Bushing dies...worth it???

[Buzzsaw]

I'm having a 7WSM being built on a Stiller Predator action screwed into a Broughton 1-9 26" barrel. Standard chambering, no- turn neck. What are the advantages of using a Redding bushing die sizer over a Redding "competition" F.L. sizer??
Buzzsaw

 

[skipper]

Once a case is fire formed by your rifle, it is custom fitted to your particular rifle. By FL sizing over and over you ruin that custom fit and over-work harden the case, shortening its life. By just neck sizing you preserve the custom fit and extend the case life.

With a bushing neck sizing die you can vary your neck tension to fine tune your load. With a standard FL die you don't have control over neck tension. Some of my loads work better with a little more or a little less neck tension.

 

[357Mag]

Buz -

In comparing a bushing neck die to a FL die w/o bushing provision, the bushing neck die provides more flexibility.

Whether your brass has "turned " necks or not, bushing neck dies allow one to change bushing sizes, thereby providing ability to "tweak" or fine-tune your neck tension.

In accuracy load development, this is one more cog in the wheel.
Proper neck bushing use can help shrink group size, rifle and shooter otherwise capable ) on par with similar benefit seen from primer change.

For a great two-for-one deal... get a combo " shoulder bump / bushing neck size " die.
For these, I go w/ Hornady's " Custom Grade New-Dimension "
die. I ask Lonnie Hummel there, to set up the die to accept more-common Wilson bushings.

I don't even FL size anymore, only shoulder bump / neck size.
No use of "body die", either; at ;least not w/ my wildcats.

Best of luck in your endeavors.

Regards,
357Mag

 

[Winchester69]

For a great two-for-one deal... get a combo " shoulder bump / bushing neck size " die.
For these, I go w/ Hornady's " Custom Grade New-Dimension "
die. I ask Lonnie Hummel there, to set up the die to accept more-common Wilson bushings.

What modifications are necessary? My understanding has been that Redding, Wilson, and Hornady bushings are interchangeable.

 

[357Mag]

Win -
Hornady told me their neck bushings were proprietary.
Looking at a side cut-away view of their bushing neck die,
there appears,to me ) to be an extra lip on one side of the bushing. Wilson bushings do not have this lip.
Net effect of this "lip"....... UNK.

What's involved in setting up their die for a Wilson style bushing ? Some staight-forward machining.

Price that Hornady asked to do the work was so minor, as to scarcely warrant mention.

I live about 6mi from Sinclairs, so use of Wilson bushings always made sense; for my applications.

Again, I'm relating what I was told by Hornady; a few years ago.
I've had a couple of these done, already.

Hope this helps.

357Mag

 

[Spotcheck_Billy]

Has anyone tried the relatively new Forster neck bushing/shoulder bump dies? Opinions please!

 

[Turk1961]

Anyone used them yet? I too would like to know about the new Forster dies.