We got RCBS to reintroduce the the .44amp dies in carbide. One of the prototypes are sitting on my desk. However, they are waiting on a shipment of carbide to start production. As soon as I know when they will be available I will let you guys know. I am also try get a bundle deal to offer to you guys.
Are you going to provide a sign up form for the 44 Automag Dies?
Seems like you would want to know what quantity of die sets you would be requesting to provide a bundle package to RCBS.
@paul-wolf That's good to hear Paul.
The high Standard I had years ago was great! I was excited to hear it was improved and in production again.
With the shortage of just about everything and the explosion in the gun market it really is amazing it is happening at all.
Wayne
If anyone is still looking for dies. I have a set of older ones. They are RCBS 4 die set. No shell holder. Appear to be brand new. Not carbide. .44AMP 160.00 including shipping.
Let me know ,
@robautomag thanks Rob, definitely interested here. Please advise when more information is available from RCBS. Take care
Tom B.
@pantera-mike Just wanted to let you know that the dies arrived today, and I am very happy with them. Thanks again for helping me out.
@pantera-mike Just wanted to let you know that the dies arrived today, and I am very happy with them. Thanks again for helping me out.
I’m happy I could help! I actually found another complete set while searching, if anybody else needs one….
If anyone is still looking for dies. I have a set of older ones. They are RCBS 4 die set. No shell holder. Appear to be brand new. Not carbide. .44AMP 160.00 including shipping.
Let me know ,
Green Giant - I am trying to find a way to PM you with this Forum but can find no way to do so - ha...Not sure if this die set is still available(?) but I am interested if so. Can you let me know. I have a set of the Hornady ones on (back)order but the shipping date has now been updated (from 02/14/22) to December 2022 (over a year from now).
Bart, ptmaloney45@yahoo.com
greemgiant
@bartwatkins Be glad you didn’t get the Hornady dies. Reportedly they are junk, specifically the sizing die. Over in the Auto Mag forum (for AMT guns) somebody shared comprehensive test results and they weren’t pretty.
The interesting thing is that the Auto Mag uses the 308 etc. rifle as the parent brass, which is a tapered case. Carbide dies can only work with straight-sided cases, so with 9mm and 44 AMP, carbide dies actually smash the base of the case and change it from a proper taper, to a straight-sided case with a bulge at the bottom. When the round is fired the case expands to conform to the dimensions of the chamber walls and becomes tapered again. Although you might expect this would overwork the brass and lead to failures, I’ve never had a single case failure with Starline 44 AMP brass (which is thinner than rifle brass).
It’s also possible to use any related rifle caliber size die (270, 308, 30-06 etc) as they have the same bottom dimensions as the 44 AMP size die. 44 special/magnum expander die will work fine to bell the mouth of the case. The long pole in the reloading die tent is the seater (or separate seater and crimper) as that is/they are 44 AMP-specific.
Pantera Mike is correct, carbide dies do swage down the lower part of the case. Steel dies are better in that respect, as they can be tapered, where as carbide sizers use just a thin washer, which makes the case all the same diameter. It is possible to partially resize a case with a carbide die, which sometimes can work acceptably. Realisticly, it is not that much more laborious, to roll half a dozen cases at a time across a lube pad, and just use the steel sizer die. You are not going to shoot hundreds of rounds a week. Most owners, will shoot their new gun enough to familiarize themselves, while developing a load, and zeroing the Automag in. Then just shoot it on special occasions. The gun and replacement parts are just too expensive to use as an every weekend beater, so you are not going to require frequent large volumes of ammo. Steel will work just fine for the average Automag owner.
Can anyone tell me when RCBS will have their reloading dies available to purchase for the 44 auto mag?
@pantera-mike & @gbertolet - thank you both very much for the information.
I am new to reloading (or at least new "again" since I have not reloaded anything since approx 1984-85). 1 question, if steel dies are better for resizing why are the new/modern ones Carbide? (in other words, what is the advantage of Carbide dies?)
You don't have to lube the brass when you use carbide dies; you do when you use steel dies, otherwise the case will almost invariably get stuck.
