I've been advised that a Redding Body die is just the thing to bump back the brass and indeed Redding's adverts specifically claim this for their body die.

My question is this: I already have a Lee f/l and an RCBS comp f/l die and don't want to buy another if this is just clever advertising on Redding's part so is this really something which those dies won't do?

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tikka 3 barrels

quote:

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Originally posted by Pete:
..."partial resizing" using a full length Lee die to effect neck sizing is leaving the brass too tight to chamber easily...

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Pete, just screw it down then! FWIW: A bump die will resize the body but not the neck.

-- Mats

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Andr�

I'm not sure you're saying that my f/l length dies will take care of the brass which needs bumping back or not?

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tikka 3 barrels

Martindog

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Andr�

SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED 3 THINGS...(a) make sure you lube the case or it will get stuck, (b) take out your expander ball after the first pass, and (c) you need to measure the fired length of your case from the head to the datum line on the shoulder...I use a Stoney Point comparator but there are several other good ones out there...this distance is what you are going to move back about 2/1000.

(5) making sure the case is lubed lower the die about a quarter turn and measure set back. Make very small adjustments at this point as all you will need for a bolt-action is about 2/1000.

What you have done is basically set up your die to fit "your" chamber and not the average chamber. There is a good write-up on this in the A-Square loading book.

"why would a..."

I've now tested all 400-odd pieces of .22/250 brass, both empty and loaded.

The loaded rounds which wouldn't chamber easily have been pulled. All empty brass which wouldn't chamber easily have been full length resized and checked again.

Result? A total of five cases which after full length sizing will not chamber properly - and one of those is marginal.

Lessons learned?

1. No more partial resizing for me. It's full length sizing until Santa brings me a proper collet neck sizer.

2. The urgency to add a budy bump die to the reloading bench has pretty much gone away and assuming that proper sizing tehnique in future will keep the failure rate to around 1%, I'd go so far as to say that new brass would be a better investment than a body bump die.

Cheers guys, for all the help and support. Now to get the scope re-zeroed!

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tikka 3 barrels

First I load with a Dillon which many feel is a sloppy loader, and it is. One of the main advantages is that the interchangeable die head keeps all my dies pre-set correctly. You can establish this same thing by finding the correct setting and locking the ring on your dies at this setting.

How to find the correct FL sizing for your particular rifle:

Remove the firing pin from your bolt. Adjust the FL die down until you can feel no resistance to closing the bolt on an empty round. I like to adjust mine until it takes just a whisper of pressure to close the bolt. You cannot get this �feel� while tiring to overcome the pressure of the firing pin spring.

I do have one 223 that I purchased used and seems that someone re-chambered it with a tight body. A small base die set still wasn�t enough to resize the brass properly. I used a bench grinder and removed a few thousands off the mouth of the die so it would size down more. The job doesn�t have to be perfect. The die doesn�t touch the case here and it just acts as a stop against the shell holder. Problem solved.

I load 30+ calibers, most stock, some custom with tight chambers/necks. I still do not own a bump die.

$10.00 for a Sinclair case gauge will keep you from having to chamber all the brass to find the �bad� ones and make the process very rapid.

Shoot safe,
Mike