Quick question - on dies

[FEENIX]

I have a pretty good mix of dies, including customs, but the majority of them are Redding.

 

[L.Sherm]

If you don't neck turn, are you measuring neck runout on the id? If not, what is the runout telling you since the bullet touches the ID?

No I don't, its runout with a seated bullet that matters if you worry about runout.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Another vote for Redding and expander mandrels.

 

[243winxb]

Using Winchester & Remington brass with the bushings listed.. Neck wall thickness may be different on other brands of brass. Measure a loaded rounds outside neck diameter & buy a bushing .002" smaller to start.

If fired brass necks have to be sized down more then .008" in 1 step, there may be runout problems.
Go to Reddings website and read. https://www.redding-reloading.com/tech-line-a-tips-faqs/183-quickstarttype-s

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Another vote for Redding and expander mandrels.

Will add Forester w/Redding die's along with good expander or expander/collet die.

 

[Sending156s]

Forster & Redding are very good. Though all commercial dies you buy will resize to minimum SAAMI specs. Your chamber could be close to maximum SAAMI specs in order to work with any commercial ammo.

Just my opinion; when you are ready for your brass to be the most concentric in your chamber and desire to extend brass life fire form 3 cases with max loads neck sizing only. After shooting send cases to Wiley at Whidden Gunworks and have custom dies made. They make the dies based off your fire formed brass. I recommend non bushing dies with the neck machined 1 or 2 thou smaller than you want for neck tension then add a step to your reloading process of sizing the dies for neck tension using a mandrel from Sinclair or 21st Century. With the calibers you mentioned hopefully you will be using Lapua brass. They make these in bushing dies. Just be aware that you will not resize entire neck with bushing dies. The only way to do that is to use Neil Jones or David Tubbs dies that have a combo neck/shoulder bushing.

Good luck & Happy New Year!

 

[bigbull]

Have reloaded for >50 yrs. Looking at trying some longer distance shooting. Have always used RCBS, but am intrigued and interested dies with changeable neck sizing bushings. Question is, are there any 'favored brands' out there. Sinclair, Hornady, Redding, RCBS, etc. This is for a 6.5 CM and perhaps a .243 Win. Thanks in advance. TC

 

[bigbull]

I never had good luck with bushing dies, for low runout reloading my choice is Lee Collet neck sizer, Redding body die and a Forster or Redding benchrest seater, for the occasional FL sizing I use the Forster FL dies, although I also started 40 years ago with RCBS regular dies I have slowly replaced my dies for my longer range rifles to the above combination.
BB

 

[DWier]

Whidden 1st and Forster 2nd.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm reading this with interest too. The only thing that I can suggest is that the TiN coated bushings are worth the price difference. I wouldn't buy an uncoated bushing unless I'm up to something weird and wild and my reloading skill-set isn't there yet.

 

[nksmfamjp]

No I don't, its runout with a seated bullet that matters if you worry about runout.

OK, I see what you are measuring. I thought you were measuring neck runout.

Come to think of it, I think my 21st Century tool can measure ID...I'll look into that today.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Lee Collet neck sizer

Do you use this unmodified or do you fit it to your rifle/brass somehow? What is low runout to you?

 

[L.Sherm]

OK, I see what you are measuring. I thought you were measuring neck runout.

Come to think of it, I think my 21st Century tool can measure ID...I'll look into that today.

You can measure neck runout but ultimately seated round is what counts.
If you dont have consistent neck walls and measure on the outside it can influence your measurements.
Personally no matter what die it is if its not set up right your runout on sized brass and seated bullets can be off.
Some dont even measure runout and honestly how many can shoot the difference between .004 or .007 total runout on ammo

 

[ntsqd]

FWIW as an experiment I recently bought one of the Lee collet sizer dies in .300WM and was able to easily use it to size .308 Norma Mag cases. Some recent posts about their low run-out intrigued me. Next is to decide on which run-out measuring tool to buy. Although I'm tempted to just use a precision V block and a Test Stand with my Test Indicator.