[Jakeway]

I've read a lot of good reviews on the Hornady and Lyman die locking rings. I definately want to get one for my 243 Lee Collet neck sizer, since the adjustment is quite sensitive to get the right tension on the neck. But at $4 each, plus shipping, I don't know if I want to replace the rings on the sizing and seating dies for all my cartridges.

My question is, for those of you that use these, do you feel it's more important to have the locking ring on the seating die or the sizing die? I have a "dummy" round for each bullet I use, so it doesn't take very long to adjust the bullet seating die.

Any an all comments (except "Jake, you cheap ***, just buy a dozen!) would be appreciated.

 

[hailstone]

All though it wasn't either of the two die lock rings you mentioned I did change all mine too one make for several reasons. Originals were alumnium that tended to gaul on the steel dies. The replacements were hex nut so could be tighten with wrench rather than pliers. Believe I was able to more accurately adjust the dies when needed.. Haven't looked back since doing it and all my new dies have the same lock rings for continuity.

 

[ranger335v]

Different folks, different strokes...I don't much care what lock rings are on my dies but if they were free I'd probably use Forsters.

I haven't locked a die down with anything but my fingers since the late 60s.

 

[Rocky Raab]

I use a lock ring on every die I own, to hold the adjustments I so painstakingly found. Of the three kinds I've tried, I much prefer the sort where the lock ring is split and an Allen screw pulls the ring tight around the die.

I do not like the kind where a screw tightens into the die threads, nor the Lee style with an O-ring on the bottom surface. The former can damage the die and the latter doesn't stay adjusted.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

The best lock rings have the cross-bolt design. Examples include Hornady, Forster, Lyman (aftermarket, not OEMs included on their dies), Sinclair, and the original RCBS rings before the switched to cheaper hex nuts with set screws.

Cross-bolt lock rings lock squarely and securely on the die body, without buggering up the die threads.

The Lee lock rings (or any others) work well in situations where the die is left in a turret, tool head, or QC bushing. Otherwise, they become loose on the die body as soon as the die removed from the press, and will not reliably retain the previous setting.

No matter who made the die, all mine wear cross-bolt lock rings. But if I had to choose, for rifle, I would keep them on the sizing dies. For pistols, I'd put them on the seater and/or crimp dies.

Andy

 

[Tom W.]

Keep your eyes open, as they go on sale every now and again. I like the Hornady, but would be happy with any cross bolt style. If I only had one I'd put it on the seating die.

 

[mgrace]

I prefer the cross bolt style.

But most of mine are the LEE type.
So what I did was since I already had a Tap & Die set from Harbor Freight I just bought a handful of small machine bolts and drilled tapped all the LEE lock rings, cleaned up the threads, put a lead BB from shotshell reloading in the bottom of the hole to protect the threads on the loading die, then set them and leave them. I do not remember the sizes of the drill/tap/bolts, just find what fits.

Michael Grace