Using Expander With Bushing Die

[ccg]

I started to use the Redding bushing die for reloading my .223. I was surprised to find the expander was sizing the neck. I would think that would defeat the whole purpose of the Ti N bushing if you have to lube the inside of the neck. My question is do you still use the expander or have you eliminated this and how. I have always heard how these expanders can pull the neck off center.

 

[billmo]

I take all expander buttons out and let the bushing do all the work. Bill

 

[BolloX]

Hi,

If you choose to size the inside of the necks then a mandrel is a better choice than the std expanderball set up.

Of course you can choose to only use the bushing but I prefer to size the inside to round out the casemouths. Coming out of my rifles they are a bit dinged sometimes.

Chrs,
BolloX

 

[Preacher]

BolloX
If you relax the spring tension on your ejector you'll loose the dinging brass problem really quick.....

 

[watercam]

I generally use the neck bushing only unless the neck is out-of-round. At that point I use an expander ball that has been polished down to the inside diameter that the neck-bushing gives when used alone. Any good gunsmith can do it precisely for you for very little cost,or Redding for that matter). I did it myself with a polishing wheel. Just keep the ball rolling constantly so that it won't form any flat spots.

MThomas

 

[nonliberal]

I have found my best results by getting rid of the expander. It was a major cause of runout in my brass. If the case mouth gets bent or dinged I just run it up a Lee collet die so I dont need to lube and clean the inside of the case. Before I got the collet die I would run it up on the expandron that goes with my neck turner and then size it back down with the bushing die. If its a 6br your talking about you can use a 6ppc collet die.

 

[BolloX]

Hi Preacher,

Thanks for the tip but I forgot to mention that I meant my .223 semi's that are causing the out of round casemouths. Messing with their ejector springs is not really an option.

In my bolt rifle it is not really an issue.

Kind rgds,
BolloX

 

[memilanuk]

Call your Redding supplier and get the appropriately sized carbide expander ball and install it on your decapping stem in the die. This ball is round,vs. the oblong pill-looking thing that comes w/ the die) so it has less surface area to cause drag, it's made from harder material,less drag), and perhaps most importantly, it floats or is self-centering in the case neck. All of these combine to allow it to iron out any dings w/o pulling the neck out of round or stretching your headspace. Good stuff. Get it.

 

[BoydAllen]

Are your necks turned or unturned? How is the neck tension with your current setup? If you are shooting unturned necks having the expander ball do a little work may be a good thing especially if you need to iron out ejector dings. In fact, given that problem, it may be a good thing with turned necks. The trick is to have the correct bushing size so that the expander has very little work to do. The harm that expanders do is mainly caused by over sizing of the neck before expanding. In that case, the pull required to pull the expander through the neck exceeds the yield strength of the brass at the neck shoulder junction and it yields asymmetrically, cocking the neck. If you pick the correct size bushing so that the expander only opens the neck by say .001 or from where the bushing sizes it, the amount of axial force will be minimal and the neck will not be cocked in the process. You will also not need to lubricate, just lightly brush to get the big stuff out. What is the difference in neck diameter of after sizing with and without the expander?