Noob shell holder question

[JamieFoxx]

Thank you all for the great input shared in this thread!

 

[Valek]

I don't know where you got this tidbit from, but, it is not true.
Shell holders, shell plates and other case holding systems were standardised to be .250" high, this is where the datum is made from. This is why a shell holder of any brand will work in any press.
ALL shell holders should be this dimension, but, often, the measurement where the rim sits is the place that differs the most.
The advice given regarding use of same brand press and shell holder is feasible, but, RCBS and Redding presses work equally well with either brand shell holder. Lyman are often a poor fit in the press ram, even though dimensionally they are correct.

Cheers.

I agree with you in that shell holders should work in every press, along with your qualifying observation. However, your example of RCBS and Redding presses working with the other's shell holder is interesting to me in that I could not get a Redding shell holder to work well in conjunction with an RCBS press and RCBS die in .35 Rem. Couldn't figure it out. Gunsmith was flummoxed, too; swapped the holder with an RCBS holder and all went well. Black magic? Being a tad subject to generalization, I now maintain brand consistency within products.

 

[ntsqd]

OP, are you indeed planing on using a de-capping specific die like the Lee? If not, I'd suggest it.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Whichever you choose to buy, please measure them.
Different brands are not equal dimensions in all aspects.
There are 2 critical measurements, the height above the groove to top surface, this should be .250" high. Overall height is .500". The groove height from beneath the top surface to bottom of groove determines how much slop there is. This often varies. Lee shell holders are often tighter in the press.
Lyman are often not the same as Redding or RCBS.
Make sure you match numbers to a chart, I have used the wrong number by accident and paid with excessive head space issues.

Cheers.

This is the correct answer.

 

[ntsqd]

It is A correct answer, but it doesn't address the question that was actually asked.
Emphasis is mine:

I have used a Forster co-ax for years and it is the only press I have ever used. I just bought a Lyman Ideal Press, to use as an auxiliary press for decapping. My question is would I specifically need Lyman shell holders or are shell holders universal between press brands. I.e could I use Rcbs, Redding etc shell holders with the Lyman press?

Everything that Magnum said is very important to re-sizing and bullet seating, but isn't terribly important to only de-capping.

 

[cape cove]

Shell holders are rather inexpensive in the scheme of things concerning other components in reloading. I have found differences in shell holders not only from brand to brand but within the same brand of shell holders. I measure each one regardless of brand and keep it with that particular die set. JMW.

 

[R. Cram]

Redding makes a set of shell holders they call competition shell holders that have 8 or so shellholders which vary in the dimension talked about which is the dimension from the base of the cartridge case to the bottom of the die. I like to size cases with .001 or .002 shoulder set back in the chamber so these shell holders step up in this dimension and you can put the one in the press that will give you the length you want and write it down in your notes so the .002 oversize shell holder gives you .001 clearance with a certian die. for instance I have at least 10 30-06's I load for and each one has a different shoulder to base measurement so with the same die I just write down which shell holder gives me the correct shoulder set back.

 

[ntsqd]

Reading comprehension really sucks around here.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Reading comprehension really sucks around here.

That is plainly obvious on your own behalf……….

 

[Valek]

Reading comprehension really sucks around here.

Unfortunately, I rather resemble that remark of late.

 

[ntsqd]

That is plainly obvious on your own behalf……….

How so? The OP clearly asked about shell-holders for de-capping only. It's right there in his first post in the thread. Yet a large number of the responses have failed to address that specifically and have instead gone on about how and where they're important to the other reloading operations (which is clearly correct, but not what the OP asked about). In that first post the OP also clearly stated that he uses a Co-Ax for those operations. The points made about what are supposedly interchangeable shell-holders that don't easily interchange have merit to his question, but the mention of different thickness shell-holders and which brands are better than others for not deviating from the standard has little to no bearing on his question.