Possible excessive shoulder set back with new Redding Premium die

[GW Hunter]

I just ran my first 20 once fired .280AI cases through a properly set up full length resizing die (per manufacturer's instructions). The brass measured 2.131" before it was shot with a tame starting load to break in the barrel. The brass went into the resizing die at the same length of 2.131" and came out at 2.126". Being that the brass didn't stretch to chamber length on one light load, I did not expect to see the shoulder pushed back that far. Should I now anticipate a problem on the next loading with this brass because of the head clearance?

 

[GLTaylor]

I believe you way oversized your brass/bumped shoulder too far. Back up your die farther away from the ram. Next time you fire your brass, seat your bullets to touch the lands and use another modest load. This will hold the brass still as it forms to your chamber and hopefully avoid case head separation.
Once fired again, ease your die down until it touches the shoulder of your brass. You can feel this. Cycle your press and measure your shoulder bump. Go down about 1/8 turn on your die each time you cycle until you get about .002 shoulder bump. Repeat and measure several pieces of brass until you average .002 bump. Don't forget to lube your cases.

 

[okie man]

2 easy fixes for your problem. 1, get a lee collet neck die or 2, get a set of Redding competition shell holders. Either used properly will fix your issue

 

[whirlwindjml]

. 1, get a lee collet neck die

These are great but you will need a body die to set the shoulder back 2 thou or so. If you dont....reliabilty goes out the window when you go jack one in and it dont fit over a piece of lint.

Also a bushing die without the bushing would work with the collet.

As gltalor said though....your die is fine. You need to work your way to the right setting.

 

[CatShooter]

If you dont....reliabilty goes out the window when you go jack one in and it dont fit over a piece of lint.

Really??? A piece of LINT??

I have been neck sizing for 60+ years, with cases that were reloaded 40+ times, and I never heard of such a thing.

 

[25WSM]

You only pushed the shoulder back .005 that is not terrible. .003 is just right. You obviously have a compariter to measure your shoulder bump so next time just back up the die just a bit and size your brass. Keep bringing the die down in very small increments till you see the .003 bump. If you mark the die and the threaded adjustment nut at the same spot and move the nut 1/8 of an inch of turn it will be about .002.
Most dies ran down to touch the shell holder will size your brass too much. I always run it down to touch and then back it off 1/4 turn and start checking my brass for a bump. Then just sneak up on it. Only takes a few minutes to get it right.
Shep

 

[whirlwindjml]

Saying it dont take much.....i found out hunting with a necksized 338 magnum. All case bodies are sized now for me. Some people make no go gauges with a piece of scotch tape on the case head. A necksized/fire formed brass is about as tight as it gets.

Really??? A piece of LINT??

I have been neck sizing for 60+ years, with cases that were reloaded 40+ times, and I never heard of such a thing.

 

[25WSM]

Neck sizing has long been proven to not enhance accuracy or brass life.
In the benchrest game a person necksizing is a rarity. The bench rest guys shoot the most accurate rifles in the world and they almost exclusively full length size brass and bump the shoulders back.
Shep

 

[CatShooter]

Neck sizing has long been proven to not enhance accuracy or brass life.
In the benchrest game a person necksizing is a rarity. The bench rest guys shoot the most accurate rifles in the world and they almost exclusively full length size brass and bump the shoulders back.
Shep

You are incorrect in your statement.

The world record group, set in 1973 (0.009") was set with neck sized cases. It took nearly a half a century to break it. The new record is 0.007"... It was broken with cases that were neck sized.

Currently, most bench rest shooting is done for "score", not "group" size. Score rifles do not need that high a level of accuracy. For a rifle to shoot a perfect score (250-25x), it needs to be capable of 0.30", which would be laughed off of any "group" match competition.

Score matchs are shot with cases that are FL sized, cuz the matches are often shot very fast - with shots being fired every 3 or 4 seconds... so the cases must fit loosely.

It has nothing to do with pure accuracy (or "lint").

There is no need to push a shoulder back like this shooter did - all that space leads to case stretch and eventually, head separation.

 

[whirlwindjml]

I use a lee collet because i like the low runout they yield for me. But....i then do the body. To each there own though. If it bit me once im done. Lint....debri....dirt whatever its to tight for a hunting gun.

 

[Mram10us]

OP, you don't need any special tools. Just slightly back off the die. A full turn is .071" so make a mark on your die and the locking ring, then you have a reference.

 

[GW Hunter]

Thanks for all the replies. While this session may not seem like it but this is not my first rodeo. I've got a competition shellholder kit. And understand how to get the shoulder set back to where I want. This was more of a matter of me not expecting the shoulder to set back as much as it did with the die set per instructions. I bone headed and ran them all through (using a standard shellholder) instead of measuring the first and adjusting. I just didn't think I would set back that far. So my main question is whether the brass will be compromised firing it with that much head space.

 

[25WSM]

Cat shooter. I was not talking about score shooters. I'm talking about all bench rest shooters. Practically no one just neck sizes anymore. After 2 or 3 shots your brass doesn't fit the chamber correctly. This is a fact. But since you been neck sizing for 60 some yrs I understand why you do it. Because that's what guys did back then because they thought is was best. But it's not the 50s or 60s any more. And Rock McMillians group will probably never be beat forever. It was a freak of nature group. They say it was really .004 before it was measured all those times messing up the paper. Go to the Super Shoot at Kelblys and ask all those top shooters how they size their brass.

 

[25WSM]

Cat shooter. I was not talking about score shooters. I'm talking about all bench rest shooters. Practically no one just neck sizes anymore. After 2 or 3 shots your brass doesn't fit the chamber correctly. This is a fact. But since you been neck sizing for 60 some yrs I understand why you do it. Because that's what guys did back then because they thought is was best. But it's not the 50s or 60s any more. And Rock McMillians group will probably never be beat forever. It was a freak of nature group. They say it was really .004 before it was measured all those times messing up the paper. Go to the Super Shoot at Kelblys and ask all those top shooters how they size their brass.