best dies for arbor press

[Performance Shooting]

who makes the best full length re-sizing dies for arbor style presses?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Nobody. If somebody does, they shouldnt. Just neck sizing on an arbor press is pretty much impossible.

 

[Falfan2017]

I’m not aware of any. Arbor presses dont have the shell holder required to pull the cartridge back out of the full length sizing die.

 

[okshooter]

The closest I know of is Neil Jones makes a sizing die that will size the neck and bump the shoulder, but it does not size the body of the case.

I don't know why Dusty says it's 'pretty much impossible' to neck size with an arbor press. Maybe your press is not heavy duty enough, but I have neck sized (and shoulder bumped with the one Neil Jones die I have) thousands of rounds without any issue.

To Falfan2017's comment, you don't need a shell holder to pull the case back out of the die. The decapping pin pushes it out.

The entire process is: Put the case in the die and use the arbor press to press it down into the die until the base is flush with the die. Turn the die over and press the decapping pin into the die until the case is extracted and the primer is pushed out. Depending on primer pocket tension and case friction, either could happen first, but the die base is designed to catch the case and allow the primer to still be removed.

Keith

 

[Falfan2017]

The closest I know of is Neil Jones makes a sizing die that will size the neck and bump the shoulder, but it does not size the body of the case.

I don't know why Dusty says it's 'pretty much impossible' to neck size with an arbor press. Maybe your press is not heavy duty enough, but I have neck sized (and shoulder bumped with the one Neil Jones die I have) thousands of rounds without any issue.

To Falfan2017's comment, you don't need a shell holder to pull the case back out of the die. The decapping pin pushes it out.

The entire process is: Put the case in the die and use the arbor press to press it down into the die until the base is flush with the die. Turn the die over and press the decapping pin into the die until the case is extracted and the primer is pushed out. Depending on primer pocket tension and case friction, either could happen first, but the die base is designed to catch the case and allow the primer to still be removed.

Keith

I’m talking about full length sizing you’d want a shell holder. There’s a lot more friction involved in removing brass from a fl sizer than from a neck or bump sizer

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I don’t do any sizing on an arbor press. Only seating. Nobody makes FL sizing Inline dies because there is no good way to extract the case from the die.

You can neck size but that’s about it. But since no serious shooter would recommend only neck sizing, there’s no sense in doing that on an arbor.

Just get a nice custom FL threaded die and throw it in a good ram style press. My FL sized cases in an old RCBS Rockchucker press with Whidden custom FL dies have virtually zero runout.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Heres the press youd need to fl zize with an inline die.

 

[chop house]

Heres the press youd need

funny. but i didn't picture you as a harbor freight sort of guy.....

 

[bozo699]

I don’t do any sizing on an arbor press. Only seating. Nobody makes FL sizing Inline dies because there is no good way to extract the case from the die.

You can neck size but that’s about it. But since no serious shooter would recommend only neck sizing, there’s no sense in doing that on an arbor.

Just get a nice custom FL threaded die and throw it in a good ram style press. My FL sized cases in an old RCBS Rockchucker press with Whidden custom FL dies have virtually zero runout.

So very well put and spot on!...
Wayne

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Heres the press youd need to fl zize with an inline die. View attachment 1201927

LOL!

 

[Performance Shooting]

Why is everyone so butt hurt about neck sizing!? I've done it both ways and cant see any difference on paper

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Why is everyone so butt hurt about neck sizing!? I've done it both ways and cant see any difference on paper

You won’t at first. Keep shooting those neck sized case enough times and they start chambering hard. Then you’ll need to FL size and they may shoot a bit differently. So if a person will eventually have to FL size anyhow, there’s no sense in neck sizing. Been there done that.

And FL sizing is the ONLY way to ensure your case capacity remains as close to identical with every round every time. Consistency is key.

 

[INTJ]

Why is everyone so butt hurt about neck sizing!? I've done it both ways and cant see any difference on paper

FL sizing LR BR rounds with .002-.003" of shoulder bump as well as running .003"-.004" of neck clearance results in smaller groups. You get to size rounds the same way every time, never have any sticky extraction, and the cases last a long time.

 

[Performance Shooting]

You won’t at first. Keep shooting those neck sized case enough times and they start chambering hard. Then you’ll need to FL size and they may shoot a bit differently. So if a person will eventually have to FL size anyhow, there’s no sense in neck sizing. Been there done that.

And FL sizing is the ONLY way to ensure your case capacity remains as close to identical with every round every time. Consistency is key.

That all makes sense to me, why did all the old school bench rest guys say that neck sizing was more accurate?

 

[rkittine]

When I started loading in the 60s, the trend was fire form to your chamber and then neck size only. Probably still works for a few reloadings only, but as pointed out they get hard to get out of the chamber. I guess full length sizing is just another of those consistencies we look for when shooting long range.

Bob

 

[Ledd Slinger]

That all makes sense to me, why did all the old school bench rest guys say that neck sizing was more accurate?

Because that was old school train of thought. They also used to shoot 308 Baer and 6.5-284 rifles. Knowledge has evolved and they all know now that smaller 6mm rounds and FL sizing is the only way to be competitive at 600 and 1K. I don’t know a lot of BR shooters, but I’ve met a good amount over the years and there isn’t a single one of them that neck sizes cases these days.

I used to neck size myself thinking it was the way to go. Wasn’t until I went to a 1K BR shoot many years ago where I learned the error of my ways.

 

[okshooter]

I’m talking about full length sizing you’d want a shell holder. There’s a lot more friction involved in removing brass from a fl sizer than from a neck or bump sizer

While I have never done it (because nobody makes a FL inline sizing die) the physics of getting a case into and out of the die doesn't change whether you are using a threaded die or inline. Given the same mechanical advantage in an arbor press as a standard press, pushing on the case from the inside or pulling on the rim, the effort required will be the same because the force required will be the same.

This would work easily even if my Sinclair or 21st century (both designed for seating) didn't.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

While I have never done it (because nobody makes a FL inline sizing die) the physics of getting a case into and out of the die doesn't change whether you are using a threaded die or inline. Given the same mechanical advantage in an arbor press as a standard press, pushing on the case from the inside or pulling on the rim, the effort required will be the same because the force required will be the same.

This would work easily even if my Sinclair or 21st century (both designed for seating) didn't.

yeah but you wouldn’t want to be pressing on the flash hole of a case with a small rod using the same force. And an arbor press does not offer the same mechanical leverage advantage as a ram press so the force required from the ‘user’ to dislodge a case from a FL die with an arbor press would be much greater

 

[RegionRat]

The old Lee Handloader set works with a small mallet and can be made to work with an arbor press, but that is crude work.

I still have all my Lee sets for sentimental reasons, but I only pull them out to demonstrate them for the kids. The straightwall cartridge sets seem to be a novelty with young kids and they get a kick out of loading and shooting the ammo in the same sitting. I guess it kind of reminds them of the old black powder days... It makes for a fun afternoon while camping out and teaching them to tie knots and start fires and such.

 

[Fuj]

The typical arbor press used by the Precision guy's will not
have enough snot for FL sizing. However I had a 30 ton
Greenered I picked up at auction for my old tool shop. The
old gent that had it was doing 50 cal Ma Deuce cases, and his
youngest son was crushing beer cans. Could still smell the
Schlitz the old guy was drinking.