Reloading using FL bushing dies problems?

[impalacustom]

I was told by someone in Hornady that what I'm doing is wrong. I am using a full length bushing die to load for my 20 practical (using 223 dies with a .225 bushing), these are being shot through my AR and I've never had trouble. The guy at Hornady told me that the FL bushing dies are not capable of sizing the junction at the should-neck and said that where I'm using a 223 die with a 20 caliber bushing it's even more of a problem. Has anyone heard of this or is he trying to sell me a 20 Practical die.

The main reason I ask this is because I'm about to be loading for a 6.5CM and this is in an AR10 build, I was planning on using a FL bushing die for that with a .289 bushing, the guy at Hornady recommended using a FL die that doesn't use the bushing. I honestly don't see a problem but maybe others can tell me if I'm on the road to troubles or what.

I appreciate the idea and help.
Eric

 

[dkhunt14]

That may be a problem for chambering in an AR after a few firings. It just may get to tight for the chamber. Matt

 

[243winxb]

I've never had trouble.

How many firings on the brass? My 243 win. bushing does not size all the way to the shoulder. The unsized area will form to the chamber, causing drag as the round chambers. I have ask other bushing users. Some say there bushing does size all the way to the shoulder?? I think testing is needed. The closing of the action can "size" the brass a little. The 20 practical (using 223 dies with a .225 bushing) will take 3 loading, maybe more, if there is going to be a problem,when the brass no longer springs back.

 

[impalacustom]

I am on my 2nd loading with the 20 Practical. I haven't noticed it being tight or failures to go into battery but I guess if the junction isn't being sized I can see where it will cause a problem over the long run, I wonder if it will eventually create a false shoulder where it doesn't resize and cause headspace issues. I might try to put some dykem on the cartridge when I size with the bushing die and just see how far it does size. Maybe annealing after the 3rd firing or so would be a band aid patch to fix it, I hate to have a custom die made. For the 20 I may try to contact Robert Whitley and see what he has to say about it.

I am thinking for the 6.5CM I'll buy the FL bushing die and the regular FL die to size them after a few firings just to be on the safe side.

I appreciate the comments and thoughts.
Thanks
Eric

 

[fguffey]

I appreciate the comments and thoughts.

There is a possibility the reloading world has got to the point the topic has been talked to death.

I am the fan of adjusting the die to size the case to fit the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. I am not the fan of closing the bolt with felt resistance to bolt closing, I believe that is a bad habit.

No one remembers or they never knew it was possible to size a case from the shoulder to the case head without sizing the neck before the invention of the bushing die.

F. Guffey

 

[dkhunt14]

I appreciate the comments and thoughts.

There is a possibility the reloading world has got to the point the topic has been talked to death.

I am the fan of adjusting the die to size the case to fit the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. I am not the fan of closing the bolt with felt resistance to bolt closing, I believe that is a bad habit.

No one remembers or they never knew it was possible to size a case from the shoulder to the case head without sizing the neck before the invention of the bushing die.

F. Guffey

Yes they did it was called a body die. It has nothing to do with this thread. A body die and a bushing die is not the same. Matt

 

[fguffey]

Yes they did it was called a body die. It has nothing to do with this thread. A body die and a bushing die is not the same. Matt

Matt, before that. I called a manufacturer of reloading equipment with a question. I wanted to know how a reloader can size the body of the case without sizing the shoulder. It seemed reloaders thought they could size the case body without sizing the shoulder.

And then before that reloaders were claiming they honed the neck of full length sizing dies to get the magic number. I go for all the bullet hold I can get and I am not timid about going straight to 40 pounds.


F. Guffey

 

[dkhunt14]

F Guffey I think the manufacturer told you wrong. Maybe the person on the phone didn't know or understand your question. A body die will bump the shoulder and not touch the neck. It is like a full length die for just the body. I to use a lot of tension. I shoot almost everything in the lands and don't want to let a bullet stick.
Some dies size too much. They might have to be honed. Matt

 

[243winxb]

impalacustom, I have 18 loadings on 243win brass . I size only 1/2 of the neck. I can feel a tiny bit of drag when closing the bolt action. You want the unsized part of the neck to fit snug in the chamber. It centers the round in the chamber. My guess is the 6.5 CM should be ok in your auto.

 

[impalacustom]

243winxb,
Thanks, I'll give it a go and if I run into troubles I'll work it out from there.
Eric

 

[fguffey]

Matt, before that. I called a manufacturer of reloading equipment with a question. I wanted to know how a reloader can size the body of the case without sizing the shoulder. It seemed reloaders thought they could size the case body without sizing the shoulder.

He understood the question, reloaders were assuming the name of the die implied the die did not touch the shoulder. The next question was about ‘bump’ dies. My question about that die went something like; How is it possible to bump the shoulder without case body support?

F. Guffey