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Writer's picturePeyton

Hornady New Dimension Custom Grade Die Set Review

If reloaders nowadays named one brand that permeated the industry throughout, you'd probably hear: Hornady


A Hornady die storage box on a concrete floor

I've had this die set for a long time and figured it'd be a good option to throw in our newest batch of reviews, partnered with Natchez. These were actually the first dies I owned when I started reloading in 2012 for my Remington 700 SPS in .308 Winchester. I told myself I'd be saving money. Seasoned reloaders know that's just a lie we perpetuate to validate our hobbies...but I did shoot more ammo and practice more consistently because of it, so it definitely led me to become a better rifleman.


These dies have loaded perfectly acceptable ammo for the duration of their life, and I believe they will continue to do so as long as I ask them to.


What You Get from Hornady


The Hornady New Dimension Custom Grade die set comes packaged in a standard Hornady red box with a full length, non bushing sizing die, a no-frills seating die, an extra spindle, two extra decapping pins, an extra retainer spring, and the standard instructional literature. No fluff in this set. For an MSRP of $51.99 (2024), I don't know how much more you could expect a manufacturer to bring to the table. For the added features of bushing sizing and micrometer seating, you'd have to step up to Hornady's Match Grade dies for a little more than double the cost.


An open Hornady die storage box on a hardwood floor showing the contents: a sizing die, a seating die, replacement parts, and the instruction manual

Both dies come with the Hornady Sure-Loc die lock rings, a split ring design that I greatly prefer over the typical style with a set screw and lead ball (if that) to engage the threads and clamp the locking ring in place.


The New Dimension Sizing Die


An exploded view of the sizing die showing the decapping stem, zip spindle locking piece, elliptical expander, decapping pin, and die body in detail
The Hornady Full Length Sizing Die

The sizing die is your standard full length, non-bushing affair, complete with decapping stem and expander ball. Hornady touts their "Zip Spindle" as an easy way to adjust the decapping assembly up and down while still being able to lock it securely. I found that my need to rapidly move the decapping stem was severely lacking; once I set the decapper, I rarely had reason to readjust it and it took a bit more oomph on a wrench than I thought should be required to lock it securely into position. Standard threads and a lock nut would serve just as handily in the application. I will say, once you do have it locked down, it doesn't move. That's more than I can say for other decapping dies I've had.


The "elliptical expander" is a good inclusion by Hornady. I find these to be smoother than ball expanders in use, especially if necking brass up, and the standard Hornady part measures .3065" by my micrometer. With a touch of brass elasticity, neck tension usually sits right about .002". As with all expander balls, keep it well lubed while in use.


The die has no issues bumping the shoulders back on brass and sizes well down the case body, acting very much like a small base die near the 0.200" body line. Fired brass came from the chamber measuring .472" at the .200" line and the die sized it down to .469". This leaves no concern for using this die for reloads in my LR308 rifle.


The die produced cases with between 0.001-0.003" Total Indicated Runout (TIR) just behind the case mouth in the Area 419 ZERO Press while using the expander ball.


The New Dimension Seating Die


An exploded view of the seating die showing the seating depth adjustment screw, the die body, the retaining snap ring, the bullet seating stem, and the bullet alignment sleeve in detail
The Hornady Seating Die

The seating die is a decent unit. It has a floating seating stem and a floating "bullet alignment sleeve" that holds the bullet and case neck in alignment as they enter the die. The inside diameter of the bullet alignment sleeve was slightly over .310", leaving some room for standard projectiles to slightly misalign in it, but not much. The inside diameter of the neck area of the alignment sleeve measured .340". This should be suitable for most, if not all brass available for .308 Winchester. Thinner necks, of course, will leave more room for slight misalignment. Adjustment of seating depth is handled by a thumb screw and a finger-tightened lock ring. It's easy enough to adjust and stays put when you want. The seating die also includes the option to crimp your cases if you so desire. Crimping isn't anything I've needed in my time reloading, so I have no opinions on its operation in that mode.


The die set produced ammunition with a TIR of 0.002-0.007" when measured to the ogive of a Sierra 175gn MatchKing, 0.6" forward of the case mouth. Average TIR was 0.0047" and TIR SD was 0.0015". This would be an average TIR of 0.45°, absolutely an acceptable result for precision ammunition, especially considering the price of these dies.



Detractors


The only fault that I can give these Hornady dies is that after years in the midwestern US, they have developed the slightest patina of surface rust in the knurling where skin oils have sat on the steel. This is a common occurrence with Hornady dies in my experience. If you are more diligent about oiling the exterior of your dies than young me, or you live in a drier climate, you may avoid this cosmetic issue. I have not noticed any problems in functional areas of the dies; the insides are still smooth, polished surfaces.


A close up view of the seating die, showing a mild oxidation in the knurling
The Slightest Patina from Midwestern Humidity

Final Thoughts

These dies served me well as a new reloader, allowing me to learn the basics, put my own ammunition through a variety of rifles, harvest multiple deer, and get my feet wet in long-range shooting. They have been a reliable performer, even after all these years and continue to be a staple on my reloading bench whenever I reach for .308 Winchester dies.






About the Author

A man wearing a flannel shirt and a black hat takes aim with a precision rifle from the prone position

Peyton is a new contributor to Reloading All Day. With a background in mathematics and engineering, Peyton has always been looking for ways to pursue his passions of reloading and long range shooting in a professional manner.


Growing up on a farm in southeast Missouri, the rifle was always a tool for dispatching predator and prey alike. The search for precision began here, at an early age.


With the tools and resources that Reloading All Day can bring to the table, he will to continue to pursue the testing of hypothesis on what makes rifles precise and delivering that information to reloaders and shooters through his writing.

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