Redding Competition Die Setup

[Gene Cox]

Just got my new Redding T7 Turret Press, Competition Dies, and Competition Shell holders for 300 Win Mag. In setting up the dies to get the proper cam over would I use a standard shell holder or the 0.010 competition shell holder?

 

[jimbires]

I start with the .010 shell holder . measure a fired piece of brass . run that piece of brass through the die and measure the shoulder length . if it's not sized about .002 shorter then put in the .008 shell holder . just keep going to the next shell holder until you get your shoulder bump , set back , about .002 shorter than a fired case .

 

[Gene Cox]

Yes Sir the initial setup for the body die is the .010. When I get the shoulder bump I want I setup the neck and seating dies with the final shell holder and that may be a .008, .006, or whatever.

 

[CatShooter]

"Just got my new Redding T7 Turret Press, Competition Dies, and Competition Shell holders for 300 Win Mag. In setting up the dies to get the proper cam over would I use a standard shell holder or the 0.010 competition shell holder?"

The height of shellholders are all the same, so when you screw in the die, and set it up for "Cam-over" it will cam-over with any standard or competition shellholder.

Fired cases are not always at max chamber length, so you cannot use fired case length to judge anything. Do NOT set up the press to make the cases 2 thou shorter than a fired case - you will eventually get head separations.

To set it up - pick the shell holder that gives you slight resistance wen closing the bolt on a loaded case.

 

[bigedp51]

With the competition shell holders the top of the shell holders are the same hight as a standard shell holder. What does vary in height is the deck height where the case rests. Meaning the minus -.010 shell holder will push the case .010 "less" into the die than a standard shell holder.

Chambers and dies vary in size so nothing is written in stone with a standard shell holder. And with the competition shell holders once the die is adjusted and locked down all you do is change the competition shell holders for the correct amount of shoulder bump.

With a standard shell holder you would use a feeler gauge to adjust the shoulder bump. The problem with this method is when you have any air space between the die and shell holder and any slop and flex in the press you would end up with variations in shoulder location. And with the competition shell holders you can have the press cam over every time and eliminate any slop or flex in the press.

Unlike CatShooter I measure a fired case with a Hornady cartridge case headspace gauge and bump the shoulder back approximately .002. And I have never had a case head separation using the competition shell holders. Example I have a Lee .223 die and it will bump the shoulder back .009 using a standard shell holder with press cam over.

When a cartridge is fired the case springs back from the chamber walls trying to regain its initial size. Meaning yes the shoulder location is slightly shorter than chamber headspace. CatShooter neck sizes his cases and I full length resize and prefer a little wiggle room.

Just remember it is possible when full length resizing to make the case "longer" than the chamber.

P.S. CatShooter old buddy, you need to give up using that plastic hammer and Lee loader and join the "Rat turd in the violin case" club and start full length resizing. Bazinga

Note, for the rest of you, above is sizing humor and I'm just pulling CatShooter's leg. We use different sizing methods and how you pull the handle of "your" press is up to you. (even if you do it wrong)

 

[CatShooter]

Edwardus Maximus... you crack me up, ol' friend.

Good to see you're still around.

I now own 8 sets of the Redding Competition die sets (with comp sizer and comp seater), and they're abso-freakin'-lutly the best dies in the business - I get <0.001 neck runout, even when the neck is brought down 10 thou in one pass.

I do not own anything with the name "Lee" on it.