Favorite tool for setting sizing die

[lightman]

Just curious what tool you use, how well you like it, and why? I have never used one, or thought that I needed one. I've always started with my die screwed out enough to not touch the shoulder, and slowly adjusted it down until I could see the sized line on the case neck meet the shoulder. If it chambered ok, thats where I locked it down.

So, you have the Wilson case gauges. You have the tools that fit on your calipers like the Sinclair, Hornady or Stoney Point. And you have the RCBS precision mic. Any others?

What do you use and how well does it work? Thanks, Lightman

 

[FLIGHT762]

I have the Wilson (Dillon) drop in gauges, Hornady gauges and the Sinclair gauges. My preference goes to the Hornady headspace gauge set. I get the most consistent readings from the Hornady set. Very easy to use on a set of calipers. Digital or dial calipers, they both work great.

Being able to see the actual shoulder bump numbers makes the Hornady style gauges a breeze in setting up your dies to your particular rifle or rifles. Much better than the Wilson style gauges and better than the RCBS precision mic, due to the RCBS Mic being caliber specific. For the price, the Hornady set can measure the headspace on dozens of cartridges for what one caliber specific RCBS precision mic costs.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I've got over a dozen drop in gages from Wilson and Dillon, so they have they place, but if you want to set up a rifle sizing die, get the Hornady/Stoney Point headspace gage set.

Don't muck around with the drop in rifle gages, is my advice.

Chris

 

[armorpl8chikn]

A candle.
Smoke the neck and adjust accordingly. Has worked flawless for most of my 31 year reloading career.

 

[rjacobs]

It depends...

If you are loading 1 caliber for multiple guns than the drop in gauges like Wilson that are at SAAMI spec for head space are the way to go to set it up so that every gun gets a piece of ammo that is at SAAMI spec and you, in theory, should have less issues.

If you are loading for only one gun than the Hornady kit is the way to go since you can tailor your die to that particular guns chamber.

 

[jelrod1]

I use the Innovative Technologies gage. I find it quick and easy.

 

[Pinecone]

It depends...

If you are loading 1 caliber for multiple guns than the drop in gauges like Wilson that are at SAAMI spec for head space are the way to go to set it up so that every gun gets a piece of ammo that is at SAAMI spec and you, in theory, should have less issues.

If you are loading for only one gun than the Hornady kit is the way to go since you can tailor your die to that particular guns chamber.

This is what I do.

.223 gets sized to drop fit in the gauge.

.308 gets the shoulder bumped 0.002" using the Hornady gauge.

 

[BC 6.8]

+1 on the Hornady kit. You can tell exactly how much you bump the shoulder back for a very reasonable price.

 

[Deerhunter 28]

I use the Hornady as others have mentioned.


PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out

 

[lightman]

Thanks for the replys, everybody. The reason behind this question is the brass shortages. I always had good results with a method like Armorpl8chikn describes, and it worked for me about as long as it has for him. That was with brass that was fired in my chamber. But, now I'm shooting some once fired brass that was not fired in my chamber. I'm having a few issues with tight/loose or inconsistent bolt close until they get fired in my chamber for the first time. Sometimes longer than the first time. Was just thinking that one of the headspace tools might help.

Thanks to the guys that have more than one tool for offering the comparison between the different choices. I have calipers, so it looks like Hornady or Sinclair will be getting another order! Thanks again, Lightman

 

[fx77]

Digital Headspace gauge...sets back the shoulder to just what U want

Innovative Technologies - Reloading Equipment

 

[ZiaHunter]

The Hornady gauge works well but prefer the IT gauge for my bolt guns and the RCBS Precision Mic for gas guns. Verify with Wilson case gauges.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Whever I use once fired brass that did not come from my rifle or specialty pistol, I will use my chamber to tell me how far I need to go. I have several match chambers and sometimes this involves just sizing the hell out of it in a SB sizing die.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

For my rifles, if a fired case is reinserted in the chamber and the bolt closes easily, the die is resizing to far.

If a loaded round is inserted in the chamber and the bolt closes without noticeable (but reasonable) bolt drag, it's still resizing too far.

Handguns? I don't do handguns, you're on your own with that.

I resize my .30br brass so only the end 1/4 portion of the neck is actually resized. I have NEVER had to bump the shoulder in two years of competition and reloading this single batch of brass.

Greg

 

[Layton]

I set my rifle dies so that I am just touching the shoulder on once fired brass. Any more downward rotation on the die and it starts bumping the shoulder. I really don't want to bump the shoulder unless it grows beyond what I have the die set to on the once fired stuff. By setting up that way I'm only bumping when the brass says it needs it yet I'm keeping everything consistent with the f/l die. Or should be. At least that's my rational. May be way off but it works for me. And I may end up changing over time when my OCD comes up with a 'better idea'. The idea being to keep everything as consistent as I can.

L

 

[Frank]

I use a Mo's guage. Take a fired case, put in the Mo's guage, it gives you the headspace of the case. Size the case and take a new reading. If it was fired in your chamber,(full power load) then it gives you the size of your chamber. Adjust die to bump the shoulder back what ever amount you want. It also has a trim length on the mouth end. This is the original. The RCBS case thingy is a copy, but it does have the extra part for bullet length.

 

[JGorski]

Just curious what tool you use, how well you like it, and why? I have never used one, or thought that I needed one. I've always started with my die screwed out enough to not touch the shoulder, and slowly adjusted it down until I could see the sized line on the case neck meet the shoulder. If it chambered ok, thats where I locked it down.

So, you have the Wilson case gauges. You have the tools that fit on your calipers like the Sinclair, Hornady or Stoney Point. And you have the RCBS precision mic. Any others?
What do you use and how well does it work? Thanks, Lightman

Up until now I used your method, turned the seating die down till the bolt turned more easily than the time before when I threw the shell into the chamber. That usually took a maybe less than a 1/4 turn past the shellholder, since I got the Hornady headspace gauges I found my method was spot on.

 

[bigedp51]

I use the Hornady Cartridge Headspace Gauge, my Wilson case gauges are now used for paper weights.

You can use several methods for adjusting your dies.

1. Place a .010 feeler gauge between the shell holder and the bottom of the die, keep using thinner feeler gauges until the desired bump is achieved.

2. Headspace shims placed under the lock ring after you have adjusted the die to make hard contact with the shell holder and the press cams over. Again start with the thick shim and work down until the desired bump is achieved.

Redding Custom Shell Holders, each shell holder is .002, .004, .006, .008 and .010 taller than a standard shell holder.

Retired Wilson paper weight and pen holder.

 

[Asperly Aimless]

My chamber...

 

[Rprecision]

I use the Hornady tool to measure bump.

Now when it comes to measuring the change in die adjustment, that's easy. I screw out the de caper, and measure the distance of the die to shell holder with a feeler gauge.

 

[hfeo]

+1 for the Mo gauge. Not cheap but work good.

 

[kvwpwr]

For .223 and .308 i use rcbs precision mic. It is quick and easy. For all other cartridges I use hornady headspace gauges.

 

[stewfish]

I used to use all the fancy tools to set up the dies, but a match or a candle work just fine. I even went 21st century and used a sharpie on the shoulder. This way, you don't need numbers and arithmetic, you only screw the sizing die down until it contacts all the way around the shoulder, square up the die, and tighten.

 

[bruddah]

A candle.
Smoke the neck and adjust accordingly. Has worked flawless for most of my 31 year reloading career.

I like that idea!

 

[FLIGHT762]

I reload for a variety of 308 Win. rifles. I like to see the shoulder bump / headspace numbers on a caliper. I made up several dummy rounds with shoulder bump numbers in magic marker written on the sides of the brass cases. These were measured with a Hornady .400" bump gauge.

I just got a new GAP 10 a few days ago. All I had to do was chamber the dummy rounds. I started at 2.613". The rounds got sticky/ stuck at 2.615". They chambered fine @ 2.614". I'll bump cases for that rifle @ 2.612"-2.613".

If you're loading for one rifle, I can see doing the candle thing. I have a variety of rifles and I use the Redding competition shell holders to adjust the shoulder bump from rifle to rifle.

Each rifle has a binder with targets and notes, noting what the shoulder bump is for that rifle. Most of the rifles chamber well in the 1.613"-14"-15" area.

**EDIT**
Just this morning, I was with a buddy who was shooting a Steyr SSG 69. He was shooting some reloads and had a few rounds that wouldn't chamber. After shooting, we went to my reloading room and measured the shoulder bump on the reloads. For whatever reason, It seems a few rounds didn't get their shoulders bumped back enough. What I found was any ammo that had a shoulder datum measurement past 1.613" wouldn't chamber. This Rifle has a chamber tighter than any of my rifles. I found for his Rifle, he needs to bump the shoulders back to 1.612" to get his ammo to chamber easily.

I found it very easy and convenient to use the Hornady gauge with visible numbers to adjust for the ammunition in the rifle. I was able to run the ammo that measured + 1.613" and ran the ammo through a Redding body die and bumped the shoulders back enough to below 1.613". I Didn't have to tear apart the ammo to do it.