REDDING DIES

[RAMOS]

I want to upgrade from my Hornady Custom grade dies. Need the experts to educate me. All cases are annealed, pockets uniformed, flash holes deburred, trimmed to length and neck thickness trimmed. Rifle is a Savage Model 12 FLV w/ Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-16x40. Go to load is 32g v-max, 29.5g Varget, Fed. 205M. Do not have a chrono., will group .35-.55 @ 100 yds.
Redding 75-84287 Deluxe Die Set, $59.00 @ Sinclair.

Redding 75-38287 Type-S Match Neck Die Set, $155.00 @ Sinclair.

Want to have the option of neck only or full length sizing. I know there is quite a difference in these two sets. Don't want to waste money but, I also want to get this purchase right this time. Thanks in advance, Happy Hollidays!

[Rick in Oregon]

Get the set with the F/L sizer and Comp Seating Die, then add either a bushing or standard neck die as an extra. With a bushing neck die, you can control neck tension for any case neck thickness. The Comp Seater is spendy, but opens a whole new wolrd in terms of flexibility and accuracy.

Other than going to an arbor press and dies, that's about as good as it gets.

[giterdone]

RIO....PM sent

[RAMOS]

Rick,
The Redding set #75-38287 includes:
Type-S Bushing Neck Die
Body Die
Competition Bullet Seater.
Not sure if this covers what you are suggesting. My thought was that the neck die and body die would accomplish what a F/L die would but, in two steps instead of one. I have been re-loading since 1981, but have zero experience with anything other than basic Bi-Mart dies! If you have the time, please expand on your' response.
Thank You.

[jo191145]

Ramos

Your right. That set will do the job nicely. Its better than having a seperate standard FL die with different neck tension and internal neck lube requirements which will throw off your loads when you need to FL size. I use the same set up for my 6ppc and 6BR's.
I could just as easily have gone with a bushing FL die tho. I FL size everything nowadays.

If you want to necksize thats the best set to buy.

[RAMOS]

jo191145,
Thank you for the clarification. Why do you prefer F/L sizing everything?

[giterdone]

Keep in mind that the Redding Body die does NOT size the neck. Most use it as a bump die to resize head to shoulder length. FWIW

[RAMOS]

Thanks!

[Rick in Oregon]

Ramos: Eventually you'll want both neck, F/L and body dies for the reasons stated above. If you get the neck and body die, no real reason for the F/L unless you just wanted to combine neck and F/L sizing in one operation.

[jo191145]

jo191145,
Thank you for the clarification. Why do you prefer F/L sizing everything?

I used to necksize everything.
In side by side tests with several rifles and several loads I've found FL sizing gives me better more consistent groups with less inexplicable flyers.
These results are valid for a bushing style die with no expander used only. And set up for proper shoulder bump(.001"-.0015". Forget the generic instructions that come with a FL die.
Most folks blame the expander ball for runout. This may be true. I dislike an expander because it can change the carbon fouling in the neck. I've seen them scrape the carbon out of some necks and leave it in others. Not a good thing.
Ditch the expander and the problem goes away for me. Much more consistent seating pressures wether I brush them clean or leave em carboned. I prefer brushed clean.

It seems many competitive shooters FL size these days. Granted, short range Benchresters use custom dies crafted specifically for thier chambers so sizing is minimal. My ppc does'nt seem to mind the off the shelf Redding body die.

[RAMOS]

Very interesting, seems the more I learn, the less I KNOW! Guess it's about like life in general.

[Wrangler John]

Don't feel bad Ramos, I've been doing this stuff since the late 1950's and I still learn something every day.

Also check out Forster products, they have bushing bump dies that size only the neck and bump the shoulder with the same bushing, full length sizing dies, benchrest and ultra micrometer seating dies and sets. I use them instead of the Redding bushing dies in some applications. Great quality.

http://www.forsterproducts.com/

[okey]

Most folks blame the expander ball for runout. This may be true. I dislike an expander because it can change the carbon fouling in the neck. I've seen them scrape the carbon out of some necks and leave it in others. Not a good thing.
Ditch the expander and the problem goes away for me.

Is the expander ball in the Redding Die removable? Grind it off?

I found this while trying to find out how to shoot off a bipod. Interesting read.

http://www.6mmbr.com/TacticalFroggyA1.html

From page two.
"Then the Full-Length Redding resizing die goes into the press. This die is adjusted to bump the shoulder exactly .001-.002". I have removed the expander ball on the decapping shaft. Trust me, don't use the expander. In most cases it will just tweak the neck or throw it out of alignment."

Okey

[Rick in Oregon]

Of course the Redding expander ball is removeable! Never grind on a set of precision reloading dies. One way to get around this that works well, is to always leave the expander ball lock ring loose so when the ball exits the case neck, it's free to self-center thereby not tweaking the neck out in any way.

The time to remove the expander is when using bushing dies. If you remove it from a standard die, you may have have dificulty seating bullets, depending on neck thickness.

Also remember that when you remove the expander, all neck wall variations have now been transferred to the inside of the neck, which will greatly affect TIR and overall accuracy.

[RAMOS]

Thanks for all the input here guys. My plan: purchase Redding Type "S" Match Full Length Die Set. It includes bushing F/L sizing die and a competition series bullet seater. After the wallet heals, I will add some type of neck-only die or collet. If I'am jumping off the wrong cliff here, please, somebody STOP me!