Redding body die

[Highcountry]

I have a Redding body sizing die on the way and I'm looking for any tips/suggestions for bumping back the shoulder. I'm also considering the Hornady headspace gauge kit so I can establish a reference point. Any do's or don't would be appreciated.

[jepp2]

I use Redding body dies for most of the rifle calibers I load for. When I use the body die, I use a Lee collet die to size the neck. You don't mention how you are going to do your neck sizing.

I keep a record of my rifle datums for each rifle. I keep track of: length after firing, length I can feel the bolt close on the sized brass, and what I want to size to. As you measure (and I also use the same Hornady Lock-N-Load headspace gage) you will find there is variation in the fired case length. Depending on how hot you load, it can take 3 firings or so to stretch the brass enough so feel the bolt close on it. So establish what your rifle chamber size is.

For bolt action rifles, I normally size to set the shoulder back 0.001" from the as fired condition (kind of the middle average of what I measure). For semi autos I set the shoulder back 0.002 to 0.003".

You can either use the Redding body die, or use the Redding FL type S sizing die without the neck bushing. Both will provide the same function of only sizing the body of the case without touching the neck.

[Highcountry]

Jepp2, thanks for your input. Most of what you have laid out I have been doing, I just needed some validation so I knew I was pointed in the right direction. I use RCBS dies and neck size only for the 204, 22-250, 25-06 and 30-06. Everything else I F/L size. I guess I'll be ordering more Reddings down the road as the other calibers start to show signs of a tight bolt. The Redding was very easy to set up and adjust. I think it was $32 well spent.