Neck sizing your 308W

[tiny68]

I am shooting a 308W in a M700 with Laupa brass, RE-15, and 175 SMK. How many of you neck size only with a 308W? How many firings can you get before a shoulder bump is necessary? In hind sight I wish I would have gotten a S-type FL sizer, but that is hind sight.

Thanks, Tim

Corrected for typos.....

 

[DukeDuke]

I can't tell you exactly, but I know in my case is a lot. I only necksize, and don't even remember the last time I had to bump the shoulder back. I use stiff charges of RL-15 and RL-17 in my 308.

 

[tiny68]

Good to here. Thanks, Tim

 

[Martin52]

With a Redding neck bushing die I got 4-5 firings before having to FLS (308 lapua brass)

I don't use this die anymore for distances greater than 600 yds, instead I use a Lee Collet die, or, if the shoulder needs setting back then either a Redding or a Forster FLS die (I have both).

I get much lower run out with these 2 options compared to the Redding neck bushing die.

As you probably know, the Lee Collet only sizes the neck but squeezes it against a mandrel so the process is different from a conventional neck die and this, in my experience, results in very low run out.

Martin

 

[Travelor]

I use Redding Competition Collet dies and usually use the body die every third reloading. The case is not getting "sticky" just do it as a precaution.

As an aside, since going to the Redding collet dies I have not had to trim one case and I shoot A LOT.

I cannot imagine why someone would choose a Lee die over a Redding die for long range shooting. But that is just me.

George

 

[memilanuk]

I'd get 2, maybe 3 firings before needing to bump the shoulder, so I generally just F/L size w/ the die set to bump a fairly small amount (0.001") each time.

George, when did Redding start making a collet die?

 

[Laurie]

I use the recently introduced Forster Bushing-Bump neck-sizer that also resets the shoulder position, 0.001-0.002" back being what I use. So far, I've not had to use a body die with up to five firings of Lapua cases in a minimum-SAAMI dimensioned chamber. This is with a warm load of N550 that gives the 185gn Berger BT Long-Range 2,750-2,800 fps depending on temperature out of a 30" 1-10" twist Broughton.

Years ago, I did all my .308W loading with a Lee Collet die having bought one of the first sets to be imported into the UK after Lee introduced this design. This was in an original model Ruger 77V heavy-barrel sporter and various secondhand early model 7.62mm TR (Fullbore on the west side of the Atlantic) rifles. I never once had to use a body die due to hard chambering over the course of maybe 15 years shooting other than when starting off with once-fired Norma and Winchester cases, some of which had been fired in rather slack chambers. To put this into context, I shot at up to 600yd, more often than not at 300yd, in those days and kept my loads on the soft side.

 

[Martin52]

George
I've never seen a Redding collet die but would be very interested in one.
The Lee collet is one of those things it seems you either love or hate, it happens to work very well for me and is the only neck die that gives me very low run out.
Martin

 

[dreever]

I bump my shoulder everytime. I use the Redding neck die then the Redding body die set up to bump. I magazine load my .308 rounds so I want reliable feeding with no stickiness when chambering.

Danny

 

[RonAKA]

Another solution is to use the FL die to do a partial neck resize. Just short stroke it so only 2/3 rds or whatever you choose of the neck is sized. If you get to the point where the bolt is closing a little stiffer then adjust the FL die stroke so it just bumps the shoulder 0.001-0.002", and then go back to neck sizing only.