Which Dies?

[vancewalker007]

Redding competition dies with micrometers and bushings and you can adjust to different manufacturers of brass and not be stuck to one diameter either overworking your brass or not working out enough

The VLD type bullets require a different seating stem than standard bullets. These stems will work with all the long range type bullets like the Hornady ELD family. Most quality die makers include these with their higher precision sets like the Redding S series. If your getting a new die set for a new rifle I'd go with the flexibility a bushing die gives you. If you use it right to cases will last long and you will get better accuracy results from the ability to find tune your loads. Another piece of equipment you should look at if you don't have it is an annealer. At almost $3 a case you want those cases to last.

 

[Lahunter76]

30 Nosler Master Hunter Carbide Die Set
By Redding Reloading

They are not bushing, what's yalls opinion?

 

[338 dude]

Without bushings you may end up having to turn necks to get the proper sizing you are committed to that dimension no way to adjust for different brands of brass and what is the advantage of carbide or titanium carbide other than no lube

 

[Deputy819]

Another vote here for the Redding Type 'S' bushing dies. BUT, I take out the decapping-stem on EVERY one (I de-prime separately) and run a 21st Century mandrel down through the case neck for correct tension/concentricity. It adds an extra step in the brass prep process, but I don't mind.

 

[Scott E Ames]

The dies used are really only a small part of the process. As you can tell from many of the excellent comments above that a number of us have added additional steps to the reloading process to improve our ammunition.
My sequence isn't the best it is just how I do it but I suspect when others respond you will see there are many ways to "skin the precision reloading cat".

1. Universal de-priming die. Not the one in the re-sizing die. Separate die.
2. Clean primer pockets with uniformer
3. Vibration clean brass if dirty, ie fired from AR
4. Lube and re-size and shoulder bump brass (0.0015-0.002) with Redding type S full length bushing die (with no expander or depriming pin). Here I also check case length and base to datum line, trim necks if needed
5. Re-tumble brass to remove case lube. ( smarter people use a dry case lube and omit this step)
6. Hand prime all cases
7. Lightly chamfer necks in/out if needed, run neck mandrel (0.002 neck tension) after imperial neck lube
8. Hand weigh all powder charges with A&D scale and charge cases
9. Seat bullets
10. Shoot small groups

There are many of these steps that can be omitted or modified for those that need higher volumes of ammunition (PRC etc.) or are loading for different applications but judging from your caliber and bullet choice I am assuming that you are considering precision long range accuracy for game and /or targets. Read the posts that are sure to follow this one and find what you think will work best for you. That is part of the fun as there are a number of really smart people here willing to share their knowledge. I have certainly changed my process over time and I bet you will also.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lahunter76]

Fact this journey is set to build a LR hunting rifle that will also be used to bang a lil steel from time to time, not too often.....

 

[Lahunter76]

Anyone know what size bushing I would need for my 30 Nosler in ADG brass, lol

 

[338 dude]

Measure the neck on a loaded round and subtract .002

 

[Lahunter76]

I know how, but having gun built and I have brass, powder, primers, and now the 215s on the way but don't have dies, and I am wanting to get done and buy the proper bushing when I do

 

[vancewalker007]

I know how, but having gun built and I have brass, powder, primers, and now the 215s on the way but don't have dies, and I am wanting to get done and buy the proper bushing when I do

You can guess at bushing sizes by measuring factory ammo, but you really need to fire some rounds in your rifle before you can really narrow down sizes. To play this game you need to get a tube micrometer like the one in the link I added. I have used a very simple one for years. It's can measure into the 1/10000. This allows you to measure case neck thickness which is important in computing sizes for bushings.

Another bushing issue you should follow is to not squeeze a neck down more than 5/1000 in a sizing pass. I you only go 5/1000 or less at a pass you will make your case necks last much longer and at $2-$3 a case that's important. You won't know which intermediate bushing you need until you fire a round in your rifle. The outsidel measure of the necks on your fired cases will likely be somewhere around .343-.346, so your intermediate bushing will be .338-.341. On my old 300 WSM I used a .339 intermediate and a .336 final bushing using Nosler brass.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9U1387/?tag=lrhmag19-20

 

[Lahunter76]

On the ADG site it says on avg my brass neck thickness is .0158 so y'all check and see if I can do it this way

.0158+.0158+.308= .3396

.3396-.002= .3376
.3396-.001= .3386

One can I use this to go ahead and pick up a say the .337,.338, .339 bushings and be ok until I get stuff set up a lil better.

Thanks for the help guys and being patient with my ignorance lol, I understand this will be a long and ever learning experience but I can't wait!

 

[vancewalker007]

On the ADG site it says on avg my brass neck thickness is .0158 so y'all check and see if I can do it this way

.0158+.0158+.308= .3396

.3396-.002= .3376
.3396-.001= .3386

One can I use this to go ahead and pick up a say the .337,.338, .339 bushings and be ok until I get stuff set up a lil better.

Thanks for the help guys and being patient with my ignorance lol, I understand this will be a long and ever learning experience but I can't wait!

I'd measure some of those necks, but you final will likely be somewhere between .336-.337. like I said in a previous post using Nosler brass, which was pretty consistent at .015 I was using a .336 final bushing.

 

[Lahunter76]

Got my dies, will order bushings when I am able to accurately measure neck wall thickness