20 VarTarg initial sizing question. "Update"

[ARW]

I am looking for some help with a question about the initial sizing of Lapua 221 Fireball brass to 20 VarTarg.

Will a Redding type S FL sizing die work to size the 221 brass down to 20 caliber without any issues or should I get a non bushing die to do the initial sizing.

Thanks

 

[L.Sherm]

Bushing die will work just fine, ive had no problem anyway

 

[ARW]

Bushing die will work just fine, ive had no problem anyway

I was hoping it would but I was not sure.

Thank you

 

[JSH]

I had to cam over my RC press on the die to do a complete FL sizing.
Make sure and check your brass with your rifle.
My die may have backed off when I was forming brass? But I had about 70 that would not chamber, and loaded. I got lucky and the loaded ammo would fit the S die with bushing removed and bump the shoulder, thank goodness. Would rather be lucky than good, I was not looking forward to pulling that many bullets.

 

[ARW]

Bushing die will work just fine, ive had no problem anyway

When you size the cases down, do you do it with or without a bushing in the die ?

Thanks

 

[L.Sherm]

When you size the cases down, do you do it with or without a bushing in the die ?

Thanks

With a bushing

 

[Bill K]

Bushing die works just fine, step the neck down using one to two bushings.

 

[ARW]

I have some follow up info. about my sizing question.

I used my new Redding 20 VarTarg type S FL sizing die to size my Lapua 221FB brass down to 20 VarTarg.
I used a .227 bushing to size it down and noticed I was getting small brass shavings inside my die and also on the outside of the necks on the brass.

I called Redding and spoke with one of their technicians and explained what was happening to him.
He recommended I buy a non bushing die to size my brass down or something else I could do, was to use my 221FB Redding FL type S bushing die and use a bushing that I had for the 20 VarTarg. I decide to go with the latter and I again used the .227 bushing and it worked like a charm. No brass shavings at all.

Just thought I would pass this on.

 

[SmokinJoe]

FWIW, I get and use standard (non-bushing) dies whenever I can if I am doing any sort of forming like this instance of making 20VT from 221FB. Not absolutely necessary , as many do it with bushing dies, but it makes life a little easier and if you ever have to go back and turn the necks the standard FL die works better for that, too.

 

[JSH]

I have some follow up info. about my sizing question.

I used my new Redding 20 VarTarg type S FL sizing die to size my Lapua 221FB brass down to 20 VarTarg.
I used a .227 bushing to size it down and noticed I was getting small brass shavings inside my die and also on the outside of the necks on the brass.

I called Redding and spoke with one of their technicians and explained what was happening to him.
He recommended I buy a non bushing die to size my brass down or something else I could do, was to use my 221FB Redding FL type S bushing die and use a bushing that I had for the 20 VarTarg. I decide to go with the latter and I again used the .227 bushing and it worked like a charm. No brass shavings at all.

Just thought I would pass this on.

My die die the same thing. There is a sharp edge in the die. A tapered dowel rod, some lapping compound and spin the die body and problem solved.

 

[L.Sherm]

Sounds like the 20VT die squeezes the body more than the 221 Lapua die.

 

[JSH]

221 Lapua brass is a bit different from what I have heard.

221 brass into a 221 FL die will size the neck down some, but the 20VT die was still skimming the neck. There is a burr at the neck shoulder transformation on some, just did another one this past week.
It will scrape the neck just enough to shave some and make a mess between the lube and the shavings.
A 221S die with a smaller bushing would fix the scraping. But, The shoulder still needed to be bumped on my 20VT to get it to chamber.

I won’t go into what I did when I made brass from 222, cutting to length,trimming, FL sizing, going over a mandrel to neck turn then sizing again for proper neck tension. A lot of work for sure, I used some equipment that had not seen daylight for a while and got my neck turning skills honed again. Lol, actually skim turned 6,22 and 20 BR just because I could.

 

[L.Sherm]

221 Lapua brass is a bit different from what I have heard.

I believe 221 Lapua brass is .375 at the .200 line and Remington is .372.
My guess is Redding 20VT dies are set up for Remington brass.