Redding OD Bushing Size?

[spitfire_er]

I just started using Redding bushing dies a few months back and being that I didn't want to wait for bushings when I chambered my 20 Tac, I just made a couple up. They turned out great and I get zero run out on my necks with good consistent tension.

My question is, what is the OD size for say a 223 style bushing? I made my bushings a snug fit in the die, and you need to lightly tap them out on the counter to get the bushing out. I recently read somewhere on the internet that these bushings are a little loose in the die to allow them to float. Seems a little counter intuitive to me.

Just looking for a little more clarification on the matter from people that I know are in the know (accurateshooter.com)

Also if someone wouldn't mind sticking a mic to one of these bushings that would give me a reference for mine. I don't have mine in front of me at the moment, but I can check later.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

They need to be loose in the die

 

[spitfire_er]

They need to be loose in the die

Alright, Wonder by how much?

 

[243winxb]

Redding titanium bushing outside diameter .501"

 

[Uncle Ed]

spitfire_er

By making your own tight fitting bushing that doesn't move you have the equivalent of a non-bushing full length die with a honed neck. And to be truthful if you have a SAAMI factory chamber you are better off because you have less neck runout.

Below is a Redding bushing die cutaway and you can see the bushing side clearance and the area not sized by the bushing. Bushing dies work best with tight neck chambers where the neck diameter is reduced .004 or less. The problem with the floating bushing is it can move from side to side and even tilt the more the neck diameter needs to be reduced. And your tight fitting bushing will produce cases with less neck runout just like a honed neck in a full length die.

Tech Line & Tips (FAQs)
Concentricity Problems
a.k.a Neck Runout With Bottleneck Cases
https://www.redding-reloading.com/tech-line-a-tips-faqs/146-concentricity-problems

The concentricity, or neck runout, of loaded cartridges is an important consideration for reloaders and especially the varmint or target shooter.

There are many factors that can cause or contribute to neck runout during the reloading process and many reloaders who have not dealt with the problem before quickly blame the sizing or seating die.

While the dies may be at fault or have a contributing defect, modern CNC machinery and reamers that cut the body, shoulder, and neck simultaneously make such occurrences rare. Most problems are related to the brass itself and its uniformity both in terms of hardness and thickness and how much it is being stressed in the reloading process.

An entire book can be devoted to this subject, but the amount of stress the brass is subjected to can be your key to finding a problem. If you "feel" any difficulty and /or heavy resistance when resizing your cases this can be a telltale clue.

Excessive difficulty while resizing can indicate any of the following: Poor choice of case lube, failing to clean the die and/or brass, faulty polish inside die, chamber large or at maximum S.A.A.M.I. spec resulting in excessive brass resizing. A large neck diameter in the chamber combined with brass that is thin or excessively turned can cause crooked necks in a hurry. The more brass has to be moved the more its residual memory takes over.

An interesting experiment also revealed that neck turning of brass that was intentionally sorted as non-uniform, showed little or no concentricity improvement when used in standard S.A.A.M.I. spec chambers. Conversely brass that was sorted and selected for uniformity remained uniform and concentric with or without a neck turning operation.

 

[B23]

Redding titanium bushing outside diameter .501"

That's pretty much the same as mine, .5005 - .501 and that's with both ti coated and regular

 

[spitfire_er]

Mine is at 0.5085". My reamer cuts a .232" neck. Sized brass is .228". I'm putting about 1 thou tension on the bullet.

I'm fine with a tight bushing. Maybe I'll make up another bushing at 0.501" and load a few sets to see what changes.

 

[cw308]

When there talking of play there talking up and down so the bushing isn't locked down tight , beveled side down.

 

[spitfire_er]

Wouldn't that be controlled by how tight you tighten the top screw? I've been talking OD.

 

[cw308]

Yes, I tried the Redding S Type bushing dies , the bushings drop in with no resistance so the OD must self center . The die enables you to adjust neck tension , if you neck turn your brass you can eliminate the expander ball , I don't so a standard Full Length die worked better for me with runout .

 

[D-4297]

Unless I mis-understood the OP's post , He was inquiring as to how much "float" , or clearance between the Die wall , and the Bushing wall . I think that .003 - .004 maxium would be enough to allow the bushing to "float" to center within the bushing chamber , without adding any un-wanted runout in the neck . But should not allow the bushing to tilt when engaged by the cartrige neck anymore than half that amount .