Did you ever wear out a size die?

[Old Syko]

During my last run of 5.56/.223 AR ammo, as usual I would occasionally drop a round into the case gauge and I noticed they weren't dropping in like I was used to.  Pulled the die apart and cleaned it good, and measured the inside.  Found it was .0015 out of round.  Was still smooth inside so contamination wasn't the issue.  Just seems to be worn.  Got out a new die and continued working brass and the new die brought things back to what I'm used to.  How many rounds this die has worked, I just don't know but it's somewhere north of 6 figures.  Guess it served it's purpose.

[sr sawyer]

If it is RCBS they will probably replace it for free.  Had a power case trimmer and the cutter shaft became worn over the years from trimming so many same length cases.  Called RCBS to buy a new one and the nice lady ask what was wrong with the old one and I told her it was worn out from so much use.  She got my name and address and said they would send me another at no charge.  About a week later I had a brand new cutter shaft and did not even have to send the worn out one back.   Don't know about the others manufactures.

Ken

[YRUpunting?]

I'm kind of curious to what brand it is, and if they will replace it.

Heck of an achievement though. 

[Drilling Man]

Did you ever wear out a size die?

  Nope...  Then again, I've only loaded a few hundred thousand and that has been spread over many dies sets, with .357 mag and 44 mag. being the most loaded...

  DM

[Luckyducker]

I am not psychic but I have a mental picture of a Lee die that wore out.  If I am wrong I apologize in advance, and some of their stuff is somewhat well designed but the materials used in Lee products leaves much to be desired IMO. 

[Old Syko]

I am not psychic but I have a mental picture of a Lee die that wore out.  If I am wrong I apologize in advance, and some of their stuff is somewhat well designed but the materials used in Lee products leaves much to be desired IMO.

You got it.  I wondered how long it would take for someone to put this together.  Now in all fairness, I've been using this die for a good reason and like i said, it has done north of 6 figures worth of brass.  I've over the years ran a ton of military brass and when using RCBS or other dies you find all the brass that has something stuffed in it by way of not just broken decapping pins but bent stems.  Yes the brass is always cleaned first but even then you miss the occasional chunk of flotsam that has found it's way into a case but just won't come out with either wet or dry tumbling.  The Lee stem just slides up out of the way without breaking anything.  Saves a lot of cussing and repair work.  Luckyducker you're right about the difference in materials and I knew it going in, but in this case it is simpler and cheaper to use the thing and throw it away then pick up another cheap replacement, than to keep repairing good dies.  Once my personal brass has gone through the Lee die one time it never goes there again.  I go back to my RCBS stuff because my brass doesn't get filled with surprises. 


BTW before someone suggests contacting Lee about a replacement, I won't do that.  I bought it knowing I would destroy it and it honestly lasted 4 or 5 times longer than I thought it would.  Bought another this morning.

[Dand]

I have to think that speaks pretty well for Lee dies.  Folks like me aren't likely to load over 20,000 rounds with a die and for that a Lee is fine. Just bought a Lee set 2 wks ago to experiment with my latest thing - 32 H&R insert for 30-06 rifle.  No sense getting a top level competition die for playing around.

[YRUpunting?]

I agree with Dand.  I like some of the Lee stuff, it does what I want it to.  For the average reloader I think you proved that Lee is more than OK.

How many years did you use the die?

[Old Syko]

How many years did you use the die?

I don't know exactly.  I had a severe surgery in 07 where I was bed fast for over a month and for two months or so after that the only thing I could do was to sit at the bench and load and I did a bunch of it every day.  Kinda turned it into a 12 hour a day, 7 day a week job.  Was a kind of therapy.  Got the die a couple years or so before that.  Of course I still load more than the average bear. 

[Savage]

I'm having difficulty visualizing how brass cases wear out a steel die, especially out of round.  But, if you loaded over a 100k rounds with it, you got your money's worth.
Savage

[Lloyd Smale]

wore out a 44 mag and 45 colt dillon square deal sizing dies. It took ALOT of use to do it.

[Dand]

how brass wears steel: At the volume described I'm sure not all the brass was perfectly clean and little bits of stuff can imbed in the brass - consider several hundred thousand times in and out of the die and it will wear.  Even a little stuff on the operator's fingers could contribute.  Last night I was loading what I thought was pretty clean brass with cast bullets.  Only about 100 rounds and I was amazed how dirty my hands got. I should take a little more care to be clean.

[RaySendero]

.....  How many rounds this die has worked, I just don't know but it's somewhere north of 6 figures.  Guess it served it's purpose.

Wow - "6 figures"
 
I've been reload a long time.  But don't think I've hit anywhere near that mark!
 
I use most Lee dies.  Have 2 RCBSs and a Redding.
I've never noticed wear on any of them to this point.

[Old Syko]

Wow - "6 figures"
 
I've been reload a long time.  But don't think I've hit anywhere near that mark!
 
I use most Lee dies.  Have 2 RCBSs and a Redding.
I've never noticed wear on any of them to this point.

Ray up until the last year or so I was still shooting 15 to 18,000 rounds a year and had for many years.  Nowadays my son loves class 3 stuff and my 8 year old granddaughter would rather shoot than do most anything else.  At the age of 8 she already owns her own AR.


BTW you need to shoot more.      

[Savage]

With matches and practice, I'm shooting 1000 to 1200 pistol rounds a month, and have since 93 when I got into action pistol. I'm shooting less than 1500 rounds of 5.56 a year these days so most of my reloading is pistol. I have multiple die sets in every caliber I reload, so it's hard to tell how many rounds have been loaded with any one set. The ones with the most volume are the 9mm Lee dies in a Dillon tool head, second would be the .40 Dillon dies also in a Dillon tool head. Although I have been reloading since the 60s, before 93 I loaded probably less than 2000 rounds a year of pistol, rifle, and revolver combined. Although I've broken my share of decapping pins, to my knowledge I've never worn out a die. I run clean brass through my presses and gauge or chamber check every round that comes off my presses, so guess I'll know when it happens. Makes sense that the steel rifle dies would wear quicker than carbide pistol dies.
Savage