Short action customs modular sizing dies
- Thread starter travis74
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QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
I'd start with a Redding Master Hunter set, eventually expand with either a SAC or Whidden bushing die. That gets you a standard FL die and a competition seater, nothing wasted when you add in a more complicated sizing die.
A good set of calipers, mics, and comparators is a better place to spend money up front than on dies you can't set up without those tools.
SAC makes an absolutely awesome comparator set. If you're only loading for 6.5 PRC they let you choose which inserts to get with the kit so you don't have to buy a bunch of sizes you don't need. You can also get a Hornady set for about $30, so don't feel like you have to buy the SAC set (I have one, totally worth it IMO). Mitutoyo digital calipers, a digital mic, and a digital ball mic. Once you have all those and are comfortable with them, then you'll be able to get the correct SAC shoulder inserts.
A good set of calipers, mics, and comparators is a better place to spend money up front than on dies you can't set up without those tools.
SAC makes an absolutely awesome comparator set. If you're only loading for 6.5 PRC they let you choose which inserts to get with the kit so you don't have to buy a bunch of sizes you don't need. You can also get a Hornady set for about $30, so don't feel like you have to buy the SAC set (I have one, totally worth it IMO). Mitutoyo digital calipers, a digital mic, and a digital ball mic. Once you have all those and are comfortable with them, then you'll be able to get the correct SAC shoulder inserts.
i do have a set of mitutoyo calipers and digital mic, forster coax. also have av4 autotrickler on the way. was gonna get sinclair trimmer for now and also their hand primer. gonna get the sac comparator set. im just confused on dies and also plan on using mandrels. thanks any help is appreciated
So do these size the shoulder as well as the neck or just the neck?
Full length
Thanks. That won't work for me. I run modified cases so standard dies won't work.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Mike if it were me since it seems you need custom dies I'd call Hornady. I have several sets of their custom dies and they've been great.
Thanks. I've had a couple of bad experiences with Hornady dies. They are the only dies I've had a stuck case with and with 2 different calibers. Ever since then I've stuck with Redding, Forster and most recently for some custom dies Whidden.
Mike Matteson
Well-Known Member
I would look at Redding bushing FL sizing dies or RCBS Bushing dies. That way you can set up neck tension. The other is a de-capping die for large and small primers. The other is using a mandrel to set up neck tension. I would look at Imperial Wax and dry lube for your sizing job. As anything goes, the hole gets deeper.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
The SAC modular die is pretty cool, it's half a body die, and without a bushing instead of bumping the shoulder and not sizing the neck (like a Redding Type S), it would only hit the case sidewalls. The bushing comes in multiple shoulder angles for various cartridges in the family, and shims in 0.001" increments can be used to adjust headspace without moving the lockring.
Modular Sizing Die – 6.5 PRC
The new Modular Sizing Dies are used for a family of cartridges. The Modular Sizing Die PRC works with rifles chambered with a…
shortactioncustoms.com
Alright perfect. You'll love the SAC comparators, they're solid and fit so much better than anything else I've used.
Are you looking at the modular sizing die - PRC?
Part of the reason I said get a standard, non-bushing FL die is because ultimately you'll need fired brass to correctly determine the bushing/mandrel combination that best for your chamber because the neck clearance spec is part of figuring that out. An FL die is convenient to have because there's no gap at the neck/shoulder and should always be tight enough to fully resize the brass when the need arises.. You can get a Lee, Hornady, or RCBS for about what one SAC bushing costs. I have one of each bushing in the calibers I load, but not everyone want's to buy bushings that ultimately might not be used.
Mandrel wise, I think you'd be fine with either .2635, .2630, and/or .2625 to start with. Depending on if/how you're annealing you might need a .2640 at some point. I have larger than caliber mandrels to straighten fired necks that get dinged cycling the action before annealing or sizing, but that's probably not really necessary.
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Mike Matteson
Well-Known Member
Interesting, but I presently load for long actions. I didn't see anything on long actions or maybe I missed it.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Well I can understand that but when it comes to their custom dies it's a whole different world and you won't be on a six to eighteen month waiting list.
I've gone pretty much to all Redding in my factory dies but the Hornady Custom dies and service have been fantastic.
Good to know. Whidden turned my first set in 14.5 weeks.
Does Redding build custom dies?
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I think they still do but last time I talked with them several years back it was about an 18 month wait.
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