Bushing Die Conversions and brass sizing

[BountyHunter]

Great article on custom honed die conversions and how to properly size brass.

The JLC conversion for a Redding body die to FL bushing die is $80 and two week turn around.

He can convert a regular die to bushing for $55. I am having a Redding FL die converted to bushings now.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/full-length-bushing-dies-and-die-conversions/

 

[BountyHunter]

Here is a standard Redding FL custom 6.5-06AI die converted bushing and no expander by JLC.

Cost was $55 and 3 week turnaround over the holidays. Would have cost me way more to reorder a custom bushing die from Redding. I had bought the die set used and saved some money there, but wanted bushings also.

His Body die conversions run $80 to convert a standard Body die, to a custom honed, FL bushing die and same turnaround. You will get the same top end assembly pictured here.

Best deal around if your gun has a Redding body die available.

FWIW, PTG standard reamers match up almost perfectly with Whidden dies also.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Not sure of the point actually. I'm slowly converting over to (as my funds allow), JR Whidden die sets (been discussed on here in Len's product evaluation thread)....

I think (from actual use) that Whidden dies are tits.... and you get what you pay for.

John has also come up with a nice method of floating the decapping pin and expander ball (if you use one, I don't). As we all know, it's pretty **** hard to get an expander ball / decapping stem to sit concentric in the die bore, John fixed that issue quite handily, the entire assembly floats in the die body, kudo's to John for a simple soultion to a problem that impacts every brand of die.

Far as bushings go, I machine my own from oil hardening ground drill rod, but thats neither here nor there other than I can custom machine bushings to an exact neck tension rather than jumping the 0.001 increments that stock bushings do.

 

[BountyHunter]

several points

1. Most people's dies do not up real good with their chambers plus the NS only crowd whines about you must NS due to the expander helping pull the neck out. I have always said try to match the reamer with the dies and get rid of the expander. For example PTG standard reamers match up with Whidden dies and Redding dies as they both use PTG sizing reamers. I love Whidden dies and have several sets.

2. You can take a redding body die and convert it to FL size and bushings and have it custom honed for your chamber for $80 in 2-3 weeks. You cannot buy a custom die for that price anywhere or in that time span.

Not everyone can do their own machining like you but this is a great way to get a perfect custom fitting die that will make 100% reliable rounds if everything else is right.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Yes, lead time on a custom machined and honed die is about a month. I know. I had John build me 2 dies, one for a Bisley chambered 308 and one for a 300 WM. I supplied 4 once fired cases to John and he built the 2 dies and they weren't cheap.

Do they work? perfectly. John supplied expander balls for both but those expanders have never left the die box. No need to.

I kinda like having dies with my name on the barrels too.....

 

[450hunter]

Can he convert RCBS dies or just Redding? How do you get in touch with him? Thanks

 

[bigedp51]

Below is a cutaway drawing of a Forster benchrest full length die with the high mounted floating expander and spindle assembly.

The neck of the case is still held the the neck of the die when the expander enters the case neck. These Forster dies greatly reduce neck runout on your sized cases.

This floating expander system works so well I ordered the Forster expander and spindle assemblies for my RCBS dies. (see below)

I see no reason to use a bushing die with standard off the shelf factory rifles. When the neck is sized .005 or more smaller with a bushing die it will induce neck runout. And you are encouraged to size the neck smaller in two steps when sizing more the .005 to prevent this induced neck runout. A bushing floats and can move side to side and even tilt and is not the best option with a large neck factory chamber.

And adding a Forster expander and spindle to a existing RCBS die is far cheaper than anything else. Also you can buy a Forster full length die and have the neck honed to your specific diameter.

FL Bushing Dies vs. Honed FL Dies

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/reloading/fl-bushing-dies-vs-honed-fl-dies/