Hornady Match Grade Dies
- Last updated: 13/01/2025
› When choosing reloading dies, it is well worth buying the best that you can afford, because the quality of the dies will dictate the quality and performance of your ammunition. A set of high-quality dies is a significant investment, so you might question exactly what it is that makes them so much better than an average set, and whether they are worth the additional cost.
Hornady Match Grade Bushing Dies
The .308 Win calibre set on test contains a full-length bushing-style resizing die and an in-line bullet seating die with two bullet seating stems: one standard and one custom for Extra Low Drag (ELD) match bullets. Supplied in a quality plastic case, the weight and finish of the dies really do give the feel of highly engineered, top-quality tools. They are hefty dies, and the precisely machined craftsmanship has resulted in a faultless finish with no sign of machining marks. Hornady states that these dies have one of the finest internal finishes in the industry, and on close examination, this certainly seems to be true.
The full-length resizing die has a self-centring spindle designed to ensure precise and concentric neck expansion if you use the neck expander included in the kit. The optional elliptical expander is highly polished to ensure smooth movement through the case mouth, and the decapping pin is replaceable in case it gets broken or bent. The die also creates the case neck tension using precision-made interchangeable bushings (sold separately) that are available in 0.001” increments. Being able to alter the case neck tension to suit different cases or bullets is a hugely beneficial feature, and if you buy two or three (in the appropriate sizes), then experimenting with neck tension can often yield significant improvements in the performance of your ammunition. The internal surface of the die body is very highly polished, so you need only use a very minimal amount of lubricant to achieve effective resizing without any significant friction or resistance.
Hornady In-line Seating Die
This die features a floating seating stem that holds the bullet in perfect alignment before it enters the neck of the case. This ensures properly centred bullet seating every time and ammunition that is consistent and ‘match grade’. The Microjust bullet seating micrometre is adjustable in 0.001” increments, and it shows no signs of play or movement when bullets are seated, which means that the cartridge overall lengths (COL) that you achieve are accurate and consistent. Running a batch of experimental ammunition through the die, and adjusting the COL by just one increment on the micrometre after every second round, resulted in rounds that were precisely 0.001” different after each adjustment. When a batch of 20 standard rounds was produced with this die, all at a set COL, the results were all exactly the same length, with no measurable difference between any of them.
Conclusion
These dies are exceptionally well made, and they are great to use. You truly feel that you are using something much better than the average, and yes, they do feel and work like they are worth the additional cost.