RCBS X-Dies

[geezerbiker]

I was looking over dies sets for my .25-06 Handi Rifle and I was going to get a regular set of RCBS dies when I see Midway has what's called X-dies by RCBS.  The hype says they will prevent case stretching.  If this is true, then they're probably worth the extra 20 bux...

Anybody here know any more about them than what the advertizing says?

Tony

[gary0529]

Cannot tell you if it is worth it to you but my experience with 308 Win is that, yes, they work as advertised.
I have gotten up to the sixth reloading on my test batch of 20 cases and still no need to trim.
I do anneal after every other loading but that is just my anal retentive nature.

If case trimming is a problem, the X-Die will work. At least it did for me.


Gary

[yooper77]

I was looking over dies sets for my .25-06 Handi Rifle and I was going to get a regular set of RCBS dies when I see Midway has what's called X-dies by RCBS.  The hype says they will prevent case stretching.  If this is true, then they're probably worth the extra 20 bux...

Anybody here know any more about them than what the advertizing says?

Tony

Trimming brass has never been a chore for me, its part of hand loading. I trim all my brass to minimum and seldom need to trim much more after multiple firings.


I think the RCBS X-die is a gimmick, so save your money.


The funny part is read PREPARING YOUR CASES right from the RCBS X-die product instructions see link below. This brass trimming step is crucial so you don't have to trim your brass as much, now that's funny.


yooper77


http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/XDieProductInstructions.pdf



PREPARING YOUR CASES
All cases must be sized and trimmed to the same overall length. For the best results, full-length resize each case and trim to .020” under maximum case length. This is a “one-time only” preparation of any and all cases to
be used in the X-Sizer die.

[yooper77]

Double post.


yooper77

[HL]

I agree with the above post. With my 7mag, I initially trimmed all my new brass to the same length, and after 5 firings, there is still no need to trim. And my loads are .5gr under max charge, so they're not light loads, by any means. IMO, its a gimmick to make money and unnecessary if you use standard resizing and reloading procedures.

[geezerbiker]

Thanx.  Now I feel better about not wanting to wait and buying a set locally...

Tony

[Lloyd Smale]

unlike the others i hate trimming brass. It might be fun if you only have a couple hundred a year to do but when its thousands the fun goes away fast. I never tried a set of x dies so i cant reallly tell you if they work or not but i know ive got to get a set of them someday and find out for myself. A set of small based x dies would sure save some time with 223 loading. I do it with a dillon press mounted trimmer now and that does save alot of time but not doing it at all would be better yet. If i never had to trim another piece of brass again i sure would feel i was cheated out of any loading experience! Allways said trimming brass and swadging primer pockets are the most tedious jobs in the loading room. Even worse then sweeping the floor!!!

[wncchester]

The X die does NOT stop case stretching but, used by directions, it can prevent additional case trimming.  It does that with a shoulder on the expander stem that pushes growing necks backward into the case shoulder but it can't do a thing to stop stretching and thining at the case web that results in head seperations.
 
If I cut 20 thou off a neck to start with I'd toss the case when it has stretched enough to reach max anyway so the supposed magic of a different and very expensive expander rod would buy me nothing.