Redding type S bushing size

[270WSM]

Hello to all,
I just purchased a Remington Model 7 youth in 7mm-08 for my short range tracking rifle. I'm getting ready to order some dies and reloading equipment for this setup. I'm getting a FL Redding type S die and wanted opinions on which bushings to order.

I figured I'd get 2 or 3 so I don't have to wait if I'm incorrect. The last rifle I ordered bushings for was a little more straight forward. I already had standard dies and was reloading for the rifle, so I could measure the outside neck diameter. I don't have that luxtury this time.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[270WSM]

Well, I was anxious to place my order, so I just ordered the Redding type S FL sizer with the 3 middle bushings (309, 310, and 311) for 7mm and the competition bullet seater. I also ordered the RCBS chargemaster 1500 combo and a few other odds and ends. I'm looking forward to some new toys, it's been a while since I've purchased any new reloading equipment (last summer). Thanks for anyone who reads this, but I'm too inpatient /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[robbor]

I did the same thing when I bought my 300 rum dies, I ordered 3
bushings. One .002 under for normal tension, one .003 under for extra tension and one .004 under for slight neck turning. You should order from and actual loaded round hopefully and not just the middle of the size range. Have fun with the new toys!!!

 

[THOMAST]

What brass are you going to use? I cleaned up my brass, neck turing them to .014" thickness (Lapua) and I have the same bushing sizes as you have, and using the .310" bushing the most, going to the .309" bushing after annealing cases and sizing for the first time after.

 

[270WSM]

Well I may be in the ballpark, probly end up using the 311. I'm going to be using factory winchester brass. I purchased 5 boxes of 140 grain power points to break in the rifle, and get some brass. I haven't even shot it yet. I'm still waiting for my scope (Nikon Monarch Gold 1.5-6X42), my dies, and I still need to have the trigger tuned. I won't be neck turning, sorting brass, or any other tedious procedures for this rifle unless I can't get it to shoot under 1MOA. This will be my new tracking rifle for northeastern whitetail. The average shot is usually ~50 yards.

Thanks for the reply's

 

[THOMAST]

Using a Redding bushing die and not neck turning your necks to reduce concentricity is like driving a Ferrari with retreads! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[abinok]

[ QUOTE ]
Using a Redding bushing die and not neck turning your necks to reduce concentricity is like driving a Ferrari with retreads! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly!!!

 

[robbor]

Hey ThomasT, I have read alot of people post not to neck turn on factory chambers as there is already way to much neck clearance. A few even noted that when they neck turned their accuracy got worse. I was thinking(Yes, thinking is bad), for smaller imperfections or low and high spots wouldnt firing and the neck being slammed and sealed against the chamber neck help even it up a little? Now another way might be to reduce some larger brass to 7-08 to come up with thicker necks then slightly turn to even up and still end up with a thicker neck.

 

[THOMAST]

robbor, using bushing dies with brass with uneven necks will not give you optimum accuracy. Heck using any dies with that kind of brass will deliver same results.
When I get new brass, the first thing I do is sort the brass according to neck wall thickness, before even weighing them. I've found Lapua to be very concentric and consistant. Remember that during the case drawing process a thinner portion in the neck area would extend through the length of the case which would lead to the thinner part of the case expanding more than the thicker areas during ingnition of the powder and lead to non concentric expansion of the case, starting the bullet on a line not aligned with the bore axis.
You should measure your chamber to get your chamber neck dimensions, either from the reamer used to cut the chamber, a casting of the chamber or by measuring your fired brass (get an average diameter by measuring a lot, say 50 cases ,adding all the dimensions and dividing by 50) and adding about .001" to this measurement(to allow for springback of the brass). Its not perfect, but it gives you an idea of your chamber specs.
On brass with concentric/even wall thickness you dont need to use the expander button supplied with the dies but would suggest you do use it if your case necks are not the same thickness all around.
Using brass with a thicker neck wall would "tighten"things up a little in a larger chamber, just be sure to leave enough room between the neck and chamber to allow the case to release the bullet, if not, you're on a sticky road.
Bottom line is the ideal situation is a chamber with minimum SAAMI specs,aligned with the bore axis of the barrel,using brass with no (or almost no) deviation of case wall thickness, with even neck tension, assembled in a press and die with no wobble. Check your press ram for play.
You will not have any benefits from using a redding bushing die with non uniform cases and a sloppy chamber and believing that the die alone will turn your rifle into a "tackdriver" is wrong.
Sorry for the long speech, I'll get off the soapbox now..

 

[270WSM]

Thanks for the reply's guy's.

I use Redding bushing dies becuase they work. I used standard dies before, but I wanted to get away the expander ball. I get good accuracy using the bushing die's out of my 270WSM, so I stick with what I know. I'm no expert and I don't spend the money or time that a lot of people here do, so I'm not sorting brass or turning necks for any of my hunting / plinking rifles (especially when they are stock rifles). They shoot well enough for me, my 270WSM shoots 1/2MOA out to 500 yards. If I purchase a high end custom rifle one of these days, then I wll spend the time to do the things listed and I will already have the quality Redding busing dies for these calibers.

Thanks again.

 

[Coyoter]

FYI, neck turning isn't that bad of a process if you use the right tools.... I've turned with a Sinclair tool and it was an exercise in patience beyond compair. I threw a little $ at a Forster trimmer, bought the mandrils and outside neck trimmer for it and hooked it to my Versapak screw driver. Now turning 100 brass takes a pinch over an hour. I like the versapak 'cause when the battery goes dead, you just pop in a new one and keep going.
I've posted before that I use Redding Competition dies for anything that I want on target at long range (ie, I didn't spend the $ for my 444 dies). To me, the decreased neck and bullet runout and downrange accuracy are priceless. Why spend over $1,500 on an accurate rifle and not drop another on $125 on dies to make it hit what you point it at?
My thoughts anyway,
Coyoter