hardened dies or not

[mr surveyor]

are those rods going to be harder than the die surface?

[Fyodor]

They actually should be softer, so that the abrasive media will set into the surface and gets bind there.

[massmanute]

Now another followup question. Is the factory crimp die for rifles either hardened steel or carbide? I am thinking about drilling or grinding one out so it will crimp a .358x54 wildcat load.

Thanks.

[RBHarter]

I recently drilled a 6.8 Rem seating die to accomadate 7mm bullets . .277 to .284 ,.007 that was rough the mat'l removed was practically powder.