SmallCaliberCentral

I am new to reloading and currently have Lee dies for 243 and 30-06. Both sets include FL and neck sizers. I am interested in getting dies for my 204 and am a bit overwhelmed by the choices out there. Don't want to spend much more than $50 and want FL, neck, and seating dies.

Is there a 'better' choice than Lee that will give me all of that for <$50?

If so, why is that product a better choice than Lee?

Thanks in advance!

Why not just get the Lee full length set, and the Lee neck collet die?

I have the Redding FL and neck dies, and after going through all the hoopla discovered that the FL die gave better consistency in my rifle. The accuracy (.250" groups at 100 yards) is such that no other fiddling around is necessary. My rifle is a Savage Precision Target action with a Shilen Select Match barrel. In all the cartridges I have used lately, I discovered that this or that bushing die, bump die, super-duper seating die and all the rest really don't produce sufficient accuracy gain to warrant their expense or time wasted. With the exception of the 6mm PPC, I don't even turn case necks any more. The PPC is chambered with a .262" diameter neck and must be turned to .260" when loaded to chamber. Even competitors such as David Tubb full length sizes his cartridges every time, and he competes at 1,000 yards.

So give the Lee dies a try and see what happens. Because all the fancy dies will do is return the case to SAMMI specs, same as the Lee product. Bushing type NS dies allow you to adjust neck tension and eliminate the expander ball, but even then I haven't found this to be a big improvement in a factory SAMMI chamber. I have a few Lee die sets and they work just fine - I love the factory crimp dies.

Thanks for the input. The lee ns die seems to work fine on the two sets I already have. Just wanting some input/suggestions on other products.