Begginers question: does screwing the die deeper in press bumps shoulders more?
- Thread starter siemkapl
- Start date
Here's another trick to determine correct shoulder bump and die setting. Your best gage is the rifle's chamber. Size your piece of brass and chamber. The bolt should close easily. Now put one layer of Scotch tape on the head and trimming carefully, and chamber it again. If the bolt is slightly stiff on close, you've got it just right. If not, repeat with two layers and so on until you've determined just how far you're die is setting the shoulder back.
Obviously, this does not apply to cartridges such as 300 WM that utilizes a belted cartridge design and headspaces off the belt instead of the shoulder.
Obviously, this does not apply to cartridges such as 300 WM that utilizes a belted cartridge design and headspaces off the belt instead of the shoulder.
I have resized tens of thousands of brass for semi auto's bolts etc. I never used any tools to gauge it. all I did was what the instructions for the Lee dies said. on a full upstroke screw the die till it touches the shell holder and back off a half turn never had trouble.
the OP is a regular guy not entering an intergalactical bench rest match so there is no need for him to act like he is making a critical part for the space shuttle. some advice he got might make him buy a shotgun
the OP is a regular guy not entering an intergalactical bench rest match so there is no need for him to act like he is making a critical part for the space shuttle. some advice he got might make him buy a shotgun
okie
Gold $$ Contributor
you two could get a code talking job during war time if you can really grasp the lingo---I never did figure it out....
I know i'll get flamed for this but oh well. A 20 dollar Lee collet neck die and a 30 "ish" dollar redding body die does the trick for me !! Neck size until you get a stiff bolt closure on fired brass and when you do, then run your brass through the body die to bump the shoulder a couple thou. It really works for me and trimming is almost non existent. Eric Cortina will tell you different 
It ain’t easy
FL Dies adjusted as per your method (instructions) size the brass below SAAMI minimum dimensions. You have bumped the shoulder as far as it should ever need to go. Adjusting the die for more cam over is just going to stress your press.
As for group size? Way to many variables to weigh in. But it does sound like your working the crap out of you brass FL resizing after every firing.
As for group size? Way to many variables to weigh in. But it does sound like your working the crap out of you brass FL resizing after every firing.
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If you setup Lee dies by the instructions , you are way over sizing your brass... I got some .223 dies from them when I first started and I can't remember how much it was resizing but it was so much I threw those cases away and just marked it up to learning... You will end up with case head separation..I have resized tens of thousands of brass for semi auto's bolts etc. I never used any tools to gauge it. all I did was what the instructions for the Lee dies said. on a full upstroke screw the die till it touches the shell holder and back off a half turn never had trouble.
the OP is a regular guy not entering an intergalactical bench rest match so there is no need for him to act like he is making a critical part for the space shuttle. some advice he got might make him buy a shotgun
never happened in 35 years. you better check your chamber dimensions
danny
Silver $$ Contributor
Well.....not necessecarily so. Many times I have set up a die in the standard way to touch the shellholder, then a bit more, with the result that when you actually size brass, you put a load on the press, flexing it, then you end up seeing daylight between the shellholder and die, or you find cartridge length issues.
Danny
danny
Silver $$ Contributor
I have resized tens of thousands of brass for semi auto's bolts etc. I never used any tools to gauge it. all I did was what the instructions for the Lee dies said. on a full upstroke screw the die till it touches the shell holder and back off a half turn never had trouble.
the OP is a regular guy not entering an intergalactical bench rest match so there is no need for him to act like he is making a critical part for the space shuttle. some advice he got might make him buy a shotgun
That is ok......as long as he is not turned to......
GOLF
Danny
Not chamber , measure from ogive on the shoulder to the case head with a comparator... Both before and after re-sizing... Not just Lee dies , rcbs etc... They have you set them up per instructions which is made to chamber in any rifle instead of the minimum... They get tired of answering the phone if not... We try and setup the dies to only resize or bump the shoulder .001-.002 for bolt guns and .003-.004 for automatic...
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it takes a lot of balls to play golf the way I do
anytime I saw guys do that they had chambering problems with standard brass which can vary in dimensions. I realize for ultra precision shooting you have to take those steps
what a sweetie
This is a great way to do it if you don't want to buy a comparator and don't mind checking each piece in your rifle.
This is the most accurate way of sizing your brass. If you just pick up a piece and bump the shoulder 0.002, you might just have grabbed a piece that didn't need it and now it's a little short. I always set my die based on what chambers smoothly, then measure with my comparator to get a number for the rest.
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