How to set back shoulder more

[Bulseyetom]

I have a 6x47 Lapua that my Redding Body Die is not quite setting the shoulder back far enough. Is the easiest fix to mill some off of the shellholder? How would you go about that, take it to a machine shop or just file some off in a vise as you would adjust the die in the press to meet your requirements without the shellholder touching the die, or am I missing something. Thanks, Tom

 

[Johnboy]

someone makes a set of shell holdes that comes in increments.I think its Redding but not sure.

 

[Mikem]

If you don't have much to take off, get a piece of wet or dry paper, put it down on a flat surface, and sand the top of the shell holder down. Its vary hard to file it down even.
You might just try placing a shim under the brass case head in the shell holder before you size it, this will also do the trick.
M.

 

[BHarvey]

Run into that a few times myself. Used a lathe to turn some off the end of the die, actually too much off the end, then use feeler gauges to set up the proper length. It is more common than you think with tight chambers and saami spec dies.

 

[fdshuster]

Had the same problem with one of my 223 case head size shell holders. A machinest friend put it in his surface grinder (they are very hard), and took off .010". End of problem. Proving all shell holders are not created equal: some may be thicker than others.

 

[Bulseyetom]

I broke out my 60's vintage Herter's Turret Press and with that combination of shellholder and pure brute strength of the Herter's tool, I can set the shoulder back .002 with the shellholder just touching and allowing the handle to cam over. I should probably get another shell holder and have .010 removed as suggested but it was good to use the old press again! Thanks to all and have a Merry Christmas. Tom

 

[Mikem]

For my BR dies, I use the Forester "neck bushing, shoulder bump die", with them you can move the shoulder back all you want.
But on my 22 and 6MM BR brass, I have it set to bump the shoulder back .0015" with every neck sizing, just enough to make the bolt close smooth.
For other calibers, I have used the wet or dry sand paper, on the shell holder, not the die. It will take off .001 in no time, then you need to mark them as special.
M.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Tom: If a drill press is available for you to use, chuck a shell holder in it, run it down on a well oiled sharpening stone. Just touch it a few times and it's done. Looks like a machined finish and you can take off as much or as little as you want.
Mark it so you don't get it mixed up with the regular shell holder. Measure before and after so you'll know how much metal you removed.

 

[Bulseyetom]

Mikem, is the Forrester die set up so that the shell holder never touches the die like most other dies do? I found that I lack .002 with my standard Shellholder so I think I will try the drill press trick. I should really buy a full lenght bushing die one of these days as after shooting 6 ppc in benchrest for awhile I discovered that I was full length sizing every time anyway and soon retired my Wilson neck die.l Thanks guys and have a merry xmas! Tom ;D

 

[Mikem]

Tom,
If you going to buy a new die, look at that Forester neck bushing, shoulder bump die. It doesn't touch the shell holder, nor does it body size the case. So about ever 5 or 6 reloads, I run them in a Redding body only die, it does nothing but squeeze down the case body, as much or as little as you wont. There's not much to the Redding body die, so there not expensive, plus they work on all BR cases. So do the Forester neck bushing shoulder bump die, just order the bushing caliber you wont. I re-size the necks on both 22BR and 6BR with the same die, just the neck bushing is different.
N.C. Mikie above does the same thing. ;D
Mike.

 

[Joe O]

Mike,if you were loading 20BR,how would you form,and with what dies?

 

[NorCalMikie]

Joe: If you going to neck down BR cases to 20, use a "full length" die to do it. After that and from then on, we (Mikem and I both) use the Forster Precision Bushing Bump die to do the neck size. After 4 or 5 firings we might use a body die to bring the case body down. Depends on how snug the case is in the chamber. I've never tried it but if you neck down with a bushing die, you'll need to do it in 2 or 3 steps. Someone else might have better luck necking down with bushings?? Mikem uses a Forster Co Ax press and I use a RCBS Rockchucker. He can tell you more about the Co Ax. (Mike)

 

[Mikem]

As far as setting the die to touch the shell holder, it will. I use the optional regular shell holder adaptor, not Foresters auto holder, but the press works just like any other. The lower you set the die in its lock ring, the closer it will come to bottoming out. In fact on F.L. Dies, I set them to touch and cam over a little.
The Co-Ax comes with there auto shell holder, and its great if you change calibers a lot. But if you do mostly one case size, like BR brass, Forester make an adapter to except any shell holder. And using it has no effect on the accuracy of the brass sizing, as the die still floats into alignment as normal.
I think .250 is the industry standard for shell holder thickness, but there must be a + or - in there someplace.
Mike.

 

[Mikem]

Joe, I think Mikie is correct, in recommending using a F.L. sizing die to neck down to 20BR, and a bushing die after that.
As with all neck sizing dies, at some point you will need to body size or F.L. size to get the case body slimmer, and of course this amount all depends on your chamber.
Mikies and My's brass prep plan is to have the case a nice snug fit in the chamber, and when resizing we try to move the brass as little as possible, for long brass life. And it must works, we get about 15 reloads (estimate) before the primer pocket gets loose, but we seldom have a neck split, and never a body crack on Lapua BR brass.
Mike.

 

[Joe O]

20BR from 6BR dies

Looks like I'll need three dies to form and load the 20BR cases,not including the seating die,which it appears the Hornady 204 seating die will work for the 20BR.
The tec at Redding said,"first a 20br trim/form die,followed by a 20BR FL die,and possibly stepping down the neck in increments with bushings in a 22BR neck die.My guess that all the BR neck bushing dies had the same body size was not the case(PUN),as the bushings set lower in the body of the die as the caliber increased.I don't understand all I know about this.I do load now with a forster bump shoulder neck bushing die for my 204,and have a redding S, bump shoulder,neck bushing die for my 243AI(still waiting),plus a redding body die(in case I need it).

 

[NorCalMikie]

Joe: Necking down a 6mmBR case to 22BR in a full length die is real easy. I'am guessing that going to 20 BR would be about the same. Just be sure you use lots of Imperial case lube. Someone that's gone down to 20 BR from 6mm should know more about it.