neck tension

[rufous]

I recently bought and started using my first Redding Full Length Bushing die. My loaded round neck diameter is running between 0.3355 to 0.336" and I bought the 0.334" bushing. The force required to seat a bullet is more than I am used to. Is too much neck tension problematic for accuracy? I do not have the expander ball installed because I thought with the bushing it would not be necessary and could negatively impact neck concentricity. Should I put the expander ball back in place or should I try a 0.335" bushing or not worry about it? Thanks, Rufous.

 

[Maico]

Rufous, a 334 bushing should be ok if the loaded rd is 336.
I usually use a bushing 2k under loaded size.
I do not use the expander ball cause most of the time
it will not expand the neck if any because
it's not been sized down as far as a reg die will size it.
Make sure the case mouths are chamfered.
Also if you have shot the brass several times
the necks could be getting work hardened.
Annealing the necks works wonders.
Hope this was a help.

 

[Craig Dodd]

I agree with Maico's advice. Your .334 bushing isnt that much smaller than what Redding recommends (.001 smaller than the smallest average neck diameter). In addition, you don't have to resize the entire neck, Redding suggests that some shooters only resize 1/2 to 3/4 of the neck.

Bottom line - just load them and shoot. Also as Maico said make sure your inside neck chamfer is adequate. The last thing you want to do is put that expander ball back in your bushing die!

 

[rufous]

I think it must have been that the brass was too hard. I resized some brass that has been fired but not as many times and the neck tension (the force required to seat the bullet) seemed more normal. I decided to toss the hard brass as it had been fired several times and was Federal brass instead of the Lapua that I intend to use. I was just using the Federal for initial load development on a new barrel. Thanks, Brian.