Redding Comp Neck Dies

[rem_kujawa]

I know I travling down a road that had been covered before but I have to ask.If I get the Redding Comp Neck die set,it comes with a Body die,does this die take out case mouth dings when you get a new box of cases? If not how do you do it.I pretty sure there is no expander ball on the neck die.

Also I see redding makes a small base body die for cases that are tight.I have the standerd .340 match neck 308.Would this be worth getting?

Thanks jon

 

[memilanuk]

All the body die does is size the case from the shoulder down. Doesn't touch the neck at all.

The competition neck sizing die has a decapping stem, but no expander button. The assumption is that you are babying your brass and that it will never get a ding in the case mouth. If it does, you have two options: get an expander mandrel die like you would use for expanding a case neck to fit a neck turner pilot and run the case over that, then resize it... or get a carbide button from Redding. Unlike the regular expander button, the carbide button floats on the stem, has a very small contact surface, and being carbide... tends to be hard and slick i.e. very little 'drag' as it goes thru the case neck.

As for the .340 neck chamber... don't bother w/ the small base dies. Normally those are for things like M1As or other auto-loaders that have limited camming power, and then only if you really need them,i.e. fully sized cases still won't chamber). Sometimes you run into a chamber in other,bolt) guns that have a really tight cut base, and the small-base dies can help there... but I'd get it after I determined I needed it, not before - I'd prefer to avoid over-sizing that,or any) portion of the case if I don't have to.

What I use... well, what I use *most often*,I have a whole stack of various .308 dies) is a Redding Type 'S' bushing F/L die... I usually F/L size for a 0.001-0.002" shoulder bump, and use a neck bushing sized to take the neck down just enough to where the floating carbide expander ball just kisses the inside of the neck... this pretty much eliminates all the various ills you hear attributed to the use of an expander ball,stretching necks, pushing necks off center, etc. as the expander drags its way thru the neck) and minimizes over working the neck as it's not sized down one bit smaller than it has to be.

Option B is run the cases thru a Lee Collet die to size the neck,no lube required, which is nice), and every couple firings bump the shoulder to ensure ease of chambering.

As with many things... there's always more than one,or two) ways to do it. The above works for me so far.

YMMV,

Monte

 

[rem_kujawa]

So,if I get the TiNi coated bushings I wont have to lube anymore.Then evey couple of rounds use the body die to bump the should back a few thou?

Also I talking about when you get a new box of brass some of them have few dings in the case mounth.So I should keep my old RCBS dies to take care of that.

Thanks for all of your help.

Jon

 

[memilanuk]

I pretty much started reloading w/ Redding Competition Seaters, Redding Competition Neck dies, and Redding body dies, and Redding TiNi bushings, on a Redding M25 six-hole turret press.

The TiNi bushings do *not* eliminate the need for case lube. They are nice and slippery when properly lubed... and more expensive and harder to find,I live about 20 minutes from L.E. Wilson Tool & Die, and the local gunstore usually has a good selection of plain steel bushings). I'd say if you have to use lube anyway,you do)... then why spend the extra $$$ on the TiNi bushings - other than they do look prettier...

Keep your old dies if you want,always make good trading stock, or swap meet fodder), but I'm a believer in the carbide expander balls.

I've used the Competition Neck dies... and to be honest, after I sat down and used them I never really 'got' the point of fussing w/ how much of your neck is sized. It just doesn't seem to make an appreciable difference, at least not with me behind the trigger. If I'm not using a Lee Collet die or Wilson hand die... I'm probably using one of the Type 'S' F/L bushing dies - does everything in one fell swoop.

 

[rem_kujawa]

Ok,I will look at the type s dies,Im not real sold on which way Im going to go.This is my first true match rifle with a custom chamber,the last one I was using was just a Remington VSF.And the dies I was using were the RCBS Comp dies.

Jon

 

[robbor]

The neck die will and wont take out dings depending on how bad.
I have brought this up to redding that for new brass there should be a button. Also some places will tell you no buttons are avail and some will try and sell you the wrong button. I buy a button so I can run just the button inside then after all have been ID sized I remove the button and resize without it. So really after 1x with new brass you should not need the button again. If you have other dies that you can use the button on then you will not need it either. I could not fit my rum brass in my 06 die and never bothered to remove the decapper and insert in in the comp die, I just bought the button to start with.

 

[chino1969]

I've used the Competition Neck dies... and to be honest, after I sat down and used them I never really 'got' the point of fussing w/ how much of your neck is sized. It just doesn't seem to make an appreciable difference, at least not with me behind the trigger. If I'm not using a Lee Collet die or Wilson hand die... I'm probably using one of the Type 'S' F/L bushing dies - does everything in one fell swoop.

I'll have to agree with you on this one. Selection of the right size bushing for neck tension is one thing but using a micrometer style head to set how much of the neck you actually size is overkill.
Chino69

 

[rem_kujawa]

Ok,I understand.You guys have givin me some good info.

Is the redding Comp seater die worth the extra mony,because I already have a RCBS Comp seater die.

Also how would I go about setting up the old RCBS die to just take out the case mouth dings.

Thanks jon

 

[memilanuk]

Unless you have identified a problem you are having w/ the RCBS die... I'd stick w/ it for now. Forster also makes some dang nice dies in the form of their Ultra Benchrest seater... very similar to the Redding in function, but noticeably less $$$.

As far as the sizing die and the mouth dings... probably have to run it all the way in and let the expander get rid of them on the way out. Either that or get a carbide expander on your Redding,whatever kind you get), or get an expander mandrel from Sinclair or K&M or anyplace that sells neck turners.

 

[rem_kujawa]

I looked at the redding catalog last night,I think I will get the type S neck die.You guys have helped alot,I would have wasted about $150.00.And I plan on using the RCBS seater die for now.Again,thanks for the help.

Jon

 

[Lane]

I know I travling down a road that had been covered before but I have to ask.If I get the Redding Comp Neck die set,it comes with a Body die,does this die take out case mouth dings when you get a new box of cases? If not how do you do it.I pretty sure there is no expander ball on the neck die.

Also I see redding makes a small base body die for cases that are tight.I have the standerd .340 match neck 308.Would this be worth getting?

Thanks jon

jon, Will you be turning or peeling your case necks for a .340 match neck .308 Winchester? Suggestion if you use a Redding body die explore the idea that you use your body die every time you reload your fired cases. Personal point of view I'm a fan of fire-forming a case with powder, primer, bullet of choice with a minimal load then do any uniforming work on the case you so desire. this way the external dimensions of the cases are about as good as they can be. Personal point of view. Best of luck Lane