Forster bushing bump dies

[lurcher]

Just wondering how these dies have worked out for people, don't hear much about them.

How many times are you able to bump the shoulder without sizing the rest of the case before the case needs true full length sizing?

Are there issues with bulging the shoulder and creating cases that won't chamber?

Can you use these dies without a bushing to merely bump the shoulder and do nothing else if you are sizing with a lee collet neck die?

 

[Laurie]

Just wondering how these dies have worked out for people, don't hear much about them.

Very well - I use them in both .308 and .223 F/TR rifles with minimum SAAMI chambers and like them very much.

How many times are you able to bump the shoulder without sizing the rest of the case before the case needs true full length sizing?

In both rifles, I'll retire the [Lapua] brass from competition use after five or six loadings without ever having FL resized it. The .223 cases get a little tight in the lower body after a few firings seeing a little extra effort needed on the top of the bolt handle upward throw. If I were shooting in bench rest or similar I'd FL size, but it's not an issue in deliberate prone rifle.

Are there issues with bulging the shoulder and creating cases that won't chamber?

No - neither problem nor in either cartridge. The die works like a normal FL sizer in the way it pushes the shoulder back if needed, so it shouldn't cause any problem. What it doesn't do of course is push the shoulder position forward before returning it as happens in an FL die that is also reducing the case-body diameter, so the brass is barely worked. I lightly lube the neck and shoulder with Imperial sizer die wax and virtually no effort is needed to size a case.

Can you use these dies without a bushing to merely bump the shoulder and do nothing else if you are sizing with a lee collet neck die?

I've never done this but the answer would be 'yes', and applies to the use of any bushing equipped FL or shoulder bump die. I would buy a dedicated body die though rather than the bushing bump type if looking to use it for case-body control with the Lee Collett or other purely neck-sizer.

Incidentally those considering the Forster Bushing-Bump should note that it comes without an expander ball, so needs very consistent neck thickness, ideally turned necks. If this doesn't apply, an expander should be obtained and used as in the Redding 'S' Type FL bushing sizer otherwise neck thickness inconsistencies are transferred to the inside surfaces of the case neck and the bullet is pushed into a slightly out of the round hole.

Laurie,
York, England

 

[NorCalMikie]

The Forster BB die is the only die that I use on my 6BR, 22BR and my Wildcat 6.8 BR. An extra set of bushings will allow you to size anything in the BR family. Next on the list is bushings for the 7mmBR and 30 BR.
I've used it without a bushing installed to bump shoulders as needed. Body die maybe every 3 or 4 firings or whenever the case starts getting snug when closing the bolt.

 

[XTR]

Can you use these dies without a bushing to merely bump the shoulder and do nothing else if you are sizing with a lee collet neck die?

This is what I do for my F-TR .308 loads. I'm not willing to get into neck turning so I bump the shoulders with the Forster and then run them through a Lee collet. So far it's working for me shooting 800-1000. I lose a lot of points but it's almost never up and down.

 

[Laurie]

The Forster BB die is the only die that I use on my 6BR, 22BR and my Wildcat 6.8 BR. [NorCalMikie]

Mikie,

off topic, but how does the 6.8 BR work out? (And what do use it on?) I've always been intrigued by smaller case .270s ever since I read P.O.Ackley's fulsome praise of the .270-08, about the only standard calibre .308W based wildcat never adopted as a factory number. I have a 6.8mm Rem SPC AR15 (manually operated as gas-guns are 'prohibited weapons' here), but have yet to get around to doing any load development for it. A BR in the calibre looks an interesting proposition, unfortunately a bit limited thanks to the shortage of bullet designs for things other than purely hunting.

Laurie,
York, England

 

[ReedG]

Will the 6BR Forster die accept a 30BR case? My Redding's will not.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Reed: The 30 caliber neck "will not" fit in the Forster BB die. I just tried a .06 and the hole is too small. My thinking is if it was machined larger (the neck hole) it would work with no problem. It works on my 6.8 BR.

Laurie:
Just sent you a PM with details on my 6.8 BR Wildcat.
Just need more load work and trigger time. It's just for bench shooting but it would make a pretty good hunting rig.
Not much in the way of recoil, easy on brass and down right accurate. (for an oddball 8))

 

[amamnn]

I had a 30 BR bump die made by Forster. They also now offer bushings that work with the thinner Lapua neck walls currently made. I was surprised at how fast they had the die made and shipped--the price was not bad, either. Maybe by now they have that die in the regular inventory.

 

[ReedG]

Thanks for the info. Guess I'm a stingy old Yankee, but I call "twice the price of the die plus shipping and handling" a little steep to ream out a hole in the neck that will accept a 30-cal. neck. That's $76 x 2 = $152 plus $12-$15 for shipping. More than a three-die set from Redding. I'll have to ponder on that ...

 

[NorCalMikie]

The chamber in the dies "can" be scratched so my guess is that they arn't handened so I'am thinking the neck area could be drilled? Wouldn't take too much to open them up to take a .30 caliber case neck. And larger ID bushings would still fit. Might give it a try on mine and see how it works out.
Be just like running a case into the die without a bushing.

 

[ReedG]

I may buy the 6BR and try that with my mini-lathe. I like the .001 shoulder bump.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Sounds like a plan. Be interesting to see how you make out. Maybe even a small reamer to open up the hole?

 

[ReedG]

Well, now I'm even more disappointed. Appears only Forster bushings will work in their die and they don't offer anything less than .330". My chamber is a .330" neck and I need .326 and .327 bushings. I'll get by with the Redding's for now. Too bad.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Reed: You mentioned a "mini- lathe"? Redding bushings measure .500 and Forster bushings measure .490. How bout chucking one up and taking a little off the OD with a fine stone? The Forster bushing is a little longer than the Redding but it looks like the upper part of the die stem will go down far enough to contact the bushing? Check it out.

 

[amamnn]

As regards bushings for the 30BR:
Forster Bushings are available down to .323" You may need to try a different supplier or buy direct. I wanted to special order some as the Forster inventory of bushings only went down to .326" last year. I was told that the new, smaller bushings would be available as regular inventory if I waited. I waited. I have them. I ordered mine through Graf and Sons, where apparently they are not stocked, but can be ordered.


http://www.forsterproducts.com/categoryShopping.asp?category=22511&catid=19938

 

[ReedG]

Thanks for that info amamnn ... I couldn't find them listed on Midway or Graf but can see them listed at Forster.