Carbide or not?

[Lon371]

 I may have missed it, but how do you tell teh difference between carbide dies and regular dies? Is there a different color? one shiny and one not? Thanks for the help.

Lonny

[LaOtto222]

A carbide sizing die is only for straight walled cases. So if it is a bottle necked case or a tapered case (like a 444 Marlin), it is not carbide. Look at the bottom of the sizing die. There is an insert put into the bottom of the die that is carbide. It is just a small ring that is put in the inner part of the die that only goes up the inside of the die a little bit. It is the same color as the tool steel used in the die making, you have to really look closely at the bottom of the die to see the ring. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Lon371]

 Thank you sir. I always thought it was the die coated in something carbide. Thanks for the help.

Lonny

[rio grande]

A carbide sizing die is only for straight walled cases. So if it is a bottle necked case or a tapered case (like a 444 Marlin), it is not carbide. Look at the bottom of the sizing die. There is an insert put into the bottom of the die that is carbide. It is just a small ring that is put in the inner part of the die that only goes up the inside of the die a little bit. It is the same color as the tool steel used in the die making, you have to really look closely at the bottom of the die to see the ring. Good Luck and Good Shooting

There are carbide dies for .30 Carbine. It's tapered. Dillon makes carbide dies for the .223 and .308. More expensive though.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/content/p/9/pid/24498/catid/4/Dillon_Carbide_Rifle_Dies__Individual___Three_Die_Sets_

[Lon371]

 I guess I should have clarrified. I have a 3 die set .357 mag/.38 special. They have greyish tint to them. I thought the fellar told me they were carbide when I bought them. But that has been a  while.

Lonny

[Savage]

I guess I should have clarrified. I have a 3 die set .357 mag/.38 special. They have greyish tint to them. I thought the fellar told me they were carbide when I bought them. But that has been a  while.

Lonny

Believe me, if you have been using them without case lube, they're carbide!  My straight wall pistol case dies are all carbide. I have RCBS/Lyman/Lee dies. They are all marked "Carbide" on the box, and the carbide insert is easy to see in the base of the resizing die.
Savage

[gypsyman]

Lonny, you really can't tell if the dies are carbide, by the outside appearance. If  you take the FL die, and turn it over, you'll see what looks like a silver life saver pressed in the bottom. That's the only thing that is made from carbide. gypsyman

[LaOtto222]

rio grande - I guess there are exceptions to every rule. Evidently the 30 carbine is carbide the full length of the sizing die (not a washer type insert) and there is not enough diameter and length to require lube. As for the Dillon dies, again they are carbide for the full profile but require lube just like the tool steel dies. The carbide is only for wear purposes where massive quantities of cases are being resized and regular dies would wear out.

[Savage]

rio grande - I guess there are exceptions to every rule. Evidently the 30 carbine is carbide the full length of the sizing die (not a washer type insert) and there is not enough diameter and length to require lube. As for the Dillon dies, again they are carbide for the full profile but require lube just like the tool steel dies. The carbide is only for wear purposes where massive quantities of cases are being resized and regular dies would wear out.

Yep!

Savage

[HL]

I personally don't see any advantage to the Dillon carbide rifle dies. They instruct that you still need to lube the cases for sizing or cases will get stuck . Might as well just use the cheaper sizers, if lubing is still required.

[SHOOTALL]

If you load alot , and alot of your cases are military or you pick up used military brass the carbide dies make sense as they will resist damage more . I have seen dies scratched from dirty military brass . Sometimes hard particles get embeded in the brass that reg. cleaning won't get out and will scratch dies . If things are cost effective then they make sense .

[cwlongshot]

If you load alot , and alot of your cases are military or you pick up used military brass the carbide dies make sense as they will resist damage more . I have seen dies scratched from dirty military brass . Sometimes hard particles get embedded in the brass that reg. cleaning won't get out and will scratch dies . If things are cost effective then they make sense .

Exactly,
 Military casings and HI VOLUME are the reasons Dillon makes these dies in the first place.

Also, even if there is no apparent differences to your eye, generally carbide dies are labeled as such. I have a couple older LYMAN sets that simply say "DELUXE" they are carbide before carbide was fancy.

CW