[stubbicatt]

All. Over the years I've watched as certain benchrest techniques get imported into mass production shops like Redding et. al. The make shoulder dies, they make sizing rings for different neck tensions, micrometer seating dies, and other specialty dies on a mass produced basis. It occurs to me that one could easily spend a ton of money on these products.

Or...

One could send 3 fired cases from his rifle to C&H Tool and Die company and they will make you a custom, full length, resizing die for your chamber. A whole lot less money, and you know it will be a perfect fit.

I wonder why people don't consider this route?

[Walkalong]

Because the Redding dies are so good. :)

I am sure C&H would make a fine set of dies using your brass, but they hardly advertise and most folks don't even know about them.

Niel Jones will do the same thing. Their standard stuff is excellent as well.

[243winxb]

That works great, But only for that one gun in some cases. In fact if you get a variation in brass wall thickness in the neck area, the dies might not hold the bullet tight. Redding has a Type S Full length sizing bushing die that can be custom fitted using 3 fired cases also. But you can select bushings to size the neck. The Redding die lets you use or Not use an expander button if you neck turn brass. Over all your idea works best, one gun, one set of dies, one lot of brass.

[taliv]

if i were getting custom dies, i would buy the LE wilson hand die blanks

[USSR]

...if you get a variation in brass wall thickness in the neck area, the dies might not hold the bullet tight.

+1. That's the beauty of dies such as Redding that use bushings; switch to another brand of brass with thicker or thinner necks, and you simply change the size of the bushing you use.

Don

[Dave P]

Another consideration: what do you do with your custom die when you re-barrel?

Yes, owning the reamer is one way around that problem ...

[243winxb]

Redding Bushing dies have there problems also as you can read on there website.Factory chambers can be a problem. And there is a small part of the neck that doesn't get sized by the bushing. Tho only sizing 1/2 of the neck centers the round in the chamber, a good thing. Not perfect but close. And if you want to neck turn brass, you will need another Full Length sizing die.From Redding>It has come to our attention through customer calls and our own use of the bushing style sizing dies that in certain instances, a given neck sizing bushing will produce a case neck diameter that can be several thousandths of an inch smaller than the actual diameter of the bushing. This idiosyncrasy occurs when the neck diameter of the fired case is a great deal larger than the diameter of the neck sizing bushing, such as occurs when factory chambers are on the large side of the tolerance range and the brass is on the thin side. Typically, we have not noticed any problems until the case neck is reduced more than 0.008-0.010".

Solutions include, increasing bushing diameter to compensate and/or the use of a size button. Reducing the neck diameter in two smaller steps by using an intermediate diameter bushing will also help. More concentric necks will also result using this method, as the case necks are stressed less during sizing. Don't forget to properly chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouths and apply a light coating of lubricant to the case necks before sizing.

http://www.redding-reloading.com/techlinepages/bushingselection.htm

[brickeyee]

The Redding cometition dies with the sliding sleeve can also be easily 'customized.'

The sleeve is NOT hardened, so you can run a chambering reamer in.
You need to make sure you clean up the entire ID, but it works nicely.
I had .22-250 AI and 6mm Rem AI made before Redding started making them.

[taliv]

if you want a sleeve, go with the original and get forrester

[USSR]

Redding Bushing dies have there problems also as you can read on there website.Factory chambers can be a problem. And there is a small part of the neck that doesn't get sized by the bushing. Tho only sizing 1/2 of the neck centers the round in the chamber, a good thing. Not perfect but close. And if you want to neck turn brass, you will need another Full Length sizing die.From Redding>

Quote:
It has come to our attention through customer calls and our own use of the bushing style sizing dies that in certain instances, a given neck sizing bushing will produce a case neck diameter that can be several thousandths of an inch smaller than the actual diameter of the bushing. This idiosyncrasy occurs when the neck diameter of the fired case is a great deal larger than the diameter of the neck sizing bushing, such as occurs when factory chambers are on the large side of the tolerance range and the brass is on the thin side. Typically, we have not noticed any problems until the case neck is reduced more than 0.008-0.010".

Solutions include, increasing bushing diameter to compensate and/or the use of a size button. Reducing the neck diameter in two smaller steps by using an intermediate diameter bushing will also help. More concentric necks will also result using this method, as the case necks are stressed less during sizing. Don't forget to properly chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouths and apply a light coating of lubricant to the case necks before sizing.

Factory chambers are not a "problem", and why on earth would you need another die if you neck turn some brass? For example: my reloads using LC Match brass come out of my FN SPR with neck O.D.'s of about .347". If I use my .338" bushing, I get necks with an O.D. of .337", which gives me the .001" to .002" neck tension that I want. If I were to neck turn this brass down to .014", I would first use the .338" bushing which would give me .337" O.D. necks, and then use the .334" bushing which would give me .334" O.D. necks and .002" neck tension. Since I have the Redding Competition Die Set with a neck sizing die, I can size all or only part of the neck. The body is resized and the shoulder is bumped back by the body die. There is a lot of versatility with these dies, and the only thing extra you need to buy are the bushings.

Don

[243winxb]

USSR I neck turn with a Lyman tool.The Lyman requires the brass to be FLRS before turning as per instructions that come with it. My Redding Type-S FLRS bushing die for my 243win. will NOT size all the way to the shoulder even when the bushing is set at its lowest point and does not move when the neck enters the die. My bushing is adjustable also. Maybe the Redding Competition Die Set is different??? The body/bump die is nothing but a FLRS die without the expander/decaper and it does not touch the neck, as i understand it. My "Quote" above is from the Redding website.

[USSR]

My Redding Type-S FLRS bushing die for my 243win. will NOT size all the way to the shoulder even when the bushing is set at its lowest point and does not move when the neck enters the die. My bushing is adjustable also. Maybe the Redding Competition Die Set is different???

243winxb,

Yeah, the Competition Die Set uses a neck sizer instead of a FL sizer such as yours. Your FL die is doing two operations (sizing the neck and the body), so you have to compromise some on the neck sizing part as you do with any FL sizer, to get the shoulder bumped back to where you want. I have to resize my brass in two operations (unless I want to simply neck size them), so it becomes a trade-off of convenience for total control of resizing operations. Ah, such is life. Yes, the body die does everything EXCEPT resize the neck.

Don

[Walkalong]

if you want a sleeve, go with the original and get forrester

Forster. (http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/dies.htm) ;)

They were around before Redding started making theirs. They are very, very good. I prefer their sizer with the elevated button to Reddings standard sizer. If you want to use bushings, the Redding is the way to go unless you use a hand die or get a custom die. I like the Redding seater better because of the nice clear markings on it. I don't believe it works any better.