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What 223 AI dies?

RabbitSlayer

Need to get some 223 AI dies, and the options suck....

I want a FL sizing die that is not a bushing die. Im planning on the redding die, but its over 100 bucks. The lee is 30! Is the redding really going to make better ammo?

I am planning on the redding micrometer seater but omg the price. I could do a wilson die and buy an arbor press for similar cost, but no micrometer.

Or on a budget I could do a hornady seater. I already have the micrometer top. Dont care for how its like on the last few threads in the coax, but it worked ok for 204.

Wish Hornady and Forester made dies for it!
 
I use the Lee dies and have zero complaints with them. I also like a Lee die. I am not sure why they are so looked down on, they have always worked very well for me and produced very accurate ammo. Some of my best shooting rifles are loaded with Lee dies.
 
I've used the Lee .223 AI dies for years. There is no issue with them. Also, with the fact that the AI shoulders don't move as much, I user the Lee collet die for a number of loadings before I F/L size. Runout on the cases are next to nothing. They perform even though there are more costly options out there. I also have Redding and Forster dies for other calibers.
 
Brad is right- Redding or RCBS is the only way to go here- he has them in stock.

Lee- doesn’t make anything now a days worth a crap- their pistol dies make crooked ammo-
If you put it in a loaded rd in a concentricity gauge you’ll see- or general looking at it, the bullet bulge will be on 1 side of the case- ( this is not normal) - after a while the carbide bushing will come out, from the heat generated by friction- the glue turns loose-

dang sure wouldn’t use them on a rifle cartridge, b/c of the cheap price- most never check the concentricity on rifle dies- once you do, you’ll wonder how for the rest of your life…

- there’s my reasoning-experience on Lee

I’m sure Brad would ream you a Wilson micro blank for seating, if asked..


Don’t get me started on the octagonal Forster dies…

- just my experience-
 
I bought the lee 223AI sizer and already have a hornady 223 seater.

I like my lee pistol and rifle FL sizers, they do a fine job making ammo as nice as federal or hornady. Their seater works better for me than the base model rcbs or redding.
 
Here’s how I do it, not just for the .223AI but others as well. Redding .223AI body die. Lee .223 collet die. Forester .223 AI seater. Makes very good ammo as my target shows.

John
 
I use the lee dies in several calibers, and have rcbs and hornady, Used different ones thru the years I dont see much if any difference, sorry but redding and those 100 300+ for a die set, not in my budget, maybe if I was a benchrest shooter, but if I do my part I can get .5 or better groups with what I use, get the lee and send em, the other aspects of reloading are more critical in my opinion
 
Thanks for all the replies so far. I think ill try a lee FLS die.

Still debating micrometer redding seater or wilson. Leaning toward the redding. The wilson seems like a PIA to load higher volume, but I also want to see what the fuss is all about.
 
I ended up going with the Lee 3 die set and added a micrometer top. For a total of 65 bucks, there isn't a lot to lose.

Johnnys reloading posted a 223 video yesterday using the lee dies with micrometer for a gas gun. I would be happy with his results on target, so that is why I decided to roll the dice.

I am using forester dies for the 223 fireforming loads and a couple other 223 rifles. This will at least provide something to use as a baseline. Johnny's results on target with lee dies are similar to what I have so far achieved with the forester dies.
 
I sized 250 cases with the Lee dies. The sizing die seemed to work fine. I thought it required less force than my other dies. Not sure if the internal finish is just smooth or maybe the brass has not fully expanded yet. Shoulders seem well formed though. Or maybe it is because I set it to barely kiss the shoulder of the longest ones.

The seating die also seems fine. The micrometer top i think is better than the hornady one. I loaded some foulers and a pressure test. The only complaint is the seating stem doesn't seem to match the vmax at all. It presses just bellow the poly tip and left a faint ring I can just barely feel with my fingernail. I compared to the Forster which leaves a mark down at the ogive that I can see but not feel. I chucked it in a drill and hit it with some fine steel wool first and then a bullet covered in IOSSO. Hopefully that improves it. The stem seems like it would fit a 55gr SP, but who still shoots those low BC bullets?

Of the 6 foulers the BTO was +\- .001. That is better than my results with the forster seater, but I have measured much larger samples.
 
Polishing up the seating stem made a small improvement. I think the force is just spread over too small of an area. It needs to make contact wayyyy lower down.

I measured the CBTO of the first 6 rounds. 5 were dead on, and one was .002 long. I suspect that was just something with the bullet or brass. I ran it into the die like 5 extra times and it never got shorter. The CBTO consistency continues to be better than my other dies. Can't wait to shoot some groups! Its the windy season though. 50 mph the last 2 days, yesh.
 
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