Bushing Die *head explode*

[Bishop]

Got a new rifle coming in september my first custom made rifle.

Chambered in .308 win and its from Len. I have the reamer print used for this rifle, is it going to be possible for me to determine what size bushing/bushingS i need to get before I have the rifle and some fired brass?

Guess I am going to go with a Type S F/L bushing die if that matters.

I have searched and found alot of posts about this and just had major head explosion, I'm certain I am making this more complicated for myself than it really is, and I dont mind buying 3 different bushings to have what I need, but I want to HAVE what I need when I get the rifle, not discover that oh crap I need to wait another week on another bushing to come in.

Off to go put my head in the freezer Headache aggggggggg!

 

[HARPERC]

You're working with a cartridge with a well established track record, in a rifle good enough to get performance out of it that will save some time. I just loved another average guy with his head in freezer trying to move forward a bit. I don't have an answer yet, my first one didn't work as well as I hoped so I'm buying 3 more. Hopefully someone has a better answer than trial and error. I might have stuck my head in the stove, but decided it was electric and more than likely I'd just get grills branded into my face. Instead of the freezer I recommend googling the commercial for DirectTV "Don't wake up in a roadside ditch". It will chill you out better with no frostbite. Seriously good luck.

 

[AZShooter]

Get the intended brass THEN figure out the bushings you will need. Seat a bullet, measure outside diameter of neck subtract .002" and .003" to get the two most useful bushing sizes.



I have a 308 and use Lapua brass, which IMO is some of the best.

Cabelas has it on sale right now: Regular Price: $84.99 Sale Price: $74.99

link Lapua Rifle Brass : Cabela's

Midway has it for $75.49/ 100 too:

Lapua Reloading Brass 308 Winchester Box of 100

 

[varmintH8R]

Get the intended brass THEN figure out the bushings you will need. Seat a bullet, measure outside diameter of neck subtract .002" and .003" to get the two most useful bushing sizes.



I have a 308 and use Lapua brass, which IMO is some of the best.

Cabelas has it on sale right now: Regular Price: $84.99 Sale Price: $74.99

link Lapua Rifle Brass : Cabela's

Midway has it for $75.49/ 100 too:

Lapua Reloading Brass 308 Winchester Box of 100

+1, that is the way to do it. If you buy Lapua brass you can also measure the OD of their neck when it shows up and use that as your smallest of the 3 bushings you buy (or even subtract 1 thou as a safety factor for thinner brass). I have found Lapua brass to show up from the factory about 1thou tighter than I would size the neck myself.

FWIW, my first go with bushing dies was reloading 1x factory ammo in 22-250. The inconsistency in this brass (crazy between brands, but evident even within boxes of the same brands) was maddening. I have 5 different bushing die sets now and only use component brass from the quality makers - it really makes a huge difference.

 

[TOM H]

Got a new rifle coming in september my first custom made rifle.

Chambered in .308 win and its from Len. I have the reamer print used for this rifle, is it going to be possible for me to determine what size bushing/bushingS i need to get before I have the rifle and some fired brass?

Guess I am going to go with a Type S F/L bushing die if that matters.

I have searched and found alot of posts about this and just had major head explosion, I'm certain I am making this more complicated for myself than it really is, and I dont mind buying 3 different bushings to have what I need, but I want to HAVE what I need when I get the rifle, not discover that oh crap I need to wait another week on another bushing to come in.

Off to go put my head in the freezer Headache aggggggggg!

I agree with other post on measuring for bushing. what I do with new brass is buy one of Sinclair expander mandrel and need expander die and that mandrel open neck to .001 under bullet dia then I use bushing die get right neck tension.

If you think .002 pretty close on new brass you can buy Sinclair neck turning mandrel it fit the expander die also and it's .002 under bullet dia. the mandrels are $9each and die is $25 plus shipping. that expander die fit mandrels from 17 cal up to 338.

Well good luck

 

[Bishop]

Thanks for the reply's everyone, I have some lapua brass coming guess I will wait till it gets here then figure out bushing size.

 

[newmexkid]

I got the Forster Bump die that comes with 3 bushings. Of course I still ended up buying a different size when it was all said and done!!?? I was looking at the Redding bump dies but...If I remember correctly I think I read somewhere that Redding copied Forster's idea when Forster's patent ran out.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I got the Forster Bump die that comes with 3 bushings. Of course I still ended up buying a different size when it was all said and done!!?? I was looking at the Redding bump dies but...If I remember correctly I think I read somewhere that Redding copied Forster's idea when Forster's patent ran out.

Redding copied Forster's seater design, and added about 33% to the price tag. Forster sells a .308 national match die set, and if the chamber is similar then that would be my direction. Yet if the OP plans on using a no turn setup while neck sizing, he might be better off with the Lee Collet die and a Forster seater. Myself, I do all my neck sizing with Wilson dies and an arbor press.
gary

 

[Bishop]

*edit* Never mind answer is in another post earlier in the thread sorry.


Got my die and lapua brass in. Do i just seat a .308 bullet into a case and measure the OD of the neck to determine my bushing size?

Is it as simple as that?

I have lee collet dies in some other calibers trickymissfit I am going to full length size for this gun though every time.

I am hoping to send my die off to redding along with the reamer print once I have some fire formed cases and let them hone my die to match my chamber. If they will even do that i know i read somewhere that other die makers do.

 

[Trickymissfit]

*edit* Never mind answer is in another post earlier in the thread sorry.


Got my die and lapua brass in. Do i just seat a .308 bullet into a case and measure the OD of the neck to determine my bushing size?

Is it as simple as that?

I have lee collet dies in some other calibers trickymissfit I am going to full length size for this gun though every time.

I am hoping to send my die off to redding along with the reamer print once I have some fire formed cases and let them hone my die to match my chamber. If they will even do that i know i read somewhere that other die makers do.

I like the Forster full length die better than the other brands, as the necks seem a little more concentric. Have never seen a full length die that used bushings, that worked as well as claimed it would.

As for the bushing size, do it this way: measure the neck wall thickness and multiply it times two. Then measure the bullet O.D., and add the two sums together. I'd start by subtracting .003". This will give you your correct bushing size for .003" bullet grip. Some folks like .004", and others like .002". To get something like .0035", you'll have to shave .0005" off the neck diameter. A caliper is not accurate enough to measure the neck wall thickness, and you really need a pin micrometer to do this. Another way is to get the Sinclair case micrometer. This is the way I do it.
gary