First time loading/shooting a ladder today.

[Field_2_Fork]

Dose a bullet slide freely into a fired case? If so your chamber neck maybe around.298 or.299 from your fired case measurements.. Compare that to the loaded neck OD. Should get you close. It looks like a .298 neck is standard spec.

Finally had a chance to look at this again, here's what I found, these are OD measurements with calipers which is all I have at the moment. I could borrow a Mitutoyo mic from work, but it has flat bases.
Sinclair mandrel: .293
New brass neck: 0.290
After sizing mandrel:0.294
Loaded neck:0.294 (that is 140VLDH and 140 SMK)
Fired neck: 0.297

It is dificult to push a bullet into a fired case, feels like the resistance is right at the case mouth. Once you force it in it moves about easier.

Also I'm having a hard time understanding the sized neck and loaded neck being the same. A sinclair sizing mandrel leaving me with zero neck tension???

Much appreciation for the help.

 

[Field_2_Fork]

In addition to trying to solve the clicker issue (measured data in above post) I'm needing to figure out what size bushing to order for the Redding type S die. I've never used a bushing die before.

Do I need to get this neck issue figured out first, ie. do I have a tight neck in the chamber?

 

[swimster]

To me it sounds like your chamber and loaded neck diameter should be good. Assuming your cases are chamfered and reamed could it be. The Overall case length is to long or the chamber is a bit short. Just throwing out some suggestions. Good luck.

 

[Bc'z]

In addition to trying to solve the clicker issue (measured data in above post) I'm needing to figure out what size bushing to order for the Redding type S die. I've never used a bushing die before.

Do I need to get this neck issue figured out first, ie. do I have a tight neck in the chamber?

With my hornady and norma brass I have bushings from .286 thru .291.
You'll want to have multiple sizes to address neck tension tests with various bullets.
It truly does matter!!

 

[RegionRat]

Agree with @Bc'z best to get your bushings and mandrels ahead of time to keep all your options open.

To get the approximate bushing diameter for a given brass batch, you seat a bullet and then subtract 0.002" from that OD. Keep in mind sometimes it takes a step up of down on your bushings or mandrels to arrive at the neck tension and seating force that works best for you.

I don't like getting stuck or stopped, so if I seat a bullet and discover a drift in the seating force, I go back and change something till I get back to where the tune was happy.

 

[Field_2_Fork]

To me it sounds like your chamber and loaded neck diameter should be good. Assuming your cases are chamfered and reamed could it be. The Overall case length is to long or the chamber is a bit short. Just throwing out some suggestions. Good luck.

I appreciate it. I put a fired case in and had a look with the Teslong, case was well short. In fact I believe I saw the start of the dreaded carbon ring already. I'd post a pic but I can't find a decent app to run the camera.