NECK BUSHING & SEATING STEM ADVICE REQUIRED!

[shona]

I am in the final stages of ordering my 338 Edge Whidden Die set & I'm stuck on a few points. Firstly, I have ADG Brass with Berger Elite Hunters 300Grn heads. Can anyone who's using this same combination help by giving me an idea of the neck size of their loaded round & what bushing size I should be ordering, allowing for a -2 thou neck tension!

Secondly, Whidden offers a Standard & a Custom seating stem with their die set. If I go with a Custom fit for the berger bullet, will I then require a second stem if I ever shoot another bullet such as the Hornady 285?
At present, everything is with the Gunsmith so, I am juggling remotely with the logistics so any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks
Shona

 

[Dogtown]

I can't help you on this, but in the future it's a good idea to use a descriptive subject like "Neck Bushing and Seating Stem Question". That way your thread subject stands out to people with relevant info because they can see it in the list. Imagine if the list was just all subjects like "I need some help" and "Please help me!"? You'd have to open every thread and read the top post just to get an idea of what the subject was about. Even "I need die and bushing help" is an order of magnitude improvement.

 

[Rathmatik]

I would just call Whidden directly and get their advice.

 

[shona]

I can't help you on this, but in the future it's a good idea to use a descriptive subject like "Neck Bushing and Seating Stem Question". That way your thread subject stands out to people with relevant info because they can see it in the list. Imagine if the list was just all subjects like "I need some help" and "Please help me!"? You'd have to open every thread and read the top post just to get an idea of what the subject was about. Even "I need die and bushing help" is an order of magnitude improvement.

Apologise, & duly noted!
I am relatively new to this but I take note of what you're saying, Thanks Dogtown.

 

[nksmfamjp]

First, pull the stem out of your die and set a bullet into it. Does it wobble? If yes, that is from a pressure point that may dent your case or cause run out. You may want to send off some bullets for a custom stem.

If it is pretty solid, then it is likely good enough….try it and measure your results.

Do you have your brass and a ball mic? If no, brass and calipers? Measure brass thickness on 10 cases, 3 times per case. Take the average multiply times 2 and add 338 to it. That is likely your loaded round diameter or 0.0004-0.0006 larger Due to wrong calipers.

 

[shona]

First, pull the stem out of your die and set a bullet into it. Does it wobble? If yes, that is from a pressure point that may dent your case or cause run out. You may want to send off some bullets for a custom stem.

If it is pretty solid, then it is likely good enough….try it and measure your results.

Do you have your brass and a ball mic? If no, brass and calipers? Measure brass thickness on 10 cases, 3 times per case. Take the average multiply times 2 and add 338 to it. That is likely your loaded round diameter or 0.0004-0.0006 larger Due to wrong calipers.

Hi, nksmfamjp,
Thanks for the reply, but I should explain my situation exactly!
My Edge will be built by my Gunsmith in B.C. Canada & I am trying to locate the components remotely. At this time, I don't have a die set, I'm trying to organize the purchase direct from Whidden & ( correct me if I'm wrong but ) I was rightly or wrongly assuming that anyone using the same combination as I described, would have a ballpark bushing figure that I could provide Whidden at the checkout stage. If I've got this wrong please set me straight but, it kinda made sense to me at the time!
I'm not opposed to buying numerous bushings to juggle the fit, I just don't have anything to tell them at this point.
I hope this makes the issue a little clearer.

Thanks
Shona

 

[nksmfamjp]

Any reason not to order brass and a neck micrometer ahead of time? If not, Whidden should be able to help you guess a range of 3-5 bushings.

Given your situation, maybe it is better for you to get 2-5 seating stems and have your gunsmith fit them. They can be fit by putting polishing compound on a bullet and grinding the stem by spinning the bullet or stem and pushing them together. The goal is to increase bearing surface between the 2.

 

[shona]

I have a batch of ADG 338 Edge brass that's sitting with my gunsmith, along with the 300 Grn Bergers I bought ahead of time. From what you're saying, I suppose he could knock up some dummy rounds & take a neck measurement. As the gun is not yet built, I have no way of providing fired cases as Whidden require but I do now have a reamer spec sheet that was sent to me. As I said earlier, I have no objection to buying extra bushings or seating stems on either side of the ideal if, only I knew what was considered the ideal!
How hard can it be to have those seating stems ground anyway!

 

[nksmfamjp]

You could ask your gunsmith to measure neck thickness on 5 cases and to send 3 bullets to Whidden to grind a custom stem.

That would answer your questions.

 

[Rocketmandb]

On the seating stem, call Whidden and ask. They will tell you what you need.

On the bushing size, all I can tell you is I size with a .335 bushing on my 300 with ADG. I don't know if ADG 338 brass has the same neck thickness or not.

 

[shona]

On the seating stem, call Whidden and ask. They will tell you what you need.

On the bushing size, all I can tell you is I size with a .335 bushing on my 300 with ADG. I don't know if ADG 338 brass has the same neck thickness or not.

Hi, Rocketmandb,
I will ask Whidden's opinion on the stem selection as you suggest & I appreciate the info on the neck bushing but as the .300 is being necked up from .300 to .338 I would have naturally expected it to have a larger bushing surely!

Thanks
Shona

 

[Rocketmandb]

Hi, Rocketmandb,
I will ask Whidden's opinion on the stem selection as you suggest & I appreciate the info on the neck bushing but as the .300 is being necked up from .300 to .338 I would have naturally expected it to have a larger bushing surely!

Thanks
Shona

Yes - what I was throwing out there is the brass neck wall thickness of mine - not the bushing size you'd use. If it's the same as my 300 brass (~.013 - .014), then you'd have your answer (.365 bushing) - I'm just not sure that it is. You can always call ADG and find that out too.

 

[shona]

Yes - what I was throwing out there is the brass neck wall thickness of mine - not the bushing size you'd use. If it's the same as my 300 brass (~.013 - .014), then you'd have your answer (.365 bushing) - I'm just not sure that it is. You can always call ADG and find that out too.

Now, I understand what your saying, my friend!
Thanks Again for taking the time to respond to this.

Shona

 

[Steel head]

I used a .364 bushing for my whidden 338 edge die till I could make a modified Lee collet for it but I skim cut the necks.
ADG brass.

 

[shona]

I used a .364 bushing for my whidden 338 edge die till I could make a modified Lee collet for it but I skim cut the necks.
ADG brass.

Thanks for the reply Steel head but I'm not familiar with the term skim cut?
What is that exactly? I see you are also using ADG brass but is that with the 300 Grn Berger or Smk's?

Thanks
Shona

 

[spife7980]

Thanks for the reply Steel head but I'm not familiar with the term skim cut?
What is that exactly? I see you are also using ADG brass but is that with the 300 Grn Berger or Smk's?

Thanks
Shona

He means he uses a neck turning tool to take some of the diameter off around the neck circumference to get rid of any high spots in an attempt to make it all more even so his measurement will be a bit smaller than it otherwise would.

 

[Steel head]

He means he uses a neck turning tool to take some of the diameter off around the neck circumference to get rid of any high spots in an attempt to make it all more even so his measurement will be a bit smaller than it otherwise would.
View attachment 7698841

Yep
I do a 60-80% cut that just takes off the highest spots
A .364 is what I’d use for unmolested ADG as well as I just seated a bullet in a brand new piece of ADG 338 edge brass and it was averaging .3663

 

[shona]

He means he uses a neck turning tool to take some of the diameter off around the neck circumference to get rid of any high spots in an attempt to make it all more even so his measurement will be a bit smaller than it otherwise would.
View attachment 7698841

OK! Thanks. Neck turn / Skim cutting. Just never heard it described like that!
A common practice for removing exterior doughnuts too!
Shona