What make die for .44 magnum?

[czvz]

I just getting started into reloading and would like to try reloadiing .44 magnum for my Ruger carbine.  Is there a manufactuers die set that is better suiited for carbines vs. handguns?  If there is no difference what make should  I get?

[stimpylu32]

czyz

I'm going to catch some flack for this BUT for the $$s you can not go wrong with the Lee carbide set , they work very well for both Rifle and Pistol , add a factory crimp die and your still under about $55 at Lee's retail price .

stimpy

[wncchester]

Your ammo won't know the difference if you shoot it in a hangun or rifle, don't worry about that.

Die design differences vary and it's largely a matter of personal preference, they all do a good job. 

I prefer to load handgun cases (straight wall) with carbide die sets from Lyman or Redding because of their excellant expander die which makes it easy to seat bullets, lead and jacketed, without damaging the heels. 

I prefer Lee's Factory Crimp Dies, for both handgun and rifle, over all others because they aren't so case length critical as the other designs...

If you don't get the Lyman or Redding dies, the Lee's are as good as any other and they include a shell holder.

[AtlLaw]

I use Redding dies but when I started loading for the 44 mag I got a set of lee dies for three reasons: the price  , the crimp die and the fact that the set comes with a shell holder.  I'm well satisfied with them so far.

[ihuntbucks]

I use Lee,RCBS, and Lyman dies.As the other fellows have said,any of them will do a good job.The choice is yours.........Rick

[Graybeard]

These days I use Hornady almost exclusively.

[BBF]

I use the LEE Universal Expander Die for all my straightwall cases and for the bottle necked types if loading cast bullets. The Die will handle all calibers and is cheap to buy.

[Casull]

I'm going to catch some flack for this BUT for the $$s you can not go wrong with the Lee carbide set , they work very well for both Rifle and Pistol , add a factory crimp die and your still under about $55 at Lee's retail price .

stimpy

You won't catch any flack from me.  I bought my first set of dies (Lee in .44 mag) about 26 years ago when I bagan shooting handgun silhouete, and have since acquired all my other dies from Lee as well (ten sets total running from .223 to .454) and have yet to have a single failure or problem.  BTW, I'm still using that first set of .44 dies, and after thousands of rounds reloaded, they still work perfectly.

[Badnews Bob]

I have real good luck with my Lee junk I kinda like it, and won't change.

[czvz]

Thankyou for all the replies/advice.  Can someone tell me about this Lee factory crimp die?  Does it come as a set or by itself?
Can it be used on bullets with or without canneluers?  Does it have to be crimped at the canneluer or above or below a canneluer?

[AtlLaw]

Can someone tell me about this Lee factory crimp die?
Does it come as a set or by itself?

I've heard people who don't like lee dies say good things about the crimp die.  I like them a lot and use them on any cartridge I want to crimp. eg 44 mag, 30/30, etc.  And yes, you can buy just the crimp die.

Can it be used on bullets with or without canneluers?

Another major point.  The projectile does NOT need a to have a crimp grove or canneluer.

Does it have to be crimped at the canneluer or above or below a canneluer?

No, you can crimp where ever you want.

[LaOtto222]

Back in the day, I bought nothing but RCBS. So when I started to reload for the 44 Mag I bought RCBS dies for it. I have been using them ever since. I do use other dies now. I have Redding, Lee, Forster, Hornady + RCBS and they all have their pluses and minuses. I have added a Lee carbide sizing die to my RCBS set because I could buy it separately and it was relatively inexpensive.

IMHO - As far as the Lee crimp dies, I own several. I just want to warn you that if you are shooting cast or soft lead bullets in your 44 mag, be careful about which style crimping die you use. If it is of the type that squeezes (collet) the the crimp, it will also squeeze the bullet, making it under sized along the length of the bullet. If it is the carbide type that rolls the crimp in, then you are good to go with it and works very well.

[warrior1]

i prefer lee dies simply because the easier to work with than the rcbs.
i have the other dies but lee is used most of the time.

[Swampman]

I use Lee mostly.  They are cheap and work great.

[Lloyd Smale]

for handguns using carbide dies I about exclulively use lee dies anymore. I dont buy them because there cheaper, i buy them because i like them. If i cant get lees i look to redding.

[Catfish]

If you are going to be loading cast bullets Dillon die are the only ones to use because you can drop out the insides of the dies and clean out the wax wothout taking the die out of the press. If not any good carbide dies will last you a live time. If your only going to load a couple of 1,000 round in your life then you don`t even need carbide, but you will have to lube your case with steel dies.

[BigJakeJ1s]

If you are going to be loading cast bullets Dillon die are the only ones to use because you can drop out the insides of the dies and clean out the wax wothout taking the die out of the press.

Actually, Hornady seating dies also can be disassembled and re-assembled on the press without affecting the settings. They also have a sliding alignment sleeve to align the bullet with the case mouth, they can crimp if desired, and you can add an optional micrometer seating depth adjustment screw.

Their Titanium nitride sizing dies also work very well, and just like carbide pistol dies, don't require lube.

Andy