Bushing die help

[OG-danimal]

Please help…
I'm so confused lol.
I'm using my whidden bushing die to FL size my hornady 6.5 prc brass. I'm using a .289 bushing with .2615 expander mandrel. Today when seating bullets I noticed very inconsistent CBTO measurements and realized I could pull the bullets out with my hands
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Dan

 

[Pdyson]

Try sizing and bullet seating without using the expander mandrel and see if you still have low neck tension. If so, you need a smaller bushing. I noticed the same affect after switching from Redding to Short Action Custom's bushings. I had to go from .002 to .003 undersize to achieve good neck tension.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Please help…
I'm so confused lol.
I'm using my whidden bushing die to FL size my hornady 6.5 prc brass. I'm using a .289 bushing with .2615 expander mandrel. Today when seating bullets I noticed very inconsistent CBTO measurements and realized I could pull the bullets out with my hands
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Dan

You need to know the neck wall thickness. Best to use a "Ball Micrometer" to get an accurate size. If you are using a .289 Bushing your wall thickness should be 0.0135. Calculate Bullet 0.264 + Brass wall 0.0135 x 2 (0.027) = 0.291 - 0.002 = 0.289 bushing.
If you can pull your bullet out then you need to check your wall thickness and adjust you bushing size.
If you want to discuss you can PM me and we can then talk on the phone..

Thanks
Len

 

[AZShooter]

Easy math: measure sized brass neck OD and compare to seated bullet neck OD. Then you have a value you can manipulate for more neck tension.

 

[FEENIX]

Easy math: measure sized brass neck OD and compare to seated bullet neck OD. Then you have a value you can manipulate for more neck tension.

This! Typically, .002" less than the measured OD is a good baseline.

 

[OG-danimal]

Thanks all, got it figured. Slightly bruised ego but I'll live…

 

[Mikecr]

Are you lubing neck IDs?

 

[OG-danimal]

Are you lubing neck IDs?

Negative

 

[Taylorbok]

What was the issue?
I'm assuming your bushing was to large

 

[OG-danimal]

Yeah, I brought the OD down to .286 with my Redding neck sizer, .2615 expander mandrel and that fixed the issue

 

[Dean2]

I do not understand the point of using bushing dies and an expander mandrel. I use the correct bushing to give me 3-4 neck tension on hunting rounds, end of story. I see no point in over squeezing the brass and then opening it back up with the mandrel. Sort of defeats the purpose of a bushing die.

 

[OG-danimal]

I thought the bushing die was to avoid over squeezing the neck, and the expander mandrel was to set the final ID dimension? I have no idea though I'm still very new to reloading

 

[Dean2]

Well, according to the OP, he is neck sizing them down to .286. He doesn't say what the neck diameter is BEFORE he neck sizes it but the SAAMI cartridge specs are below. Chamber spec at the neck is .2980. Depending on what his pre-sizing neck diameter is he could be sizing the brass up to .011, which is about triple what should be needed.

 

[Taylorbok]

I do not understand the point of using bushing dies and an expander mandrel. I use the correct bushing to give me 3-4 neck tension on hunting rounds, end of story. I see no point in over squeezing the brass and then opening it back up with the mandrel. Sort of defeats the purpose of a bushing die.

Once you squeeze the neck from the outside that pushes any variance to the ID of the case. If you run a mandrel it makes the ID of the case properly round and any of the inconsistencies will be pushed outside and not have affect on the projectile.

To select a bushing I take a loaded round and measure the OD and -.003" then I run a mandrel .002" under bullet diameter.