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bcarico
Guest
Would a regular Forster full length die with the guts pulled out do the same thing as an open Redding body die?
Thanks
Brandon
Thanks
Brandon
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nhkuehl
Guest
I don't believe so. By the 'guts' are you referring to the decapping pin and expander ball? A full length die re-sizes the case neck. Body Dies are designed to full length resize the case body and bump the shoulder position for proper chambering without disturbing the case neck. - nhk
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bcarico
Guest
Thanks nhkuel,
That's what I was thinking, was just trying to save a few pennies.
Brandon
That's what I was thinking, was just trying to save a few pennies.
Brandon
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J. Valentine
Guest
No it would not . However if you drill out the neck diameter from the top of the die to about .010 larger diameter than the neck diameter of a fired case it will , Some deburring from inside might also be required. That is how I made my first body dies many years ago . Now a Redding body die is quite cheap so I feel you are better off to just buy one.
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Larry Willis
Guest
Never try to save money with guns or shooting equipment.
I've found that it's way too expensive to try and save money on shooting equipment. You almost always end up getting something you really didn't want, and it doesn't work as well as you hope. Then you need to buy what you really need, and just hope you can sell the junk that you no longer use.
I tell people all the time, it's not the brand of dies you use, it's the features that your dies have. Redding, Forster and RCBS all make FL bushing type dies. All of them are AWESOME, and well worth the money. They give you great control of bullet tension regardless of the brass thickness at the neck.
I've found that it's way too expensive to try and save money on shooting equipment. You almost always end up getting something you really didn't want, and it doesn't work as well as you hope. Then you need to buy what you really need, and just hope you can sell the junk that you no longer use.
I tell people all the time, it's not the brand of dies you use, it's the features that your dies have. Redding, Forster and RCBS all make FL bushing type dies. All of them are AWESOME, and well worth the money. They give you great control of bullet tension regardless of the brass thickness at the neck.
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J. Valentine
Guest
Larry with all due respect because you are a friend I think it is a bit disrespectfull to catagorise other peoples efforts to make dies as "Junk" The fact is that I am still using a body die I made from a FL die from 30 years ago. Way before most people ever heard of a body die .
I don't think anyone was disrespectful to you when you decided to make the magnum belt collet die !
However I agree that for most people it is way better to just buy a new die but for some cartridges you can't buy a body die .
I don't think anyone was disrespectful to you when you decided to make the magnum belt collet die !
However I agree that for most people it is way better to just buy a new die but for some cartridges you can't buy a body die .
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Larry Willis
Guest
Whoops . . . . I got a phone call and wound up answering the wrong post.
I don't see any disrespect anywhere on this thread, and none is intended by me. What I'm saying is that I would have saved a whole lot of money, if I didn't try so hard to save a few bucks . . . . and . . . . There are several different types of dies available, and most of them are designed for a specific purpose. Many shooters are mistaken when they believe that one brand is far superior to others. Even though prices vary considerably, each manufacturer makes some die(s) with unique (sometimes patented) features that can do what other manufacturers dies simply can't.
I don't see any disrespect anywhere on this thread, and none is intended by me. What I'm saying is that I would have saved a whole lot of money, if I didn't try so hard to save a few bucks . . . . and . . . . There are several different types of dies available, and most of them are designed for a specific purpose. Many shooters are mistaken when they believe that one brand is far superior to others. Even though prices vary considerably, each manufacturer makes some die(s) with unique (sometimes patented) features that can do what other manufacturers dies simply can't.
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Boyd Allen
Active member
Why Larry, are you trying to tell us that the shiniest most expensive die may not be the best for a particular application?
You make a good point. I'm just turning up the volume a little.
You make a good point. I'm just turning up the volume a little.
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Larry Willis
Guest
Most of my dies are Redding, and they do look a bit better than most other brands. However, the only thing that makes them any better is not because they're made by Redding or because they look spiffy. The bushing concept is a great feature. You can now get bushing type dies made by Forster and RCBS. After carefully "measuring" cases during the reloading process, I always prefer the S-Type (bushing) dies, because they avoid using the expander ball. They're also my number one choice for providing more consistent neck tension. All of my Redding dies use these bushings.
I often see shooters that pay more $$ for a more expensive name brand. Consider that modern production machines are awesome quality, and ALL manufacturers are capable of making great dies. Just be aware that it's the features that make a particular die worth the price.
I often see shooters that pay more $$ for a more expensive name brand. Consider that modern production machines are awesome quality, and ALL manufacturers are capable of making great dies. Just be aware that it's the features that make a particular die worth the price.
Boyd Allen
Active member
Larry,
One thing that I lke to see in a bushing FL die is the option of using an expander ball, since the evil is not in the expander but the relationship between the bushing size and the expander that can create runout. In situations where shooters want the advantages of a bushing die, but don't want to neck turn, selecting a bushing such that only one or two thousandths of "work" is done by the expander results in more uniform neck IDs that are rounder, without increasing runout. The Redding type S dies have this option, as well as some others. We ordered a RCBS bushing FL die for a friend's 7MM WSM and it does a very good job of sizing the body just enough, and I believe that it too has the expander option, although my friend does take a cleanup cut on the necks of his Winchester brass. Where I have seen problems with off the shelf dies, is with how they match a particular chamber. Two friends ignored my advice on this and ended up buying twice for their tight necked 6 BRs. The second time they sent fired cases to Harrell's and it solved their problem (no sizing at the base with proper bump). Their dies work very well. BTW, on a related matter, RCBS is now making bushings, stamped in a reduced diameter section in the middle of their sides...I think. It has been a while since I looked at one.
Boyd
One thing that I lke to see in a bushing FL die is the option of using an expander ball, since the evil is not in the expander but the relationship between the bushing size and the expander that can create runout. In situations where shooters want the advantages of a bushing die, but don't want to neck turn, selecting a bushing such that only one or two thousandths of "work" is done by the expander results in more uniform neck IDs that are rounder, without increasing runout. The Redding type S dies have this option, as well as some others. We ordered a RCBS bushing FL die for a friend's 7MM WSM and it does a very good job of sizing the body just enough, and I believe that it too has the expander option, although my friend does take a cleanup cut on the necks of his Winchester brass. Where I have seen problems with off the shelf dies, is with how they match a particular chamber. Two friends ignored my advice on this and ended up buying twice for their tight necked 6 BRs. The second time they sent fired cases to Harrell's and it solved their problem (no sizing at the base with proper bump). Their dies work very well. BTW, on a related matter, RCBS is now making bushings, stamped in a reduced diameter section in the middle of their sides...I think. It has been a while since I looked at one.
Boyd
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Larry Willis
Guest
Boyd .....
You're right about the expander ball being OK, as long as it doesn't pull hard on the necks. However, I have (5) different bushings for my .30 cal. dies, and I prefer not to use an expander ball or an expanding mandrel. The best bushing usually depends on which brand of brass you're loading. The run-out of my handloads is always .001" or less, and it's easy to get that - especially when you set the die height accurately, and do as little movement of the brass as possible. I almost always make handloads in lots of 50, and I try to never bump the shoulder more than -.001" with a bolt gun.
- Larry
You're right about the expander ball being OK, as long as it doesn't pull hard on the necks. However, I have (5) different bushings for my .30 cal. dies, and I prefer not to use an expander ball or an expanding mandrel. The best bushing usually depends on which brand of brass you're loading. The run-out of my handloads is always .001" or less, and it's easy to get that - especially when you set the die height accurately, and do as little movement of the brass as possible. I almost always make handloads in lots of 50, and I try to never bump the shoulder more than -.001" with a bolt gun.
- Larry