Redding Type S dies and which mic/neck gauge.

[bh5k]

Hey guys question for you:

I am about to get my first totally custom rifle delivered and am looking at various reloading dies. My gunsmith recommends the Redding type S dies, which from what I have read are a great set of dies, but I am a little hung up on what to buy.

I have always used RCBS dies, and bought both a full length set and then a neck die. I would always full length new brass, trim it, and then neck size from then on. Well, it looks like the Redding 3 die set has a full length die it is that you can use if the brass is getting tight from firing too many times with just neck sizing.

REDDING : Redding Type S Match Neck Die Set, 300 Rem Ultra Mag -

This die set includes a Type S Bushing Neck Die, a Body die, and a Competition Bullet Seater. Packaged in a Redding Die Box with a wrench and an extra decapping pin.

Is that right? Would a combination of sizing with the body die and then sizing with the neck die give a full length resizing?

Also I just have the cheap dial caliper and am thinking about picking up a ball mic or a case neck gauge. What are your thoughts on one versus the other? Seems like the ball mic could be used for more things, but is slower to measure case wall thickness, right?

Thanks,

Bryan

 

[Bart B]

Brian, if you've already got an RCBS full length sizing die, I'd take it to a 'smith and have him lap the neck out to about 3 thousandths smaller than a loaded round's outside neck diameter. You'll end up with a die just as good as a Redding type S bushing die. This is what folks did decades ago when they wanted to full length size rimless bottleneck cases and not have to use an expander ball. the only thing is you have to have the neck lapped out correctly else it'll be out of round and may be oversize. If it's oversize, then you'll need a new die.

Conversely, a type S Redding die does the same thing then you can get a bushing or two for different neck wall thicknesses and won't have to turn case necks.

Most any standard seating die works well when cases are full length sized without expander balls bending their necks. You don't need a micrometer die but they are neat and nice to use.

For what it's worth, Sierra Bullets' has been full length sizing all their fired rifle cases used to test their bullets for accuracy since the 1950's. I doubt anybody shoots 'em as accurate as they do full length siziing their fired cases with Redding type s or standard full length dies. The key stuff to remember and do is to set the fired case neck back no more than 2 thousandths; you'll need a case headspace gage such as the RCBS Precision Mic to accurately measure case headspace from shoulder to case head. And don't reduce body diameters by more than 2 thousandths.

I don't think you'll need a ball micrometer to measure neck wall thickness. A good vernier caliper works just as good properly used and it can also measure cartridge over all length as well as case dimensions such as loaded round neck diameters.

 

[Mikecr]

I think you'll be fine with the set, provided you keep load pressures below SAAMI max, and your chamber is not too big.

You can use a ball mic to check & cull your brass by thickness variance as measured at the necks.
This is especially important with very long cases(such as 300um), because thickness variance(which runs full length) bows cases with each cycle, resulting in ever growing runout.

Good luck with your build

 

[bh5k]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Bart B]

You can use a ball mic to check & cull your brass by thickness variance as measured at the necks.
This is especially important with very long cases(such as 300um), because thickness variance(which runs full length) bows cases with each cycle, resulting in ever growing runout.

I've not had this problem full length sizing .300 Win. Mag. cases 20 to 25 times with max loads. Anyone who does have problems is doing something different than I've done.