I'm fairly new to reloading. I'm getting ready to start reloading .243 for my Rem. 700 SPS V.

My question is that I see a lot of people setting up there sizing die by raising the ram and turning in the sizing die until it touches the shell holder then lowering the ram and turning in the sizing die another 1/8 to 1/4 turn. I recently took a local NRA certified reloading class and the instructor suggested this method but does not have experience with the Hornady dies I will be using.

In the instructions that come with the Hornady dies it says to screw the die down until it touches the shell holder when the ram is at its highest position without camming over them lower the ram and tighten the lock ring and its set.

Which way do I need to setup my die for proper resizing to insure a safe and accurate headspace?

Thanks,

Ryan

Too me both of these methods over size your brass. Assuming you are loading for one 243 then I would set my dies up to contact the shoulder of your fired brass. Check to insure it will chamber. Yes your headsapce will be a touch longer than std. However it will be much closer to the headspace of your rifle. It will work your brass far less. If it doesn't chamber or after a couple loadings the case becomes too tight in your chamber lower your die a 1/8-1/4 turn.

As to the orginal question I can't see either method making enough of a difference to worry about.

+2

NEVER attempt this, or anything else, with a loaded, functional, piece of ammo

Let me answer this a different way ..

the back off 1/16 or 1/18 a turn usually works .. usually also sets the brass back to less than perfect...

the ONLY die you set this way is the full length sizer

if you want to neck size only, or partially resize to fit your rifle - assumes FIRED cases

take a sharpie and coat the neck, shoulder, and about 1/2 an inch down the case...

put this back into your rifle, and see if it closes easily .. it likely wont,

look at any scratches on the case...

recover with marker and then get your dies ready...

if you have case lube, put on the bottom 1/2 of the case walls... just a bit

screw the sizer in, and back off a FULL turn from bottoming out.. remove expander

take you , now dry, inked cases and run through the die... it should scrape a line down the neck .. you will turn your die in, making small adjustments, until there is very little marker left on the neck...

this is a neck size with full length or a partial re-size, depending on who you talk to ...

case should now fit your chamber easily, and you haven't set the shoulder back... test several dummies to make certain...

this is likely the best fit for your setup, without building a neck sizer....

use BOTTOM of the book for powder loads -- trust me, the last 100fps is "expensive" in terms of brass life, powder, and potential for a pressure excursion ... there is NO NEED for pushing the limits in vel ... accuracy means EVERYTHING, velocity means very little...

if you can, get a chronograph -- get a pact or shooting chrony with the REMOTE led -- the best 100 bucks you'll ever spend in reloading..

the other way?

setup same as above, except ignore the ink ... resize, test fit in gun, adjust die lower, until it just BARELY closes easy -- then make a dummie with jacketed bullet (no powder, no primer) and make certain the loaded DUMMY fits...

if you adjust your seater too deep, it WILL "rivet" or crumple the brass at the shoulder, making it very difficult to close the bolt..

quote:

the back off 1/16 or 1/18 a turn usually works

Jeff you lost me on this. His statement said bottom the die out back off the ram and turn the die further in.

Maybe I just need

goodness Paul -- i had assumed" everyone backed it off .. i read right over that comment of turning in farther...

I do like Jeff says:

Screw in the die until it touches the shellholder and then back it off 1/2 a turn.

Then I mark a case and keep trying it until the die just touches the shoulder.

Since die threads are 14 threads per inch, one turn of the dies is .0714". You only want .001"-.002' of shoulder setback so you want to turn it less than 1/64th of turn to get .0011" of adjustment.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
goodness Paul -- i had assumed" everyone backed it off .. i read right over that comment of turning in farther...

Funny how on this forum we all (self included) tend to be "advanced" enough that we have forgotten how the "new guys" are taught.
In further, the old "press slop" removal trick IE: Cam Over.
IIRC the die packages still recommend this method, as even a rank novice can figure it out.
OP sounds like a "rank novice" esp as he states "how the instructor showed the class", and this is the first time he's ever had to set up a sizing die on his own.

Start digging up information on measuring your fire formed cases

A measurement from the shoulder center datum to the base will tell you how much your brass stretches and grows in the firing process of your firing

You then only want to push this shoulder dimension back .002 to .005

The "book way" of setting up a die in my findings over size most brass but in a rare sittiation this method isn't enough in a minimum sized chamber and if this ever happens the shell holder needs stock removed to allow the die to bump the shoulder.....I have a Kimber that requires this

Until you learn how to measure your fired brass and sized brass you are only guessing

I would follow what the die maker reccomends untill you feel confident in your abilities before you start changing things.
The adjustment speced by the die maker sizes the case back to the minimum size so the resized case can fit in any chamber for that cartridge.
It's a safe size to fire in any gun, but depending on your gun and how close it is to this minimum size it can and will wear cases faster.
The methods described for minimum case sizing so the case fits your gun better work well.
I have found I like the Lee collet neck sizing die. It works the brass at the very minimum at the neck to get proper bullet pull.
Leo

All of the suggestions will work. If you want some improvement in run-out go to http://www.AccurateShooter.com and type in "o-ring die run-out" for the search term.