RCBS X Die

[mjcmichigan]

Has anyone tested an RCBS X Die?
They claim they’ve redesigned the tolerances and mandrel design so the case length will stabilize and you won’t need to trim does a second time?

Sounds like an upgrade.

I am using imperial wax and get a little on the case mouth, so it lubes the mandrel.

I don’t need to trim often, but prefer to not have to trim…

Thoughts?

 

[salmonchaser]

I have not tried the x die. I have returned three sets of dies; 257 roberts, 7x57 Mauser and 300 HH to RCBS and replaced them with Reddington. I could not get the shoulders to stabilize with the RCBS but I can with Reddinton. My 7x57 aka 257 Rigby was the worst. I would check the shoulder before resizing, chamber is relatively generous in hopes of just pushing it back a couple thousands. Rezise and the shoulder would be out so far the cartridge was hard to chamber. New dies solved the problem.

 

[JD338]

I have not tried the x die. I have returned three sets of dies; 257 roberts, 7x57 Mauser and 300 HH to RCBS and replaced them with Reddington. I could not get the shoulders to stabilize with the RCBS but I can with Reddinton. My 7x57 aka 257 Rigby was the worst. I would check the shoulder before resizing, chamber is relatively generous in hopes of just pushing it back a couple thousands. Rezise and the shoulder would be out so far the cartridge was hard to chamber. New dies solved the problem.

I'm not familiar with Reddington. Do you mean Redding?
I've never used RCBS X dies.

JD338

 

[salmonchaser]

I do mean Redding, not sure if it was an auto correct or lack of coffee. With the RCBS I was having to pull the stem, resize the body, with both the 257 Roberts and the 275 Rigby, pushing the shoulder back 2 thousands and then run the case through a neck sizing die. That worked but RCBS pissed me off when I called. I did not have them set up wrong. With both the 257 and the 275 the shoulder would grow from +2 to plus 4 thousands.
With my 300HH there were two problems. When full length resizing the die would push up a ridge just ahead of the belt, you could feel it with your finger nail. I can neck size only for a couple of loadings but then need to full length size the 300. Doesn’t happen with any other of my belted cases. Got to where I would run the 300 HH case through my 375HH die minus the stem, size the base of the 300 HH correctly and then run it through the neck sizing die. No I didn’t have it set up wrong. No base/ridge issue with Redding dies. No shoulder set back problem either.

 

[mjcmichigan]

Truth be told, I inherited a lot of my RCBS dies and when I have trouble, I drop the coin on Redding dies. Thinking I need a forester triax at some point, but making due until then… I only hunt, so no over the top effort for competition shooting… but seems every solution to a problem takes me more in that direction…

 

[Ralt71]

I almost bought this X die the other day for my 6.5 PRC. I trim with an older hand crank set up and can't stand it. I seem to have to trim more than I care for. I decided to wait and not be one of the first to try out their new die and got a Forster set of dies instead.

 

[Hunter26]

I've wondered about the x-die but haven't got one. I will say, I've never had an issue with any RCBS product. When I've had questions, their customer support has been awesome.

 

[SJB358]

Just me, but I don’t have to trim very much. I keep my dies to size about .002” back on the shoulder and upon their initial firing they pretty much stay the same. I do take care to keep expanders lubed so they don’t drag and pull on the neck too much. But then again I don’t sweat my cases being a few thousands different than one another. Since I’ve gone to keep brass tighter on sizing, trimming has been drastically reduced. Also, keeping with great brass such as Lapua, RWS, ADG, Alpha also seems to help.