How much more bushing neck tension?

[labnoti]

I am using a bushing die to set the neck tension on a .264" rifle cartridge. With Starline brass and a Redding .290" bushing, I'm getting not quite enough neck tension. Out of 100 loaded cartridges, most of them are firm, but I get a few where the bullet is loose enough I can push it in and out with my hand.

The neck OD comes out of the .290" bushing at .289" on my calipers and the loaded cartridge is around .289" or .290". I interpret this as either zero neck tension or 0.001".

Obviously, I want more neck tension. The question is do I want 0.001" more, or 0.002" more? This is exclusively for a bolt-action gun. I suppose for case longevity and for accuracy, it probably doesn't make a difference, but I still have to buy one bushing or another. How should I decide?

 

[Walkalong]

Sounds like you need to go .001 smaller, but .002 smaller and then use an expander might be better. Non neck turned brass, correct?

 

[Demi-human]

I like more and suggest .002” more. What does your rifle like? Mine is gold and looks like the one on the left...

 

[243winxb]

Size more then needed, then expand for .002" neck tension using unturned brass.

If fired necks are being sized down more then .008" in 1 step this may cause runout? It may also make the OD smaller then whats marked on the bushing.

The short answer is buy a .288" busning.

 

[JFrank]

Measure a loaded round then select bushing at .002- .003 under that number, test side by side at the longest range you have , one will normally shoot better than the other.
Short version- 287 & 288

 

[GoldieMI]

go another .002" and be safe...you know if you go .001" than Murphy will slip another loose one in there on you.
just my .02

 

[Walkalong]

You never guess correctly and only buy one bushing. Embrace the horror.

.22 Hornet.


6MM non turned necks bushings, two are in dies. I have three for neck turned.

 

[AJC1]

Bushing dies are for brass bought in lots with consistant neck thickness. If your not doing that then there are better options. The lee collet die or using a standard die and expander mandrel will give you more consistent results

 

[Walkalong]

With non neck turned brass you still have better control than standard dies with a FL bushing die and an expander to follow. This is what I am doing with my 6 Creed with factory Hornady brass. It gives very consistent results and will shoot under .5 MOA with small ES/SD numbers needed for PRS.

I'll have to agree you can get very good results with the Lee collet style die, but can run into problems when the cases stop wanting to chamber. Nothing but FL sized ammo for me in competition.

 

[GoldieMI]

I use the Sinclair Expander mandrels and the Full Length Sizer Bushing Dies for all my rifle calibers.

 

[Walkalong]

21st Century has some cool new Black Nitride expander mandrels.

 

[AJC1]

21st Century has some cool new Black Nitride expander mandrels.

I use their stuff and they have now made mandrels in sizes for tuning neck tension. I have the expander and the turning mandrels but people were using guage pins to set very accurate neck tensions. Money is currently tight or I would own a 30 caliber set.

 

[Demi-human]

21st Century has some cool new Black Nitride expander mandrels.

I love the black nitride on many of my firearms parts. Hard, slick and easy to clean.

And it’s just like my luck to just have bought a few different gold titanium ones from Sinclair...

 

[Walkalong]

I use pin gauges to check the ID of necks.