RCBS MatchMaster Die Set

Peyton
Aug 26
4 min read

RCBS sends a strong competitor to the mid-range die competition.

Disclosure: this product was provided to Reloading All Day in partnership with Natchez

This die set from RCBS includes a full-length bushing sizing die and a micrometer adjustable seating die. Included is a spare decapping stem assembly—which includes an expander ball stand-in, in case you don't want to size the inside of the case neck—as well as the staple paper products: the instruction manual and a handy reloading data sheet to keep track of your best performing handloads. Allen keys were nowhere to be found in the box, but honestly, if you don't have a good set of Allens on your bench, what are you even doing? No need for RCBS to waste any more cheapos on me. At the time of writing this, the die set retails for $174.99. Like most bushing dies, bushings are not included and will need to be purchased separately. We used Redding bushings during our testing with these.

Die set on concrete. Black case with sizing and seating die, RCBS reloading data card, and instruction booklet.

The MatchMaster Sizing Die

RCBS-branded black case with the sizing die on a wooden table, featuring a textured background. The mood is industrial and precise.

The sizing die is very good. It has no major frills, but where would it be needed? The interior finish is finely polished, the bushing and decapping stem are held in place by standard thread connections and lock nuts. Simple and proven. The die lock ring is a set screw version, and while I am partial to split ring designs, it does the job just fine. The one place RCBS injected a little flair into the die is with the Titanium Carbo-Nitride coating on the expander ball. RCBS claims that it reduces brass buildup on the expander and increases lubricity for smooth case extraction. It gave us no issues during our time with it.

The disassembled sizing die arranged neatly on a wooden surface. Details include the die body, the decapping stem, the bushing lock plug, and the die lock ring.

The MatchMaster Seating Die

The seating die is a departure from the norm and RCBS makes themselves stand out with this offering. While it does have a sliding sleeve for projectile and case alignment like other dies in this price range, what really jumps out at you is that big cutout in the side of the die. With the MatchMaster, a bullet can be dropped into the die from that opening—an o-ring in the alignment sleeve holds it at the ready—and when a charged case is pushed in the bottom of the die by the press, the bullet is waiting to meet it. I could see this as being useful for long action shooters, where the unseated bullet and cartridge may be too long for the press opening. It'll keep those reloaders from having to "scoop" the meplat of their bullets into the die. It also made me feel more secure in that I didn't have any long, heavy for caliber bullets balanced on top of cases that would risk a tumble to the reloading room floor when moving from the loading block to the press. Ultimately, it was a cool feature that reduced component handling and made my process flow a little better.

The finish of the seating die is nice enough that I felt like it should be touched on. It's a smooth, deep blued finish that made me wish more dies were made like this. It definitely gives an air of quality and longevity that I really enjoyed. I wish the sizing die was finished in the same way, but that would probably require more processing during manufacturing to retain the inner dimensions of the die to an exacting standard, so I can see why RCBS may forgo this.

Disassembled seating die on a wooden surface. Details include the die body, the sliding alignment sleeve, a seating stem alignment sleeve, the seating stem, and the micrometer adjustment cap.

This die set produced ammunition with a Total Indicated Runout of 0.002-0.020" when measured to the ogive of a Sierra 175gn MatchKing, 0.6" forward of the case mouth. Average TIR was 0.009" and TIR SD was 0.0044". This would be an average TIR of 0.84°

Detractors

The major detractor we found in this die set is very apparently the runout of finished cartridges. Average TIR was nearly a degree and the worst cases could be visually seen when rolled across the benchtop. This could have an adverse affect on the precision of your handloads. Given that we only have a sample of one die set, I can only conjecture if this is limited to our specific die or if it's an issue more inherent to the design of the seating die. Even so, it's an issue most shooters may never notice. We'd love to hear from you in the comments if your MatchMaster also displays a similar level of runout in your handloads.

The RCBS MatchMaster Die Set: Final Thoughts

Overall, the RCBS MatchMaster Die Set displayed a build and finish that I thought was in line with equipment from RCBS. Runout of loaded ammunition turned out to be a little more out of control than other dies we've tested, but that may be an issue of our specific die sample and may not be a concern to many shooters.

If you're in the market for this die set, you can find them here: RCBS MatchMaster Competition Full-Length Sizing Die Set.

Be sure to use code RAD10 for 10% off your purchase of over $100!

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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 continue to pursue the testing of hypothesis on what makes rifles precise and delivering that information to reloaders and shooters through his writing.