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Procedure for Sizing Virgin Lapua 308 Win Brass

Can anyone tell me how to setup my Redding full length sizing bushing die to size virgin Lapua 308 Win brass? Normally, I would bring the ram all the way up and screw the die down until it kissed the shell holder then turn it another 1/4 turn or so. My Smith said this wouldn't fly. He wants some brass so he can make dummy rounds in prep for reaming my chamber. He had me confused because he covered too many things with me at once and I lost focus.
 
It would be helpful if you provide more information on the application for the ammo, semi auto, bolt gun, match shooting, hunting? Is your Smith doing some non standard chamber? Big red flag here if he is confusing you.
 
T-REX said:
It would be helpful if you provide more information on the application for the ammo, semi auto, bolt gun, match shooting, hunting? Is your Smith doing some non standard chamber? Big red flag here if he is confusing you.

Bartlein Barrel 11.25 twist 5R, McMillan A5 stock, Defiance Machine Deviant Action, APA Fat Bastard Brake, Badger Ordnance DBM and Jewell HVR Trigger. I guess it is a tight neck chamber .338 because I have had to turn all my brass to .013 witch will give me a total of .004 neck clearance. I am planning on shooting the Sierra Matchking 175 grain bthp. He needs the brass and bullets for dummy rounds I assume. The free bore on the reamer will be .055 because my Smith has the equipment to extend the free bore for the 175's.
 
Are you having a reamer made or are you using one of his reamers?

If it's one of his you should ask him why normally FL sized brass will not work with it.
 
thefitter said:
Are you having a reamer made or are you using one of his reamers?

If it's one of his you should ask him why normally FL sized brass will not work with it.
No, I am currently having the reamer made
 
OK then YOU are in the drivers seat.

Take the case you want to use and size it the way YOU plan on sizing it. Turn or no turn neck, up to YOU.

Seat the bullet that YOU want to use at the depth that YOU want. Mag length or
donut avoidance will drive this.

Tell the reamer maker what neck clearance and free bore YOU want. If you are not sure about the freebore talk to the reamer manufacturer they are usually very helpful.

Who is making the reamer PT&G, JGS ...?
 
Dave - have a look at Eik Cortinas youtube channel on this subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XpnpgJd0A
 
thefitter said:
OK then YOU are in the drivers seat.

Take the case you want to use and size it the way YOU plan on sizing it. Turn or no turn neck, up to YOU.

Seat the bullet that YOU want to use at the depth that YOU want. Mag length or
donut avoidance will drive this.

Tell the reamer maker what neck clearance and free bore YOU want. If you are not sure about the freebore talk to the reamer manufacturer they are usually very helpful.

Who is making the reamer PT&G, JGS ...?

Dave Kiff

Any rule of thumb for 308W as to how deep to seat the pressure ring inside the neck? You would probably want the pressure ring in the sized portion of the neck seems like Erik told me.
 
6BRinNZ said:
Dave - have a look at Eik Cortinas youtube channel on this subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XpnpgJd0A

Yes, Erik has been helpful however don't think he shoots 308 but maybe it doesn't matter.
 
Dave Brown said:
thefitter said:
OK then YOU are in the drivers seat.

Take the case you want to use and size it the way YOU plan on sizing it. Turn or no turn neck, up to YOU.

Seat the bullet that YOU want to use at the depth that YOU want. Mag length or
donut avoidance will drive this.

Tell the reamer maker what neck clearance and free bore YOU want. If you are not sure about the freebore talk to the reamer manufacturer they are usually very helpful.

Who is making the reamer PT&G, JGS ...?

Dave Kiff

Any rule of thumb for 308W as to how deep to seat the pressure ring inside the neck? You would probably want the pressure ring in the sized portion of the neck seems like Erik told me.

Pressure ring? You mean donut?

Are you going to feed from a mag all the time?

I would call Kiff and talk with him Monday.
 
thefitter said:
Dave Brown said:
thefitter said:
OK then YOU are in the drivers seat.

Take the case you want to use and size it the way YOU plan on sizing it. Turn or no turn neck, up to YOU.

Seat the bullet that YOU want to use at the depth that YOU want. Mag length or
donut avoidance will drive this.

Tell the reamer maker what neck clearance and free bore YOU want. If you are not sure about the freebore talk to the reamer manufacturer they are usually very helpful.

Who is making the reamer PT&G, JGS ...?

Dave Kiff

Any rule of thumb for 308W as to how deep to seat the pressure ring inside the neck? You would probably want the pressure ring in the sized portion of the neck seems like Erik told me.

Pressure ring? You mean donut?

Are you going to feed from a mag all the time?

I would call Kiff and talk with him Monday.

Pressure ring meaning the part of the bullet where it starts to taper down to the boat tail. I would like to use the magazine but will most likely feed single. Seems like with a .085 free bore if you make the base to tip measurement 2.811 then the ogive will be against the lands. This would be for the Sierra Matchking 175 bthp.
 
Dave Brown said:
6BRinNZ said:
Dave - have a look at Eik Cortinas youtube channel on this subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XpnpgJd0A

Yes, Erik has been helpful however don't think he shoots 308 but maybe it doesn't matter.

The process in the video has nothing to do with calibre. I actually can't figure out what you are trying to achieve...on the one hand you are talking about tight necks and your gunsmith having the equipment to alter the throat but in another post you state you are ordering the reamer.

If it is just the bullet seating depth then repeat what Erik has suggested but with the bullets and brass that you want to use...there is no rule of thumb for seating depth other than stay to away from the neck shoulder junction. In the video Erik states to allow .030 for this...then allow another .020 - .030 so you can run seating depth tests with jump. In the .308 this measurement should also allow plenty of neck to experiment with jam if you choose.

If you are restricted by mag length then its a different story - in that the longest length you have is mag length so you can only be shorter than that.
 
6BRinNZ said:
Dave Brown said:
6BRinNZ said:
Dave - have a look at Eik Cortinas youtube channel on this subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XpnpgJd0A

Yes, Erik has been helpful however don't think he shoots 308 but maybe it doesn't matter.

The process in the video has nothing to do with calibre. I actually can't figure out what you are trying to achieve...on the one hand you are talking about tight necks and your gunsmith having the equipment to alter the throat but in another post you state you are ordering the reamer.

If it is just the bullet seating depth then repeat what Erik has suggested but with the bullets and brass that you want to use...there is no rule of thumb for seating depth other than stay to away from the neck shoulder junction. In the video Erik states to allow .030 for this...then allow another .020 - .030 so you can run seating depth tests with jump. In the .308 this measurement should also allow plenty of neck to experiment with jam if you choose.

If you are restricted by mag length then its a different story - in that the longest length you have is mag length so you can only be shorter than that.


This is correct. Fundamentals are the same regardless of caliber.


Here are some example calcs of what I did for a 7mm RSAUM last year.

If I remember correctly:

7mm SAUM designed exclusively for one bullet - 7mm Berger 180 Hybrid. This will be a in a long action so I have PLENTY of magazine length.

Bullet OAL = 1.530
Boat Tail = 0.220
Bearing surface = 0.459

Case OAL = 2.029

Neck length = 0.300

.030 off the neck/shoulder, to prevent donuts

.040 more off the neck/shoulder (.025 OTL - .015 ITL) to tune load with


Bullet seating depth = 0.450

Minus boat tail = .220

Bearing surface in case = .230 of a .284 bullet

COAL = 3.109

I sent in the round and told them cut it as is jammed.

Hope this helps.
 
One thing I learnt when ordering a reamer is that there are plenty of .308 reamers that will have the freebore dimension you want - but the other brass dimensions can vary greatly...I had trouble getting a reamer print from Kiff and it wasn't supplied until I received the reamer and for some weird reason the print specified a case length of 2.041 - which is way to long - the .308 case will never grow into that.

So the one thing I have learnt is to not do anything until you have a reamer print and then do nothing further until you understand the implications of the dimensions on the print.

Good luck
 
6BRinNZ said:
One thing I learnt when ordering a reamer is that there are plenty of .308 reamers that will have the freebore dimension you want - but the other brass dimensions can vary greatly...I had trouble getting a reamer print from Kiff and it wasn't supplied until I received the reamer and for some weird reason the print specified a case length of 2.041 - which is way to long - the .308 case will never grow into that.

So the one thing I have learnt is to not do anything until you have a reamer print and then do nothing further until you understand the implications of the dimensions on the print.

Good luck

Great advice.

And if you are offered "stock" reamer that "will do exactly what you want" ask for a print also and make sure it will work for you.
 
6BRinNZ said:
Dave Brown said:
6BRinNZ said:
Dave - have a look at Eik Cortinas youtube channel on this subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XpnpgJd0A

Yes, Erik has been helpful however don't think he shoots 308 but maybe it doesn't matter.

The process in the video has nothing to do with calibre. I actually can't figure out what you are trying to achieve...on the one hand you are talking about tight necks and your gunsmith having the equipment to alter the throat but in another post you state you are ordering the reamer.

If it is just the bullet seating depth then repeat what Erik has suggested but with the bullets and brass that you want to use...there is no rule of thumb for seating depth other than stay to away from the neck shoulder junction. In the video Erik states to allow .030 for this...then allow another .020 - .030 so you can run seating depth tests with jump. In the .308 this measurement should also allow plenty of neck to experiment with jam if you choose.

If you are restricted by mag length then its a different story - in that the longest length you have is mag length so you can only be shorter than that.

I have the reamer ordered with a .338 neck and my brass has been turned to .013 so I will have a total neck clearance of .004
My smith said to make the free bore .055 and he would adjust for the 175 sierra matchking bthps. He has the equipment to extend the free bore out to .085 or whatever free bore would be required.
He wants some brass and bullets so he can make the dummy rounds I assume but he wants me to size the virgin brass before I send it to him and I am not for sure how to set up my full length bushing die.
 
If you are already ordering a custom reamer, why not get it with the proper freebore? That's the reason I showed how to make a dummy round so that you can send one to the reamer maker and get precisely what you need.
 
Dave Brown said:
I have the reamer ordered with a .338 neck and my brass has been turned to .013 so I will have a total neck clearance of .004
My smith said to make the free bore .055 and he would adjust for the 175 sierra matchking bthps. He has the equipment to extend the free bore out to .085 or whatever free bore would be required.
He wants some brass and bullets so he can make the dummy rounds I assume but he wants me to size the virgin brass before I send it to him and I am not for sure how to set up my full length bushing die.

This bit I don't get...why size virgin brass...in terms of thousandths it won't look much like your fired brass...are you sure he wants you to size new brass?

You would normally set up your FL sizing die to size from a fired round - pushing the shoulder back .001 - .002. Sometimes it can take a couple of firings for the brass to fully push the shoulder forward so even then you want to be careful that you size against the "longest" piece of brass.
 
6BRinNZ said:
Dave Brown said:
I have the reamer ordered with a .338 neck and my brass has been turned to .013 so I will have a total neck clearance of .004
My smith said to make the free bore .055 and he would adjust for the 175 sierra matchking bthps. He has the equipment to extend the free bore out to .085 or whatever free bore would be required.
He wants some brass and bullets so he can make the dummy rounds I assume but he wants me to size the virgin brass before I send it to him and I am not for sure how to set up my full length bushing die.

This bit I don't get...why size virgin brass...in terms of thousandths it won't look much like your fired brass...are you sure he wants you to size new brass?

You would normally set up your FL sizing die to size from a fired round - pushing the shoulder back .001 - .002. Sometimes it can take a couple of firings for the brass to fully push the shoulder forward so even then you want to be careful that you size against the "longest" piece of brass.
Yes, I am confused on this as well. I will talk to the Gunsmith tomorrow.
 

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