Most consistent/accurate sizing die?

[Matt_3479]

So I’ve always used redding type s full length sizing die with good results. I got myself a 223 last year and while at the store the guy told me the new hornady dies produce awesome results, figured I’d give it a go. Well I’m resizing brass with a .004-.006 thou variation in shoulder bump and .004 thou roughly in trim due to the shoulder datum line being different.

so naturally I’m going get a new die, but I’m curious as to what seems to produce the best results?

 

[243Lapua]

You would have to go custom, as in a custom die. I myself went that route when I started shooting benchrest.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Are you saying that the Hornady dies are out of spec? Are these the Match Dies? I was considering those as a change up from my Hornady standard set - which seems to do a reasonable job on 223 ( but I don't use the expander button- a mandrel instead)

 

[Clancy]

Forster makes a very good die. I would argue their FL dies are better than Redding’s.

For $150-$200 you can have a die made that matches your chamber perfectly. Whidden does this. All you need is 3 fired cases and some patience.

 

[243Lapua]

Nope, I'm not saying the dies are out of spec. I meant that have a gunsmith make you a custom die. Usually Redding has giving me good results on my other calibers. Could be your brass is springy.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Get a whidden

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Nope, I'm not saying the dies are out of spec. I meant that have a gunsmith make you a custom die. Usually Redding has giving me good results on my other calibers. Could be your brass is springy.

Sorry - replying to the original poster, asking why he is having problem with the dies.

 

[Drop Port]

So I’ve always used redding type s full length sizing die with good results. I got myself a 223 last year and while at the store the guy told me the new hornady dies produce awesome results, figured I’d give it a go. Well I’m resizing brass with a .004-.006 thou variation in shoulder bump and .004 thou roughly in trim due to the shoulder datum line being different.

so naturally I’m going get a new die, but I’m curious as to what seems to produce the best results?

The interior dimension of the die does not change, if you are getting .004 - .006 variation in shoulder bump I would be looking at the press consistency and more likely the die expander ball banging the crap out of your necks. I would bet if you remove the ball, bump would be consistent,

 

[Mark W]

The interior dimension of the die does not change, if you are getting .004 - .006 variation in shoulder bump I would be looking at the press consistency and more likely the die expander ball banging the crap out of your necks. I would bet if you remove the ball, bump would be consistent,

Exactly! Work hardened brass that isn’t being properly annealed will also cause inconsistent sizing in my experience.

 

[Matt_3479]

The interior dimension of the die does not change, if you are getting .004 - .006 variation in shoulder bump I would be looking at the press consistency and more likely the die expander ball banging the crap out of your necks. I would bet if you remove the ball, bump would be consistent,

i can’t figure it out and 100% understand and agree to what your saying. I’ve been running redding and now 1 set of whidden dies on the same press for 10 years and was loading 3 different calibers the same day. I went to bump the shoulders back on my once fire, annealed and cleaned 223 Winchester brass for my trainer rifle so that I could trim everything to length on the guirad trimmer (goes off the shoulder line) and I noticed I was 95% of the brass was +/- .002 thou of each other on overall length after trimmed. I know it’s not my trimmer or collet has it’s a custom collet and the trimmer just did 300 pieces of brass with a +\- of .0005. So I checked the shoulders and I had brass ranging +/- .002. I stripped and cleaned (no expander ball in the die btw) reinstalled, started fresh on a fired brass and set the die up as I always have and can’t seem to get .002 thou shoulder bump. It was sizing the brass no bump to a .0005 thou bump, ans then the slightest movement went right to .004 thou bump. Going start but stripping the die again and deep cleaning it. But if not, I’m not playing with it I’d rather a new die hence why the question lol.

there is already enough tinkering in a reloading room, don’t want more

 

[Drop Port]

In that case it's not the expander Once fired stiff loads or light loads? did you measure base to shoulder on your once fired to check for inconsistencies? The brass is likely not fully formed and if you set your die off a long piece shorter base to shoulder pieces might be showing up.

 

[KMart]

The interior dimension of the die does not change, if you are getting .004 - .006 variation in shoulder bump I would be looking at the press consistency and more likely the die expander ball banging the crap out of your necks. I would bet if you remove the ball, bump would be consistent,

You beat me to it. I was snoozing and lost.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

To keep it stupid simple for my loading, I like the Forster FL dies with the high set expander ball. In fact I have put the Forster decapping stems with the high expander in my Redding and RCBS dies with great success on runout.

 

[Sniper338]

Het a custom die made by whidden

 

[JFrank]

Would it be possible that your inconsistencies are related to setting a die to bump a case that hasn’t been fully fire formed ?
Additionally , we set a die to the apparent longest case but perhaps our loads are conservative charges that are not forming each case evenly.

 

[Shooter J]

I have tried most of the ones listed above and even a modified custom honed one. I've had some great ones, and some not so great. I just got a Short Action Customs modular sizing die that I am excited to try out. I will let you know how that die works after I get some time with it on the bench.

 

[Drop Port]

Would it be possible that your inconsistencies are related to setting a die to bump a case that hasn’t been fully fire formed ?
Additionally , we set a die to the apparent longest case but perhaps our loads are conservative charges that are not forming each case evenly.

Exactly, this is why early on I take a sharpie and mark two pieces of brass from my first time out doing shoot and clean and looking for pressure (two pieces of upper load) I bring these two pieces out the next time loaded with only neck size to get a 2x fired measurement for the future. If my once fired brass doesn't measure up I use the fully fire formed as a base line.

 

[chromatica]

I have had good luck with LE Wilson bushing dies. In my tuned-up Co-Ax press they are producing consistent rounds with .001 runout.

 

[urbanrifleman]

The Le Wilson bushing die that I chose to sell is at least equal to the Harrells. I consider those two to be the best I have tried hands down.

 

[wkdickinson]

I used to use Redding FL Type-S bushing dies for everything and found they worked fine. I now use Whidden "Click" dies and like them a lot. Personally, I've found two things that help the most with consistent shoulder bump (assuming the brass is completely fire-formed and properly annealed) - 1) dunking the neck in Imperial Neck Lube, then lubing just the body with Imperial sizing wax, being very careful not to get any on the shoulder and 2) is "dwell" time in the die (I fully stroke the press and then count to 5 before pulling the case back out of the die).