Carbide 7.62x39 full length resizing die

J

jvossler

New member
Greetings all,

Does anyone know of a source of a carbide full length resizing die for 7.62x39 cases?

I have been combing through all the sites I know and all the manufacturers looking for this die. I have not found even one mention of these existing.

I would appreciate any information on where I can purchase such a die.

Thanks in advance to all.
 
I'm not aware of anyone offering a carbide size die for this cartridge. Not enough demand, plus case lube is still mandatory. Dillon offers carbide size dies for 223, 308, 30-06, 300 BO, and 50 BMG.
 
carbide dies for bottle necked cases are possible, but they cost several hundred dollars and case lube is still needed.

Few people want them due to the cost, and so few are made.
 
Originally posted by 44AMP
carbide dies for bottle necked cases are possible, but they cost several hundred dollars and case lube is still needed.
Click to expand...

While I don't doubt what you say, I have to ask: if case lube is still necessary, what is the advantage of a bottle-neck carbide die over a regular steel one? I thought the primary advantage of carbide dies was that they do not necessitate case lube.
 
I thought the primary advantage of carbide dies was that they do not necessitate case lube.
Click to expand...

That is the primary advantage for most of us, or at least, the one we notice most. Carbide is very hard, and rather "slick" and when you're sizing short (compared to rifle cases), essentially straight cases, there is much less surface area and complex angles than found in rifle brass.

Personally, I think that is the key, the amount of surface area being sized means lube is needed (you really don't want to stick a rifle case in any die, let alone a very expensive carbide one.

While I don't know for sure I think the carbide rifle die's target market are those people running automated machinery loading ammo as a business, not the home hobbyist. I would think the hardness of the carbide would provide a longer service life for the die, balancing (hopefully) the added expense of initial purchase.
 
Webleymkv said:
While I don't doubt what you say, I have to ask: if case lube is still necessary, what is the advantage of a bottle-neck carbide die over a regular steel one? I thought the primary advantage of carbide dies was that they do not necessitate case lube.
Click to expand...
Dirt is less likely to embed in the die and scratch the casing. Carbide will wear much longer than regular steel. Carbide seems to polish to a slicker surface.
9mm-45acp full-length resize pretty easily with carbide dies - I have never had stuck case or read of such. Once you move up to 44mag, the amount of force required has most folks using lubrication. I give my 44mag cases a spritz of my castor oil case lube and it really smoothes the loading cycle on my Dillon SDB.
(I toss the finished cartridges into the vibratory cleaner for 20 minutes to make them pretty).
 
44 AMP said:
While I don't know for sure I think the carbide rifle die's target market are those people running automated machinery loading ammo as a business, not the home hobbyist. I would think the hardness of the carbide would provide a longer service life for the die, balancing (hopefully) the added expense of initial purchase.
Click to expand...

This is my understanding as well.
 
A steel rifle size die has a lifespan of approximately 100,000 cycles before the headspace and neck have worn out. A carbide rifle size die has a lifespan of about 900,000 to 1,000,000 cases, depending on caliber. Originally intended for commercial loaders, the dies also require less effort to cycle the handle during sizing, a bonus for the residential loader as well.
 
Originally posted by 44 AMP
That is the primary advantage for most of us, or at least, the one we notice most. Carbide is very hard, and rather "slick" and when you're sizing short (compared to rifle cases), essentially straight cases, there is much less surface area and complex angles than found in rifle brass.

Personally, I think that is the key, the amount of surface area being sized means lube is needed (you really don't want to stick a rifle case in any die, let alone a very expensive carbide one.

While I don't know for sure I think the carbide rifle die's target market are those people running automated machinery loading ammo as a business, not the home hobbyist. I would think the hardness of the carbide would provide a longer service life for the die, balancing (hopefully) the added expense of initial purchase.
Click to expand...

OK, that makes some sense particualry as it relates to surface area. I had always wondered why carbide dies weren't available for .45-70 while they are for tapered, non-bottleneck pistol cartridges like 9x19 but the surface area explanation makes sense as a .45-70 case certainly has a lot more surface area than a 9mm does.

I'm now curious, however, as to how exactly a carbide die is made for a bottleneck cartridge. If I understand it correctly, a carbide die for a straight-walled pistol cartridge basically has a carbide sizing "ring" at the mouth of the die but the rest of the inside of the die is made of steel as the case mouth and body are sized to the same diameter. Perhaps the reason that carbide rifle dies are so expensive as compared to carbide pistol dies is that you need multiple carbide "rings" to size the case body, case mouth, and shoulder or the entirety of the inside of the die is carbide? This would explain why carbide dies are not commonly available for bottleneck pistol cartridges like 7.62x25 Tokarev, .357 Sig, or .44-40 Winchester.
 
I have no idea how Dillon makes their carbide rifle dies, I suppose you could ask them. The idea of multiple "rings" sounds like it could work, but there might be issues with getting them "lined up" within acceptable tolerances.

Its possible to cut the sizer from a single (large enough) piece of carbide, but its not going to be easy, or remotely cheap. The carbide is very hard, and so difficult to machine, and wears out cutters rapidly, so the cost of making just one single die is astonishing, compared to the standard steel stuff.

Back in the last century when a regular rifle die set was $25-30 dollars the Dillon carbide .308Win die was well over $400.

One single die, costing more than most people's entire reloading setup is a very niche market.
 
If they exist ... they will be very expensive and hard to come by .
I don't know of any source for Carbide dies for bottle necked rounds .

Carbide can be made and bought for straight wall cartridges ... but 7.62 X 39 is a no Carbide sizer ... unless they have invented one recently !
Gary
 
gwpercle said:
If they exist ... they will be very expensive and hard to come by .
I don't know of any source for Carbide dies for bottle necked rounds .

Carbide can be made and bought for straight wall cartridges ... but 7.62 X 39 is a no Carbide sizer ... unless they have invented one recently !
Gary
Click to expand...

Listed but as backorder at the moment at

https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/lyman/dies-die-sets/pro-dies/stainless-pro-carbide-sizing-dies

.223
7.62x39
.30-06
.300 blackout (though not much bottle neck there)
.308
.338 Lapua
6.5 Creedmoor
7.62x54

Currently prices in the $250 - $300 range
 
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