The answer to you question is yes you can just use reloading dies. The real question is how do you want to spend the $160.00? Do you want to spend it all at once on the dies or a shell case at a time? People who use the form die set report few if any rejects over using just the reloading dies which gave as high as a one in four failure rate.

40 Rod

Well, I sure didn't have a 1 in 4 failure rate using reloading dies - about 1 in 25, and I think many of those could have been avoided. Since my 25-20 is a SS, I have an RCBS neck sizing die, so used that for the 1st form, then my RCBS FL sizing die to finish.

Nearly all of the failures that I had tore the neck and curled the two edges to look like a rose bud. I think that I may have caused this by getting too hurried and keeping my thumb on the base of the case after inserting it into the shell holder, making the case neck start into the shoulder area of the die off-center.  When I slowed down and intentionally removed my thumb before raising the ram, failure rate went to near zero.

I did feed all the cases over the 32-20 expander before reforming to make sure the necks were round with no dents.

I used Imperial Sizing Wax sparingly as the lube and redistributed it between the first form with the neck sizing die and final with the FL die.

Initially, I was doing the forming in multiple short passes, but found it could be just as easily done in a single pass for this small case.

Personally, I wouldn't spend the money for a dedicated forming die. Heck, you can buy about 720 Starline 32-20 cases for the cost of the forming die!

I should caution that when I 1st started reforming cases, I was using a Lee die set.  The sizing die had a large lube vent hole in the shoulder, and during forming, that hole scraped up a crescent of brass.  I solved that by buying an RCBS die set and went to forming successfully with the FL die, then bought an RCBS neck sizing die and started using it for the 1st pass.

I sure never had a 1-4 failure and all I used was RCBS loading dies and I did a pile of them.

The 32-20 has such a thin case neck I thought it was a rather easy forming step.  I guess if a fella got a little heavy handed or missed the mouth of the die the loss rate would go up but, being a bit cautious and paying attention I sure didn't have any problems and I don't believe my loss was close to even 1-25.  It's been quite a few years ago so I could be disremembering but I don't think so.  One usually remembers those case forming operations that gives them trouble.

For what it's worth, I used a Redding 25-20 trim die to do mine with. I think it was around $50. I did 200 and lost only 1.

Wade