Custom FL Dies - What company?

[natdscott]

Neil Jones makes your dies from measuring your brass that has been fired 3 times. You would have to ask him about making dies from a reamer.

Have some.

 

[SealT5]

I just received a couple Wilson FL dies today for my dasher and 7Saum. I can not describe how impressed I am with them. Chamber is highly polished and sizes like butter. Functionally I’ve never had an issue with Redding S dies but each and everyone has a poor chamber finish. I highly recommend the wilsons

Joe S

Yah that Wilson might have to be my next purchase. I trust Wilson. Others not so much.

 

[Big Mc]

Gents,

I think I'm in the market for some custom dies and want some opinions.

I'll start with some background. I've had .308s in the past, however I'm just starting to dip my toes into the 'serious end' of FTR. Most recently I had a reamer made by JGS, and a couple of barrels chambered from it; I've got 2-4 firings on some palma brass from both barrels, and don't have any extraction issues etc (i.e. my reamer design wasn't complete crap, and was cut correctly).

In the past (with this and other .308s) I've alternated between using expanderless FL bushing dies, expanderless FL dies/mandreling up, and FL dies with adjustable expanders. I haven't been 100% satisfied with any option from a concentricity/consistency perspective. .

FWIW - I'm using a .342nk, and using a .336 bushing to give me .001" tension.

It feels like at this point the natural progression is to go with a custom FL die.

That said, it looks like Forster and Whidden are the only two die companies that really promote this as a service. I know Warner Tool does it, but I'm not interested in a $600 FL die that I have to shim to adjust shoulder bump.

Is there anyone I'm missing?

Of those, anyone have any preference over the other?

Unless there's a bunch of anti-Forster sentiment, I think I could get two forsters for the price of a single Widden, and have them honed ~.001 apart to basically use like you would a bushing die (except without run-out).

Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Whidden never had a problem. Grate people to work with

 

[moondog]

I got a full length bushing sizer from Wilson last year for a 7Saum. Very nice die with one of the best finishes ever. Makes great brass.
I wish they did customs.

 

[moondog]

Per Boyds experience, I sent Hornady brass, and a print to have a sizing Die made for a 6.5x55 GWI yesterday. We will see.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Update for any lurkers following. I'd received my Whidden bushings on Friday and I shot a match today, so I've got some brass to play with.

The Whidden bushings are giving better numbers on average, however still getting the occasional piece that shows .005 TIR after sizing.

Interestingly, the Whidden bushings also seem to size the neck fully (even when setup to float). If not 100%, it's visibly more than the Redding bushings do.

I ran all my fired brass through the AMP in my excitement to try the bushings out, so I'll probably fire 3 pieces of brass out of this rifle tomorrow just to send those off for the custom dies.
.

 

[D-4297]

Mike ; I got a Whidden Custom F/L Bushing Die for my .308 TR and couldn't be happier . The only time I get any T.I.R. run-out is if I have a piece of brass that has a small neck burr on the outside of the neck that I missed when deburring .

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Posting another update for the benefit of those who might come across this in a search years later.

So I did a couple of things. First, I sent some fired brass off to get some custom dies made; I really like this reamer (.180fb / .342nk / 1deg30) and anticipate having a bunch of barrels made off it in the coming years.

Second, I also got proactively impatient at the 11-14 week wait, and ordered a standard Whidden 308 Win bushing die, and I used it for the first time today.

I don't fully understand how it's delivering better results, but it is. Runout appears to be reduced ~30-40% using the exact same Whidden bushing I posted about on 16-Nov, only this time in a Whidden die. As best I can figure, the nut that sits below the stem assembly (the nut bushing backs up to) is machined flatter, and/or itself floats better within the Whidden.

Either way, out of the 40 cases I've done so far, nothing is reading higher than .003 TIR....and I'm content with that. Better numbers than I was getting out of the Type S with either Redding or Whidden bushings.

That probably means the money will be somewhat wasted on a custom die, but whatever...it'll have custom in the name, and that makes me feel special.

Thanks again for the help guys.

 

[mike06]

Posting another update for the benefit of those who might come across this in a search years later.

So I did a couple of things. First, I sent some fired brass off to get some custom dies made; I really like this reamer (.180fb / .342nk / 1deg30) and anticipate having a bunch of barrels made off it in the coming years.

Second, I also got proactively impatient at the 11-14 week wait, and ordered a standard Whidden 308 Win bushing die, and I used it for the first time today.

I don't fully understand how it's delivering better results, but it is. Runout appears to be reduced ~30-40% using the exact same Whidden bushing I posted about on 16-Nov, only this time in a Whidden die. As best I can figure, the nut that sits below the stem assembly (the nut bushing backs up to) is machined flatter, and/or itself floats better within the Whidden.

Either way, out of the 40 cases I've done so far, nothing is reading higher than .003 TIR....and I'm content with that. Better numbers than I was getting out of the Type S with either Redding or Whidden bushings.

That probably means the money will be somewhat wasted on a custom die, but whatever...it'll have custom in the name, and that makes me feel special.

Thanks again for the help guys.

Mike I just got that same 308 FL Bushing Die with Whidden Bushings today. How much are you letting the bushing float?

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Mike I just got that same 308 FL Bushing Die with Whidden Bushings today. How much are you letting the bushing float?

I played with it on my concentricity gauge until they were coming out as straight as I could get them. About 1/16th a turn off if I had to guess.

 

[mike06]

I played with it on my concentricity gauge until they were coming out as straight as I could get them. About 1/16th a turn off if I had to guess.

I also have cases with up to .005 TIR after sizing. I have tried every combination of Redding which here is what I have. Redding Type S FL Bushing Die, Redding Body Die, Redding Micrometer Bushing Neck Die, Forester Bushing Bump Die and now the Whidden FL Bushing Die. The Redding Type S was putting in more run out than anything. Most of my fired cases would have .002 or less run out before resizing. I have a 21st century concentricity gauge to check cases with. I do anneal also. I hope I can get the Whidden to work out very good machine work on the die and bushings. Thanks

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Do you turn the necks with a quality neck turner? If not i suspect theres your runout

 

[mike06]

Do you turn the necks with a quality neck turner? If not i suspect theres your runout

K&M neck turner. Peterson Brass getting close to 50 reloads on it so far.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Can you hear your bushing rattle? Have you flipped it over or tried another one?

 

[mike06]

Can you hear your bushing rattle? Have you flipped it over or tried another one?

Just got the Whidden a few hours ago going to get serious with it in the morning. Tried everything with the other tools. The redding type s fl die put the most run out in after sizing. I have been backing off the bushing nut 1/4 turn.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Just got the Whidden a few hours ago going to get serious with it in the morning. Tried everything with the other tools. The redding type s fl die put the most run out in after sizing. I have been backing off the bushing nut 1/4 turn.

Just back it off far enough to hear the bushing rattle and thats it. The more you back it off the less youll size the neck. Make sure your shellholder is loose in the ram and its not real tight on your case. Sometimes when case heads expand and get tight in the grooves of the shellholder youll get some runout

 

[mike06]

Just back it off far enough to hear the bushing rattle and thats it. The more you back it off the less youll size the neck. Make sure your shellholder is loose in the ram and its not real tight on your case. Sometimes when case heads expand and get tight in the grooves of the shellholder youll get some runout

Thanks Dusty I do float the shellholder but I will check the case head fit closer never thought about that possibility.