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Setting up Redding F/L resizing bushing & Redding Competition Seating dies

Hi

Have any of you got any tips on maximising the accuracy when using the above-mentioned dies?

Obviously, I have followed the Redding instructions, but I would like to reduce the run-out on my cartridges. I am getting .003 run-out at about 1/10" back from the bullet tip.

Many thanks in advance

Cam
 
Cam,

I don't quite have your setup but I use Redding competition seater for all of the calibers I load. It produces the best concentric rounds that I have found.

You want to have your sizer and your seater adjusted to have good contact with the up stroke of the ram. If you need to adjust the FL sizer for less setback the best option is to get a set of Redding competition shell holders that are adjusted for .002 to .010 less setback. That will always give you consistent sizing case to case. ALso when you are setting the sizing die locking ring use a washer between the ram and the sizing die to push the die upwards, thereby centering the die in the locking ring. Now clamp it down. If the press is truly on center your die will be and you won't be putting a cant in the case when sizing

One trick I have found that improves my amount of .001 mil or less runout loaded rounds is in the seating, seat the bullet about 1/2 way, then lower the ram, turn the bullet about 90 degrees and seat the bullet fully. Then lower the ram and twist the bullet another 90 degrees and raise the ram full and bounce it 2 times on the seated round. I know it sounds crazy but it does work.

Run out is a little difficult to diagnose where it might be coming from. I would recommend that you have a concentricity gauge on your bench. Measure a fired round. then size it and measure again. I use Redding graphite on the neck and roll the body on a lube pad before sizing a case. This helps from pulling the neck out of concentric.

I use Lapua brass for all my competition loads. I neck turn enough to clean up a neck so it is round. I trim after sizing for each firing. That keeps the neck square when seating the bullet. I have gone to using bushing sizing dies for my 260 and 6BR. I have found that each firing and loading, my Lapua brass produces more 1 mill runout loaded rounds. On my 6 BR after 5 firings that last batch I loaded had 80% 1 mil and the rest 2 mil.

One last point is that I measure runout at about the caliber of the bullet. You have to be careful when you are on the nose section that you don't have burrs on the case head which cases the case to more laterally in the jig giving you a false reading.

HTH

David
 
HI David

Many thanks for this.

May I query you further on this: -

"ALso when you are setting the sizing die locking ring use a washer between the ram and the sizing die to push the die upwards, thereby centering the die in the locking ring. Now clamp it down."

Why do I need to use a washer when the ram should be in firm contact with the die anyway?

Cam
 
"ALso when you are setting the sizing die locking ring use a washer between the ram and the sizing die to push the die upwards, thereby centering the die in the locking ring. Now clamp it down."

Why do I need to use a washer when the ram should be in firm contact with the die anyway?

Cam

IMHO, loose the washer and consider installing a rubber "O" ring between the lock ring and the press. You can buy "O" rings of varying sizes at your local hardware store in the toilet repair section. I use them on all my dies as the idea is to allow your Die to "FLOAT" and act as a self centering" device of a sort. I learned that from an accomplished competition shooter and did some testing. Sure enough, my runout improved and I've used the "O" ring approach ever since. Remember also, your brass will be the truest after being fired in your chamber. Resizing generally is where you start to get the increased runout because your die or the press isn't perfectly true. Now be aware, some brass is just plainly bad and there is little you can do to cure it. Which is why you might want to check your runout after firing but before resizing. But these "O" rings are cheap and easily removeable if you don't like it. But if you install one, just screw the die in hand tight, making sure you can slight "move" the die from side to side to ensure you are getting the "free floating" feature that the "O" ring is designed to do. Just food for thought as a washer does nothing to change the hard contact that is transferred from the die to the casing being resized. The "O" ring allow for the self centering correction that a washer does not.

Alex
 
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Cam,

Yes you want the shell holder to kiss the die on the up stroke but in order to cam over it cannot be that tight. So once you have adjusted the die to the correct cam over, then using the washer to lock the die in centered is that it gives you more pressure on the die.

shynloco,

I use a Hornady press with the Lock-n-Load bushings. Those bushings have the O ring built into them. Forester and Whidden dies have the O ring built into the seating stem. And I do agree that lets thing float better.

David
 

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