Redding type S, am I doing this right?

[Scorpion168]

I have a Redding press and type S neck bushing die for my .308. I marked the neck with a sharpie and ran it thru the die, and after several adjustments, It only gets half the neck sized. I thought it would size down to the transition of the neck/shoulder. Am I missing something?

 

[Keith Glasscock]

A bushing die simply doesn't size down all the way to the shoulder. It's OK though. The resultant ammunition will be just as good.

 

[watercam]

It should do a little better than half. Did you screw the retaining knob on top down until it just touched and then backed off 1/16 turn? Is the bushing installed with the size numbers down? If you have an older die the bushing position instruction changed some time later.

 

[artbosco]

I have a Redding press and type S neck bushing die for my .308. I marked the neck with a sharpie and ran it thru the die, and after several adjustments, It only gets half the neck sized. I thought it would size down to the transition of the neck/shoulder. Am I missing something?

Yes. If a bushing die is set up properly you should be sizing approximately 70-75% of the neck.

The bushing should rattle a little in its cavity when the die is shaken.

Adjust the top down so you can hear the rattle, yet only size 70-75% of the neck.

P.S. The Harrell's bushing die has a designed "just the right size cavity" for 70% sizing. The only thing you do is set the plain-rod decapping pin for depth: http://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/full-length-die

 

[Scorpion168]

The bushing has the numbers UP. I thought it went up.

As far as the retaining knob, are you talking about the black one, or the main stainless looking one?

 

[jonbearman]

Turn the black knob as you call it till it is hand tight to the surface of the die.

 

[Scorpion168]

Thanks chief. I'm really not a dumbass. I just do so much better with hands on experience. I've realized as I get older, my patience with written instructions gets smaller. I'm trying to fix that, and thanks for y'all's patience with me.

 

[243winxb]

Bushing numbers go down, towards the case mouth.

 

[Scorpion168]

Wow. That did it! I just turned the black retaining knob down till I got it near the transition point and checked it in my gun. It chambers just right. Thanks for the advice guys! Anybody gonna be near Lake Bistineau, I'll buy them a beer!

 

[Preacher]

The reason the numbers should point down is because of the small raised area around the numbers cased by the stamping.... It may not be much, but it will mess with it........

 

[artbosco]

Forget about the numbers being up or down. I've seen numbers printed upside down.

One edge of the bushing has an obvious bevel to it.

That beveled edge is designed to meet the leading edge of the case as it is inserted into the bushing within the die. Make sure that it's orientated properly.

 

[VaniB]

You may or may not already know this, but here are two helpful tips, the first which is also recommended by Redding in their instructions; Don't forget that once you get the die adjusted to the length you want, you may want to give the bushing a hair of slack by backing the bushing lock-nut off of it to produce a gap between 1/32" to 1/16". When you have done this, you can vigerously shake the die up and down and be able to hear the bushing sliding up/down in the die. I also back the whole die off of the press a hair, by about. 004"- .006", which produces a gap between the top of the press and the bottom of the die's 7/8" large lock-nut, which is narrower then a razor blade. (a single edge razor blade is about .008" thick on your caliper) In other words, you back the 7/8" die off of the press enough to give it some wiggle room, but not enough of a large and sloppy gap to be able to fit a razor blade in that gap.

These kinds of minimal play with the die allow the brass case to find it's own perfect center and size more concentrically.

 

[Scorpion168]

Thanks VaniB I'll try that.

 

[SWThomas]

All good info. I'm about to start using one of these dies.