats the bushing in tighter thus causing it to stick. I have had this happen once or twice before.

I don't think there is any other way to secure the bushing and set your die.
 
I use the Lee breechlock pro press (progressive) and as long as I use the "locking" lock rings it's works like a dream. You do have to remove the old lock ring but the die is secured and has repeatable measurements regardless of how ham fisted I am.

DDBF2A61-98B4-4F55-A725-FCD17B260A12.jpeg
 
I think what he is saying is that when he tightens the lock ring down the counter resistance is provided by the secured bushing. However, this added pressure seats the bushing in tighter thus causing it to stick. I have had this happen once or twice before.

I don't think there is any other way to secure the bushing and set your die.

Yes -- better stated. Thank you.
 
I use the Lee breechlock pro press (progressive) and as long as I use the "locking" lock rings it's works like a dream. You do have to remove the old lock ring but the die is secured and has repeatable measurements regardless of how ham fisted I am.

View attachment 759962

That looks nice -- the Lee parts have something you can grip. The flange part at the top of the Hornady part is 1/8" thick and barely extends past the lock ring so the only thing you have to grip is the lock ring itself.
 
Mask up, find somebody who's local to walk you through stuff. Good to have experience on different types of equipment.

I'm full of suggestions
 
I got this part.

My question is how is the bushing SECURED into the press? (take the die out of the question)

If you look at the picture awshoot shared above you can kinda of see how it works. You just twist the bushing about a quarter turn and it locks into place. Typically you just do it by hand. Without a die you just put your finger in side for a little grip then turn.
 
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Thanks! Kind of what I thought.

I have only used my single stage LNL, so I don't know how dies are set in other presses, but it is kinda nifty if there are no issues. I leave the bushings on my dies so at worst I have to make micro adjustments when I put them back in as opposed to threading the dies on everytime and resetting them. Nice if I just want to do like 20 rounds from start to finish instead of feeling like I need to process everything in huge batches.
 
I have only used my single stage LNL, so I don't know how dies are set in other presses, but it is kinda nifty if there are no issues. I leave the bushings on my dies so at worst I have to make micro adjustments when I put them back in as opposed to threading the dies on everytime and resetting them. Nice if I just want to do like 20 rounds from start to finish instead of feeling like I need to process everything in huge batches.

I feel like it is the same with the dies you just thread into the press -- I use Hornady's lock rings as they are objectively the best design. I screw them in to the lock ring, give it a tiny nudge with a wrench so it won't move, then if I need to make an adjustment to the case mouth expander or bullet seating plug, do so by adjusting the inserts which have their own adjustment screws.
 

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