Steel vs Carbide?

TrxR

New member
I understand carbide bullet dies will last alot longer and may require less lube , but do the carbide make a better quality bullet?

Are the carbide well worth the extra cost ?

Im talking someone who is wanting to make benchrest quality bullets for their personal use.

Thanks
 
I understand carbide bullet dies will last alot longer and may require less lube , but do the carbide make a better quality bullet?

Are the carbide well worth the extra cost ?

Im talking someone who is wanting to make benchrest quality bullets for their personal use.

Thanks

I cant say that carbide makes a better bullet but it should, due to less lube. Also, and particularly with 30s, ejection of the bullet from the point die can be an issue with steel dies. Someone may say that the steel dies work fine if everything is properly setup and lubed, and I will agree..but that's kinda my point, that carbide is the easier die to make a good bullet with.
 
I cant say that carbide makes a better bullet but it should, due to less lube. Also, and particularly with 30s, ejection of the bullet from the point die can be an issue with steel dies. Someone may say that the steel dies work fine if everything is properly setup and lubed, and I will agree..but that's kinda my point, that carbide is the easier die to make a good bullet with.

I was kind of wondering that. I was wondering if carbide dies would be easier for a beginner to learn on?

I will be making flatbase 7 ogive 30's .
 
You won’t have enough primers and powder to wear out a steel die in your lifetime. Proper storage of a steel die is paramount as well. Clean and lube the die when you put it away/
 
You won’t have enough primers and powder to wear out a steel die in your lifetime. Proper storage of a steel die is paramount as well. Clean and lube the die when you put it away/

If looking at steel dies, who is the go to person for them? Ive got 3 good used Detsch modded reddings on the way .

Thanks
 
Larry Blackmon is the only one I know making BR quality bullet dies in steel:

https://bulletswagingsupply.com/bssp1.pdf

If I were you though, I'd call George Ulrich. His are carbide. Yes, they're more expensive that Blackmon's. But as Mike noted, carbide requires less lube and you won't wear them out for personal use. I'm swaging on his 7-ogive .30 caliber dies and they're tops.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com

Im leaning towards Ulrich dies. Im just making sure i got all the info on the alternatives before i jump as its a big chunk of cash. Its like 3600 canadian.
 
Call George. Great guy. He's got all the answers.
He made my 8 ogive 6mm dies. And modified 2 presses. Gitten ready to squish some copper here in a min.
 
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