Definitely NOT happy with new Redding Dies!

[Clark]

Did you check case wall thickness variance before firing? If the case wall thickness variance was there to begin with , the sizing die "bananas " the case. Accentuating the run out ( the thin side will move easier than the thick side).

No. I think a random drawing from the same brass pool for the sets of 25 pieces would null that out.

 

[RoadKill]

This is a Sinclair concentricity gauge that I have modified so I can measure runout at the bullet relative to the shoulder. The modification so I can get large cartridges turning on the center of the shoulder taper.

In the case of the test on dies, I was using 223, so an unmodified gauge would work.

The firing pin pushes the cartridge forward until something stops it. I would like that to be the chamber shoulder. To keep the bullet concentric with the bore, I like the bullet touching the lands to center the front.
To center the rear of the bullet, I want the inside of the case neck to be concentric and parallel with the chamber shoulder. To measure that I want to turn the cartridge in the gauge on that shoulder and put the dial indicator stylus on the bullet as close to the neck as I can.

Redding FL "S" dies do poorly on that test.

I try to accomplish same far as having the case park the bullet set on a path as near perfectly centered and aligned with the bore as I'm able, working with production line dies and stuff, all of it made by other folks.

What are/were the case neck diameters for (1) fired case fresh out the chamber, (2) sized neck OD fresh out of what size neck bushing – w/expander removed (3) loaded round neck OD measured at a couple or more different points around the circumference?

From the answers I'll be figgerin' near abouts the chamber's neck diameter, how far the fired neck has to be squished down assuming by use of a single size of neck bushing, the amount of sized case neck spring-back after using the specified size neck bushing, the case neck wall thickness, and roughly the amount of neck wall thickness variation - if not turning the necks to a uniform wall thickness.

Is the neck bushing being allowed to float? If not turning necks, are you expanding the necks after sizing, either pulling the necks back over the "S" die's expander or in a separate expander die, running 'em over an expander mandrel? If it's the "S" die's expander, did you swap out the fixed steel expander button for Redding's floating carbide expander button?

 

[Clark]

In my 223 sizer die testing that started 12-31-2008 and went on for 3 days:
Forster 0.246" [custom honed]
RCBS 0.238"
Bonanza 0.241"
Redding FL S bushing 0.245"
Lee collet neck N/A


My custom 223 reamer has a 0.250" neck, but that made it too easy on the die test, so I used a factory Ruger #1V rifle with a chamber neck so large the fired cases had 0.255" outside necks and .230" inside. The #1V chamber has 0.003" more headspace than minimum, at 1.4666". The rifle has 1.788" of useable neck length space.

So while the headspace of the factory rifle was not bad, it has a large diameter and long length neck.

 

[RoadKill]

In my 223 sizer die testing that started 12-31-2008 and went on for 3 days:
Forster 0.246" [custom honed]
RCBS 0.238"
Bonanza 0.241"
Redding FL S bushing 0.245"
Lee collet neck N/A


My custom 223 reamer has a 0.250" neck, but that made it too easy on the die test, so I used a factory Ruger #1V rifle with a chamber neck so large the fired cases had 0.255" outside necks and .230" inside. The #1V chamber has 0.003" more headspace than minimum, at 1.4666". The rifle has 1.788" of useable neck length space.

So while the headspace of the factory rifle was not bad, it has a large diameter and long length neck.

Thinkin' trying to shove a .255" fired neck OD into a .245" ID neck bushing, without using a 2nd intermediate bushing size to step down the neck OD instead of knocking it down .010" all in one big whack, is pretty much a guarantee of non-concentricity. Dragging the inside of the neck over an expander button ought to help true the inside neck wall by pushing irregularities to the outside, but it'll not fix a neck and shoulder both knocked out of whack relative to the case body. The .003" greater headspace than SAAMI minimum spec is an easy FL die adjustment away from setting bolt face to case head clearance (aka headspace) with that brass to none or whatever you desire in between none and what you get, probably too much, with the die turned down onto a standard shellholder far enough to cause the press linkage to cam-over.

 

[engineer40]

Well, I'll hand it to Redding. They do have very good customer support. And that is always a nice treat when dealing with manufacturers in the firearms industry.

They mailed me a couple new stems for both dies. The new ones do still move, but not nearly as much as the original ones.

Time will tell if I'll end up being happy with these Redding dies. I'm for sure going to be keeping a keen eye on my concentricity. I think it will take a while before these dies earn my trust.

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions. Really appreciated!