Which 308 FL Sizer Die

[coolt]

Which currently available 308 full length sizer die works the brass the least? The RCBS die I have is terrible in this respect, the necks being way undersized.

 

[fdshuster]

Redding Type S neck bushing full length sizer. Pictured & described in Sinclairs 2011-B catalog, page 42, at the bottom. $52.95 for a 308 category 1. The one piece sizer dies all oversize the case necks, some radically to account for brass that may have very thin neck walls. Then that excess squeezing down must be opened up to approx. .002" or .003" smaller than bullet diameter, using the inside expander button. R esults in radically overworking the brass, sometimes by as much as .013" and the reason the brass will get neck splits after just a few loadings. Annealing would prevent that, if you want to get involved in that. With a neck bushing die, you control the amount of neck sizing, not some pre-determined dimension built into the die by the manufacturer.

 

[fullersson]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=668734

This is a FL sizer that uses bushes to control neck tension. With bushing type dies you also need to purchase the proper size bushing for the neck tension you want. Brian Brown

 

[markm87]

Redding Type S neck bushing full length sizer.

That's what I'm running. I messed up and started out with a .331 bushing that was overworking the heck out of the case neck... no splits, but some runout. Re-measured and found that .336 bushing was pretty good when using Lapua 308 brass.

 

[jmatters]

Get a Redding Body Die, and send it to Jim Carstensen along with 3 cases that have been fired in that chamber. He will convert it to a bushing style die and hone it until it is PERFECT for your chamber. That's how to move as little brass around as possible. And best of all, Jim's work is very inexpensive, he's fast, and puts an amazingly smooth finish on the die. He fixed a Forster Neck die for me so well that I did the above for my 308 and now I alternate FL and neck sizings. I lost count of how many loadings I had on my Lapua brass after 18. That was a year ago, and I've shot 900+ rounds since. (Stupid hot loads too. I wasn't babying it.)

 

[bozo699]

I use the Redding bushing or Forster bushing dies as well for these reasons, however if you don't want to mess with bushings and know your dimensions Forster will hone your die for a small fee, if you can afford it custom dies are always the very best of course, but you will pay for it as well, I think Neil Jones is about $300 for a custom bushing die, three pieces of brass fired three times in your rifle each time neck size only except the last firing send it to him and wait six months, very nice work, I wouldn't consider having someone like Neil make me a die unless I owned the chamber reamer that chambered the rifle so when I shot the barrel out I could chamber another without buying another custom die.
Wayne.

 

[gun_rat82]

I've been using a Forster Fl die for a couple years now and am really happy with them. I think the placement of the expander ball has a lot to do with the run-out of cases and Forster's having theirs at the top of the press stroke is pretty savy. I use a Wilson stainless inline seater also and strongly recomend them, plus they're super handy.
cheers
Trav