Carbide or Steel for 223 on 550

[funkymonkey1111]

For those not shopping these days, carbide Dillon 223 dies are hard to come by--you can't even backorder them on the Dillon website.

So, the question is--is carbide a huge improvement for 223 on a 550 (if that makes any difference)? Dillon steel dies are available. I don't want to buy the steel just because they're available if they're going to cause trouble.

I've reloaded plenty of pistol cases, but just never a rifle/bottlenecked case.

[Little Dutch]

If you don?t mind lubing you?re cases, steel is fine. I don?t do a lot of rifle on the 550, but steel dies have not cause me any issues with it.
But, I?ve never gotten one stuck on the 550, so can?t comment on how that would go.

[Not_A_Llama]

Carbide rifle dies still require lube. I kind of don’t understand why they exist, other than theoretically longer life.

[Little Dutch]

Carbide rifle dies still require lube. I kind of don’t understand why they exist, other than theoretically longer life.

I did not know that. I load for 23 (I just went and counted my dies) cartridges. You can probably guess how many carbide rifle die sets I own...

I learned something new today, that calls for a beer!

[Mazin]

Technically carbide dies don't require lube but the lube just makes it easier to size. Steel dies you will want to make sure you lube your brass. From what I've read anyway. I still use lube on both though.

[00tec]

Technically carbide dies don't requre lube but the lube just makes it easier to size. Steel dies you will want to make sure you lube your brass. From what I've read anyway. I still use lube on both though.

Tried that shit. Once

Not much fun fishing a 257 Robert's case out of a die with a Dremel.

[Mazin]

Not to mention carbide has a longer lifespan.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/carbide-vs-standard-die_350_10_2592.htm

[Duman]

I always use lube.

[whitewalrus]

I load plenty of rifle cases and never saw the need for the carbide dies unless you are loading so much that you need to upgrade to the 1050. They could make things a bit smoother as they don't scratch as easy and last longer. I have some that I got in a lot of reloading stuff, they are gathering dust.

[thedave1164]

I just use the Dillon steel dies in my 550 for .223, and the Dillon spray lube, I would still lube if using the carbide .223 dies

[Hoser]

The Dillon Carbide rifle dies are awesome.

You still have to use lube, but not much of it. And the effort it takes to resize a case is next to nothing.

[Great-Kazoo]

i used a carbide on a few presses. Processed a sheet ton on the 1050 with a steel sizing die, not an issue. . If you can get the steel die, now. Buy it.