Are Custom FL Sizing dies really custom?

[ELR Harry]

I do not have any FL custom sizing dies but like the idea and want some made for a couple different cartridges. I can send twice or three times fired brass as is required but i can also measure the dims myself accurately to a half thou. I neck turn brass to a specific thickness so variations from different brass manufacturers is a non issue. Knowing what the dims of my chamber are by using a chamber cast or adding a thou to 2-3 times fired brass(close enough) can i request the die be made with specific dims?

I would like the custom die to size down the body (shoulder and web to chamber) clearance to .002 or maybe .003, might decide later after testing that .004 is best....probably not .004 but want that option. For example, if my chamber is .464 at the shoulder and the web is .475, can the dies be made to size the shoulder .462 and web .473...or any other clearance i want?

I have reamers and access to a lathe and could make my own, but for various reasons i may want a little more body to chamber clearance than the reamers will cut...and i cannot heat treat/anneal correctly because i do not have an oven.

i ask this because i have heard some "Custom FL dies" are pre-made based off SAAMI dims and we never really know what they will size the brass to until we actually use them....is this true or can they really be made to any spec i want?

 

[BoydAllen]

Send brass that is work hardened and has bee fired with a hot load, tell the manufacturer what you want in the way of reduction. Get an email response that they have agreed to do that. Deal with people who have top reputations. Hornady has done an excellent job for several friends who are picky. Jones dies are truly custom and offer some design advantages. I believe that you can have a die TIN coated, as a substitute for heat treating. There are several sources for die blanks. To get the bore of the blank properly indicated something like this may be helpful. Obviously you would need to protect the die blank.

 

[Stumpy1]

I will probably get flak for this, but unless you own your own reamer(s), a custom die will only be custom for that chamber on that barrel. Even then, the ability of your gunsmith to cut a good chamber, repeatedly, will make or break that custom reamer idea.

Just my $0.00000002, and worth everything you are paying for it.

Frank

 

[DaveTooley]

Back when I was building a lot of 1K BR rifles I ordered reamers in sets. Chamber and resize and made dies to go with the rifle. In hindsight I got away with a lot. Good consistent brass from one manufacture made it work. That was with a lot of wildcats. These days I stick with SAAMI bodies so off the shelf dies will work. I've never been beaten by a custom die. YMMV

 

[ELR Harry]

Thanks Guys
Frank, i chamber my barrels on a 1960's LeBlond

Boyd, i bet that fixture you made for indicating is fast. takes me forever to indicate to a couple tenths with just the old 4 jaw.

i want the custom FL dies because i would like to save some time. getting really tired of bumping shoulders and neck sizing with the Forster BB Die because i have to stop every so often to clean wax off the bushing so it keeps floating. My reamers have only seen a couple barrels so far and i will be using them until i (hopefully)go that great shooting range in the sky! Anyway, i know that a tight body fit to chamber is KEY in getting low SD and ES so a custom die with no bushing and min clearance in all dims based on my reamers seems the best way to go...

 

[TTE]

Are Custom FL Sizing dies really custom?​

IMO .... depends on who makes them

 

[ISS]

Despite the cost today; I still order reamers in sets of two. Like Dave Tooley said, finish and rough ream.

I used to have a local smith do all my work, and he would also make me reloading dies. These days, bushing dies eliminate that need.

IMHO; YMMV,

Rich

 

[ronemus]

I use Hornady custom sizing dies, but only change the neck ID, expander OD, and freebore. I use custom chamber reamers with SAAMI body dimensions, but reduce the neck ID so the brass isn't overworked. I neck turn and use 0.004" total clearance. I use an expander of bullet diameter or very slightly less as this give maximum bullet retention without using bullets as expanders (steel is much tougher than lead/copper).

This is possible because I control both the chamber and die dimensions, so life is simple. If you use factory chambers or a gunsmith's reamers, then every barrel is different and you'd need a die for each. I shoot enough volume that I rebarrel frequently, so using custom reamers simplifies my life.

 

[NorCalMikie]

If a die is cut to your brass specs, It's CUSTOM!!
Just like reamers. Dummy round sent, reamer cut to THOSE specs. That's custom meaning, you probably won't find another EXACTLY like it. Maybe close but no cigar.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

The problem with making dies is that every combo is different. The BR guys started the "custom" die thing and figured out what works a long time ago but the problem is that only applies to those cartridges. A lot of companies just make the resize reamer or die a set number smaller, so say .003" or .004" smaller than the chamber. Well that will work with some cases but I really learned a lot playing with my 338 Lapua imp and Norma imp. I had those reamers reground a bunch of times. Even the brand of brass makes a difference. Say a 7 saum, I would not spec the resize reamer the same for ADG as I would for Norma. Dies are actually a big PITA unless you get really specific to the cartridge and brass. Ill say to error small, you can always polish it out.