Should FL dies be screwed in to touch the shell plate?

[steve4102]

ken orris: Guess you don't have any "green" Redding dies. An excerpt from their instruction sheet provided with one of my Redding die sets: "Normal reloading operations require the use of the resizing and decapping die first and this die is screwed into the 7/8 x 14 threaded hole of the reloading press to the point where it just contacts the shell holder of the press ram when it is in its uppermost position".

When I was using RCBS dies, ( have not bought them in many years now), they also included much the same instructions with their die sets.

Just one of the problems with this advice is that not all shellholders are created equal (thickness), even by the same manufacturer.

From Redding's Instruction page.

Question: I have my Full Length Resizing Die/Body Die adjusted so that it is touching the Shellholder and I cannot push my shoulder back. Is there something wrong with my Sizing Die?



Answer: Probably not. In most instances, using Cam-Over will allow the reloader to push the shoulder back sufficiently.

To set a Full Length/Body Die up to Cam-Over:

1) Install the appropriate Shellholder into the Ram of your Press.

2) Raise the Ram so that it is in its uppermost position.

3) Screw the Full Length Resizing Die/Body Die down into the press until it firmly contacts the Shellholder.

4) Back the Ram away from the Die.

5) Screw the Die down FURTHER into your press an additional 1/8th to ¼ turn.

 

[fdshuster]

KenO: Just shows you: even the die manufacturers cannot agree on the proper way to use their dies.

I would be lost when setting up sizer dies for a new cartridge or chambering if I did not have the Stoney Point tool. One of my most used pieces of equipment.

I use it to take a headspace length measurement on the first case that goes into the sizer die, before the rest of that batch ( usually 20 to 50 cases) is sized. Then I use the Skips die shims to make small adjustemnts as required. The whole process takes more time, but I'm getting over 45 reloads on my 6ppc & 6Br Lapua cases. I've never had a case head seperation ring, so must be doing something right.

All my sizers are equipped with the cross-bolt locking screw, on the die lock ring, making fine adjustments easy compared to the socket head set screw that bites into the 7/8 x14 thread.

Change the gauge on the head & always use it for bullet seating depth references.

 

[fdshuster]

steve4102: Just my personal opinion, but I really don't like doing the cam-over, not even on my RCBS Rockchucker press. In my opinion, just putting too much stress on the linkage and cross pins.

If I have a shoulder that I cannot push back with the base of the sizer just touching the shellholder, I remove about .010" of material from the top surface of the shellholder. That has always solved the problem, most of the time because of a particular shellholder being too thick.

 

[tunered]

Does everybody think the reamer stops at the same place in every die that is made? I dont think so. ed

 

[fdshuster]

ed: Don't know about anyone else, but I sure don't. There are manufacturing tolerances everywhere, and one of the reasons the Stoney Point/ Hornady gauge is so valuable.

 

[TheSnake]

Just my personal opinion, but I really don't like doing the cam-over, not even on my RCBS Rockchucker press. In my opinion, just putting too much stress on the linkage and cross pins.

FD,
If you adjust the die into the cam-over just enough to size the case to the proper legnth OR use shims without cam-over to size the case to the proper legnth; isn't that putting the same exact stress on the linkage and cross pins? It takes x amount of pressure to crush/resize the case either way in my opinion. your thoughts?

 

[fdshuster]

TheSnake: At no time do the bottom of any of my FL neck bushing dies come into hard contact with the top of the shellholder(s). They may just touch (barely), but there is no pressure put on the ram/linkage, crosspins or the body of the press.

Dies are adjusted with the split lock ring set to the shortest headspace length required for a particular cartridge ( 6BR, for example), have 5 chamberings in 6BR, use the same die(s) for all, and add the die shims when I need a longer headspace, like 1.152" the "shortest" and 1.159" the longest. Even at the shortest headspace, there is clearance between the bottom of the die body & the shellholder.

If there were not, I'd remove the before mentioned .010" ( more or less) from the top of the shellholder. Shellholders are cheap & their thickness dimension is not critical.

 

[bigedp51]