redding Posted April 16, 2020 Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 Hi A bit of advice please, Do I need to use the expander button that comes with a Redding Type "S" Die I intend ordering I do not, and have no intention of neck turning, I am just trying to get consistent neck tension without having to crimp reloads. The reason I ask is that the expander button on the standard die seems a bit brutal and I suspect it distorts the case dimensions. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcampbellsmith Posted April 16, 2020 Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 As in many aspects of reloading there a variety of possible approaches. I have the expander ball installed on all my bushing dies, however I know some folk remove the expander ball. I suggest you try both options and see what works best for you. Good luck. JCS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redding Posted April 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 OK thanks, I,ll load a few with & without and see what grouping is like then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popsbengo Posted April 16, 2020 Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 I use a Redding "S" die for .338, I remove the expander ball but I use a separate expander die after knocking back the shoulders 2' and resizing the neck. That gives me excellent repeatable neck tension (annealed Lapua brass only). I have lapped the mandrel to achieve a polished finish at a dimension that works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted April 16, 2020 Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 What you have to remember with any bush, is that it will only size and push around the neck material that is there. The inside, and outside of a case neck are never concentric to each other. Bushes work good, they work even better when a clean up skim, simply to remove high spots off the neck, is done. I love , and use the redding full length S type die. You can set the minimum amount of shoulder bump easily, and have whatever neck tension you wish, via the bush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popsbengo Posted April 16, 2020 Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 30 minutes ago, baldie said: What you have to remember with any bush, is that it will only size and push around the neck material that is there. The inside, and outside of a case neck are never concentric to each other. Bushes work good, they work even better when a clean up skim, simply to remove high spots off the neck, is done. I love , and use the redding full length S type die. You can set the minimum amount of shoulder bump easily, and have whatever neck tension you wish, via the bush. I agree, I have found a benefit to just 'cleaning up' the outside of the case on .308. From new, I neck turn just sufficient to equalise the neck thickness, about .001" removed from typically 0.015" neck thickness, (I use a Redding gauge). I'm not sold on the need to bump back the case every time on a .308 and as I use only one .308 rifle I only need to chamber that. I neck-size (not trendy these days). I've cycled through 100 Lapua cases 12 times: (after 3 reloading cycles I'll anneal and then F/L with minimum bump) - , I've seen no chambering issues at all. Because I neck size with a collet die I don't move the brass around much by drawing up material as in a F/L operation and I get excellent low run-outs from assembled rounds. For .338 I anneal everytime and use a bushing die to bump back as if I try to neck-size only I get a tight bolt on closing. As said earlier I use a mandrel to set neck tension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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