Resizing dies

[Outlaws]

So I finally decided to start reusing brass rather than buy new stuff for the time being.

I cleaned out the neck with some solution and a bore brush.

But I read the stuff that came with my Redding dies for 243, and it says to screw the resizing/decapping die in until it comes in contact with the base of the shell holder. So I did that. I popped the brass into my Wilson case gauge and it doesn't seem to have done anthing. It fits into the case gauge much smoother now, but I was under the impression that Redding dies allow you to actually put the neck further down if you wish for fine tuning your rifle...as opposed to RCBS where you just get it to the shell holder and everything is perfect for 'general' rifles. Well, this thing is all the way to the shell plate and it doesn't seem to bring the neck down any further. What am I doing wrong.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Redding or RCBS they both do the same job. The "neck" of the cartridge shouldn`t be moved at all. I`m guessing you mean you want the shoulder to be "bumped" back a predetermined amount?

Have you measured it to know where it is in a fired case?

How much do you want to, or need to move it, and why?

Assuming you have a full lenght sizer,

The sizeing die is made to resize the case body down to a size that should fit any SAAMI chamber.
The die should also be capable of bumping the shoulder back to fit any SAAMI chamber. (proper headspace)
The die should also resize the neck to a diameter that will allow sufficent neck tension to properly hold the bullet.

Both die makes can be "adjusted" for headspace by raising or lower the die on the press. Lowering the die more until the press "cams" over (a 1/8 or so additional lowering from touching the ram) will cause the shoulder to be moved back farther. This isn`t wanted unless the chamber is very tight and it is needed to allow the case to chamber. If the chamber headspace is longer then the die is sizeing, unscrew the die 1/8 turn at a time until the case just chambers with a bit of resistance felt in the bolt closing. You want the cartridge to be as snug fitting as possible yet chamber easily.

I color a fired case with magic marker on the shoulder and set the die 1 full turn off the ram. I then size a case and see if the die wiped the ink. If not then I set the die 1/8 turn deeper until the case shows about 2/3rds contact with the die then I set the ring and lock it. This will have the die doing the least amount of resizeing needed and should improve the accuracy and case life of your loads.

BTW
if your cases fit fully & smoothly in a case gage then you have them just where you want them. A sloppy fit isn`t good for case life or accuracy.

 

[USSR]

The $35 or so it costs for an RCBS Precision Mic is money well spent in being able to set up your resizing die to achieve correct headspacing.

Don

 

[Outlaws]

Hmmmm.

See, I thought you could actually move the neck back. I don't need to really, I just wanted to see what I could do to it if I wanted to. But it didn't do anything, so I figured I did something wrong. It seems to fit the cage gauge perfect no matter where the die is screwed in.

 

[Outlaws]

Also, how much do I need to clean out the brass?

I stopped by Dillon the other day and had my first bad experience with them. They kept trying to sell me a tumbler and media sorter saying that I can't clean it with out spending another $200. Well I wasn't in the mood to spend that much to clean 100 pieces of brass. I eventually stumbled ona blue bottle of Dillon Rapid Polish 290. They kind of admitted it would work. So I have a $8 bottle of this stuff. Is the inside of the neck area the only real part of importance?

 

[Ol` Joe]

Make a good manual your next purchase!
The book will have the answers to everything you have asked about so far, and more you`ll possibly be asking later. Lyman is the best IMHO for a beginner but they all are worth their price.

The inside of the cases doesn`t really need to be cleaned. The neck area can be done with a turn of a clean brass or plastic bore brush if you wish.
The outer case wall needs to be wiped down at the least to help prevent grit from scratching your dies. (the reason for cleaning) The tumbler will do this and polish the cases along with cleaning. The bottle of cleaner you bought is mostly polish and will clean but really needs to use along with a tumbler.

The RSB tool USSR mentioned is a good way to set your die and prevent excessive case shoulder set back. Too much set back will shorten case life and could cause head seperation, a real nasty event. Stoney Point also makes a headspace gage that is easier to use in my opinion and will work on more then just one cartridge for about the same price.

 

[Bad Flynch]

Outlaws,

Most likely you have run into the famous "springing press" problem. If you simply screw the sizer into the press far enuff to contact the shell holder, without a case in it, then it isn't screwed in far enuff. With no stress or load on the press, the die does not actually screw in far enuff to do a good job sizing.

Then, you size a case, put the press under load and the linkage develops spring. The spring in the press and its linkage keeps the setup from sizing far enough.

What is needed is to get a flashlight and adjust the die with a case in the press: that is to say, under load. Put the flashlight (or other light) behind the junction of the die and the shellholder. Watch when the two come together at the top of the stroke. Use the light to see how much space has developed between the die and the shellholder and how far it shrinks up under load.

Then, carefully back off the press a little and screw the sizing die in another quarter (or so) of a turn. Do that until the space between the shellholder and the die closes up under load. That is the place where you will have compensated for all of the spring in the press body and linkage.

Cases sized with the press setup like that will probably go all the way into your case ga. without problem. In fact, they may go too far and you will need to tinker with just how much more than the initial adjustment you really need to apply to get your cases just where you want them.