Expander mandrill?

[koni]

I was thinking of ordering a expander mandrill (.263 & .262) should I also switch my dies out to a FL bushing die or is a regular FL sizing die with the expander ball removed going to be good enough

 

[Demi-human]

I use my Expanding Mandrel Dies with regular Full Length Sizing Dies. They work wonderfully.
Many don’t use a Mandrel with a Bushing Sizer, but it will work fine with them too.

 

[Walkalong]

You can, it will just work the brass a little more than needed. Will that matter? Might not at all.

 

[jmorris]

The vast majority of rifle reloaders just use regular dies with expanders being part of the decapping pin.

What is your situation where that is not good enough?

 

[Dale Alan]

I use mandrels with bushing and non-bushing dies . With a bushing die you can dial things in and work the brass very little . Some FL dies size the neck much smaller than a bushing die because it relies on the expander ball for neck ID . So by using a FL non-bushing you may work the brass a little more expanding it . Like Walkalong stated...will it matter ? Might not at all .

 

[AJC1]

I use a forster die with the expander removed and a 21st century mandrel currently. I need to have the neck honed to reduce overworking the brass just on other projects currently.

 

[Varminterror]

You can, it will just work the brass a little more than needed. Will that matter? Might not at all.

This.

I prefer bushing dies over standard dies, always, but in the absence of a bushing die, a standard die without the expander ball, chased by a mandrel expander is the next best option.

 

[koni]

The vast majority of rifle reloaders just use regular dies with expanders being part of the decapping pin.

What is your situation where that is not good enough?

I had a benchmark #13 Med Palma put on a Tikka action. I was looking for a little more accuracy in my neck tension. I need to work up a good hunting load for this new build.

 

[AJC1]

I had a benchmark #13 Med Palma put on a Tikka action. I was looking for a little more accuracy in my neck tension. I need to work up a good hunting load for this new build.

You can use guage pins or order a series set from 21st century

 

[Walkalong]

Sinclair and 21st Century Reloading both make excellent mandrels and die bodies.