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so I bought this kit and am confused on dies..

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Get the Lee manual. It gives instructions written for the equipment you have. It also has load data from several sources. Some of what you get off the internet may not be exactly correct, so take any info you get with a grain? Pacesetter dies are equal in quality to any other dies, they're for bottleneck rifle cases and require the use of case lube. Carbide dies are generally for straight walled pistol/revolver calibers and don't require case lube. You aren't likely to find many 6.8 or any other carbide rifle dies. Most straight walled pistol type cartridges require case expansion after sizing. Pistol die sets will ship with them. If you have another brand you can buy just the neck expander from Lee or whomever based on your needs. A taper crimp is used for most selfloading pistol cartridges, heavy recoiling revolvers will need a heavy roll crimp. Read, read, read! Also check out the manufactures website. Always dig for answers, ask lots of questions, and "when in doubt don't" Good Luck, welcome to handloading!
 
chuckdog, good catch. I was mistaken about pacesetters being carbide and forgot/was mistaken about roll crimp. though roll crimps require a groove in the bullet, correct?
 
call and/or email them first thing in the morning. i doubt your order is packaged yet. just add it on to the existing order. that or order it from where you get the tumbler. I get paranoid that I'm forgetting an item when order; shipping will clean out your wallet!

Ok I will just pick them up when I order my tumbler. I know exactly what you mean by getting paranoid. It takes me forever to submit my order, I always have that feeling in the back of my head.
 
Get the Lee manual. It gives instructions written for the equipment you have. It also has load data from several sources. Some of what you get off the internet may not be exactly correct, so take any info you get with a grain? Pacesetter dies are equal in quality to any other dies, they're for bottleneck rifle cases and require the use of case lube. Carbide dies are generally for straight walled pistol/revolver calibers and don't require case lube. You aren't likely to find many 6.8 or any other carbide rifle dies. Most straight walled pistol type cartridges require case expansion after sizing. Pistol die sets will ship with them. If you have another brand you can buy just the neck expander from Lee or whomever based on your needs. A taper crimp is used for most selfloading pistol cartridges, heavy recoiling revolvers will need a heavy roll crimp. Read, read, read! Also check out the manufactures website. Always dig for answers, ask lots of questions, and "when in doubt don't" Good Luck, welcome to handloading!

thanks chuckdog, also good advice. Im trying to be like a sponge as much as possible and soak up everything that comes my way. Thanks for the welcome.
 
The Lee manual by Richard Lee is a good one. So is the Lyman. I am still using the Lyman 48th, but the 49th is out now. You may be able to find the 48th discounted because it is considered "old". Read the manuals over and over again. They will only help you along. There are rarely "neutral" manuals as far as products go. They are all trying to sell their goods. They will tell you need to buy this or that gadget to get started....I think you are on the right track as far as getting the basic gear to get started.
 
Just bought the Lee manual and the appropriate case length gauges from Midway USA. As well as some bullets to get the price up to $50 so I could get $10 off. Sweet, it pretty much paid for the shipping.
 
So my midway stuff got here 3 days from the order date, but Im still waiting on my factory sales stuff. I just called them and they said one item was backordered even though they said it wasn't when I ordered. They will not ship the rest of my stuff until they get it in, and they do not know when it will be in. They gave me an estimated time frame of 5-15 more days... Estimated. They said that is if they get it in on this shipment. Anyone else ever have this happen? Its been 10 days already and no emails or nothing until I called to find out what was going on.
 
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