13 replies to this topic

[PistolPete]

Well with all the talk on this forum about this die I decided I needed to give it a try. It only cost around $12 but I will say it so far has worked great. Since it resizes the finished round feeding is so much more reliable. I don't know how I ever loaded without it. I'm suprised that Dillon doesn't make a similiar die by now. I'm sure it is in the works though I would think. Just wanted to say if you don't have this or if you're thinking about getting one you should do it right now.

Pete

[SteveZ]

I'm using one of these (45ACP) on my Dillon 550B....I can honestly say that ever since I started using it (a couple years ago)...I've not had a feed failure that I would attribute to improperly sized ammo. I think the Lee FCD's are one of the best things ever invented for reloaders.

[TBF]

I think the Lee FCD's are one of the best things ever invented for reloaders.

Ditto.

Travis F.

[kevin c]

Everything I've read about the advantage of this die is how it eliminates gauging and chambering problems. I hear that loud and clear. But I've heard a few say that they worry about the accuracy of the round after running the seated bullet through the die. Nobody I've seen posts from have actually told me just how bad their accuracy has deteriorated, so let me ask all you Dillon to Lee FCD converts just what you've seen - In the same load pre and post the die change, through the same gun, do you actually see any difference?

[GlocknSchpiel]

My Momma taught me that;

If I didn't have anything good to say, I should keep my mouth shut!

The Lee FCD has ended all the feed problems that I was having with my bottom-feeders. BUT!!!
Accuracy isn't what it should be and I reverted to crimping with an extra RCBS die that I had on hand. Hmmmmmm, no feed problems and accuracy is right where it needs to be.
I will add a disclaimer: I "MAY" have had the FCD adjusted incorrectly. I also adjusted it so it resized ONLY. same problem. I went back to the Old Ways...

YMMV,

Bert

[CSEMARTIN]

Kevin C,

I've have been using the FCD and have not noticed any change in accuracy or precision. I love the Lee FCD and wished I had started using it sooner.

[SteveZ]

I never noticed any accuracy issues when I started using the FCD...I did notice that my gun started running more reliably however!

[PistolPete]

I haven't noticed any difference in accuracy at all. I would think if there was it would be so minor that it wouldn't make much of a difference.

Pete

[texasag93]

I'm not that accurate to begin with, so the FCD hasn's caused me any problems with accuracy. I love mine. Need a second for 45 ACP.

[tightloop]

If you have one, how many of you still gauge your match ammo? If you still have to, or want to gauge match ammo, then the die is redundant and unnecessary. If if eliminates case gauging entirely and accuracy is uneffected, Mongo say, Good.

[Nik Habicht]

TL,
I'm still gauging my ammo ---- but I'm anal and have only loaded about 2000 rounds using the FCD die. Those have all passed the gauge...... but I still think my sample is on the small side....

I did load 300 rounds this morning for a Bianchi match --- and didn't have time to gauge those. No malfunctions...

[sfinney]

If you have one, how many of you still gauge your match ammo? If you still have to, or want to gauge match ammo, then the die is redundant and unnecessary. If if eliminates case gauging entirely and accuracy is uneffected, Mongo say, Good.

Its only redundant and unecessary if you don't mind having 2-3 (or many more, if you load old Glock brass like I do!) loaded rounds out of a hundred fail your gauge test... with the Lee die I haven't had a single round not gauge correctly in the last couple thousand rounds.

I still gauge my ammo as paranoia, and to give it one last visual inspection before I bless it as match ready (I still find a couple missing primers as part of this check, so its not waste). I couldn't imagine not gauging my match ammo, even with the Lee dies.

[a-44978]

I use both lee dies in my dillon and still case guage .
Why case guage?Because the only time i have ever suffered a malfunction seemed to be in a match .
Yes a few fail the case guage(5 out of 6oo last time)but they still chamber test ok in my STI.
As far as brass and how many times i can load it,who knows,i shoot outdoor local matches and find my brass where i can a-merc,fed,whatever.
I sound like a broken record but the lee dies are the answer for fat rounds,for that matter,for reloading .357 sig cases back to .40
As long as i bleed 2 chickens and a goat the night before ,combined with the right meds the next day i'm malfunction free

[MoNsTeR]

I'm not positive, but I think the Lee FCD ruins the accuracy potential of good swaged bullets in .38 Special target loads. It's never seemed deleterious to loads with plated bullets, except maybe 148gr DEWC's. Overall I like the dies very much and continue to use them. Maybe someday I'll sit down and do some controlled experiments on the swaged bullets, but don't hold your breath