LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

[BgBmBoo]

Ok...so I received my Redding 3 piece die set for my new 6XC...I am pretty new to reloading and have been using all RCBS comp. FL dies for all my loading to date.

So now I need to know what to do? I get the bushing setup...and the seating die is straight forward enough....but what do I do with the body die,etc.? The gent who built me the rifle said this die set was what I needed...I was just going to get the two piece set but was talked into the 3 piece.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to school me on this.

Take care,Stan

 

[asbestosglove]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

Think of the body die as a full-length die without the neck. It can bump the shoulder and sizes the sides wthout disturbing the neck tension you have chosen. Use the bushing neck die until the cases start to feel too tight when inserting into the rifle's chamber. Then use the body die at the next reloading. That will make the case good for the next "x" number of firings using only the neck die.

AG in NC

 

[AQC440]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

Per the Redding Website

Body Dies are designed to full length resize the case body and bump the shoulder position for proper chambering without disturbing the case neck. They are made without internal parts and intended for use only to resize cases which have become increasingly difficult to chamber after repeated firing and neck sizing...

Hope this helps

 

[BgBmBoo]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

Thanks guys...I "understand" all that and have read the instructions....but how do you start off? Do you run a unfired case through the neck die first? Or start with the neck die after the first firing.

I read a lot on the 6XC that I am loading for and they say they FL size every time.

Thanks again for the input.

Take care,Stan

 

[asbestosglove]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

Just start after the first firing. The new brass would likely be undersize for the neck die. If you want to full length every time, get the Full Length "S" Bushing die from Redding. Uses the bushings for neck tension and can bump shoulder and full length resize. My builder said that was what he was recommending lately. AG

 

[BgBmBoo]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

Hmm....so when it is time to FL and/or bump the shoulder I use the body...then run it through the neck die? Wow....lots of work...guess I will be ordering a FL die.

Take care,Stan

 

[USSR]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

BgBmBoo,

Run your fired brass thru the body die, then run them thru the neck sizing die. You are then essentially FL sizing your brass. No big deal.

Don

 

[jdel]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

Might be easier to use Reddings full bush die. I use the same type set up for my 308 bolt gun. After 3 or so neck sizings I need to bump the shoulder back. If you need to full size each time the full bushing die will let you control the neck tention while sizing the body also. Sinse you already have the set they will work fine, just an extra step.

 

[Winchester 69]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

The idea of the three-die set is to allow you to neck size at every firing, using the body die only when the case becomes difficult to chamber. If you want to FL size each time, you have the wrong set as sizing becomes twice the chore with what you have now.

 

[GLShooter]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

On new brass I just round the necks with an mandrill from Sinclair. After that I NS only. When they get to tight I'll use the body die. You can usually get quite a few firings out of the case before you have to FL and bump the shoulder.

Greg L.

 

[USSR]

Re: LEARN ME 'BOUT 3 PIECE REDDING DIES

I started out using just the necksizing die and only using the body die when the cases became harder to chamber. Then I got to thinking that there would be less case dimension and case capacity variation if I use the body die every time. That's how I do now. I like the idea of doing separate operations with different dies. I also removed the decapping pin from the necksizing die, and that operation is handled by my Lyman Universal Decapping die.

Don