Redding Body Die setup

[rum]

Forgive me if I'm overlooking the obvious but I'm having a tough time getting my body die set up. I'm shooting a Surgeon Remedy in .338 Lapua with Lapua brass. I am using a Redding type S match neck die set. My loads are shooting great but closing the bolt has more resistance than I would like. If I rechamber a fired brass, the bolt closes fine but with some resistance. When I use the body die and then the neck die and try to chamber the brass, it feels like the same amount(maybe slightly more???) When I chamber a loaded round, I experience the same resistance. I tried moving the body die around and when I tried it TIGHT against the shellholder, I could not close the bolt. I could be wrong but it appears that the resistance is about 1/4 inch from the case head because I am getting very very slight marks on my brass if I repeatedly close and open the bolt.
I, now, wish that I had just bought the FL die but I was under the assumption that the body die could act as a FL die. If I am able to figure out the issue, my original plan was to use the body die each time I loaded the brass. This would be the same as using a FL sizer each time, correct? I have searched the internet and, so far, the only solution I have come up with is to grind the bottom of the body die off but I would rather just get something that works without modification.(with my luck, I'd screw up the mod somehow) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rum</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Forgive me if I'm overlooking the obvious but I'm having a tough time getting my body die set up. I'm shooting a Surgeon Remedy in .338 Lapua with Lapua brass. I am using a Redding type S match neck die set. My loads are shooting great but closing the bolt has more resistance than I would like. If I rechamber a fired brass, the bolt closes fine but with some resistance. When I use the body die and then the neck die and try to chamber the brass, it feels like the same amount(maybe slightly more???) When I chamber a loaded round, I experience the same resistance. I tried moving the body die around and when I tried it TIGHT against the shellholder, I could not close the bolt. I could be wrong but it appears that the resistance is about 1/4 inch from the case head because I am getting very very slight marks on my brass if I repeatedly close and open the bolt.
I, now, wish that I had just bought the FL die but I was under the assumption that the body die could act as a FL die. If I am able to figure out the issue, my original plan was to use the body die each time I loaded the brass. This would be the same as using a FL sizer each time, correct? I have searched the internet and, so far, the only solution I have come up with is to grind the bottom of the body die off but I would rather just get something that works without modification.(with my luck, I'd screw up the mod somehow) Any help would be greatly appreciated. </div></div>

I have noticed this too and it can be frustrating and counter-intuitive.

With the 338LM, after a few cycles, one can actually bump the shoulder back out, when sizing the cases.

Trust me bro, I used a body die, a RCBS FL sizing die, a Hornady FL sizing die and a Forster FL sizing die and would get the slightest of lengthening.

I don't know if it's because there's so much freakin' metal in the case, or what but what I do now is anneal my necks/shoulders at say 3-4 cycles and then only neck size until you can't close the bolt at all on a fired case.

This is a situation where 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' aptly applies.

Chris

 

[Travelor]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

You wrote, "When I use the body die and then the neck die and try to chamber the brass, it feels like the same amount(maybe slightly more???) When I chamber a loaded round, I experience the same resistance."

The body die <span style="font-weight: bold">IS</span> a full length sizing die, just without the neck being sized. Use the body die AFTER the neck die and see if it helps. Sometimes the neck expander will pull the shoulder out when it goes through the neck.

If this does not work, you are not getting the die down far enough on the case and might consider the Redding competition shellholder set that allows for more sizing.

George

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

The base of the case gets expanded when the cartrige is fired.

When the body die compresses the expanded base, it end up pushing the sholder forward. Thus a case that fits becomes a case with a hard bolt closeure.

This simply indicates that the body die is not sufficiently down in the press. The body die, when setup properly, will move the sholder back.

So, take the case, and screw the die in another 1/16th turn and give it another go in the chamber. Continue screwing the die in untill the case fits in the chamber. Then lock it down and be happy.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

My favorite dies are the Redding "S" FULL LENGTH sizing dies. You can neck only size with it if you wish. But I full length size every time. I have set my dies so that they only bump the soulders back .0015" to .002" (one and a half to two thousandths). This takes care of the marking for each time fired between bumping the shoulders back. I get the same number of load cycles this way as I did doing the neck only sizing. For me it is more accurate because I don't have to fight the bolt and disturb my setup (mechanical rest, bipod or sand bags) between shots.

 

[rum]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

I'm going to go try screwing the die down to the shellholder and then another 1/8-1/4 turn. I got an email from Redding telling me the same thing you guys are telling me about the shoulder actually moving forward if the die isn't down enough.

 

[rum]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

I adjusted the die down quite a ways and now they chamber just fine. I'm not sure what was going on earlier because I adjusted the die far enough that the brass wouldn't go any further and could not get the brass to fit the chamber. I wonder if there was gunk in my die or ????.. Its working now so I won't question it. I ended up turning the die until it touched the shellholder and then another 1/4+ turn.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rum</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm going to go try screwing the die down to the shellholder and then another 1/8-1/4 turn. I got an email from Redding telling me the same thing you guys are telling me about the shoulder actually moving forward if the die isn't down enough. </div></div>

I told you so, lol.

What Redding didn't tell you, is that they has an early issue with their sizing dies in 338LM. Depending on what shellholder and press you're using, it's quite possible that you won't be able to screw the die down far enough, to get the press to operate.

What do you do?

I took a Dremel tool with the smooth grinding wheel and carefull placed a .223 SB body die flat onto the top of the wheel and took off .003"-.004" from the bottom of the body die.

Problem solved.

You cand it back to Redding and ask them to do this for you (measure it first in three spots) or you can do it yourself.

Shellholders and shellplates are all over the map relative to thicknesses, so it's tough to accomodate all of them, when chambering a die.

Chris

 

[rum]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

When I was searching, it must have been a post by you that I found about grinding the bottom of the die off. It makes perfect sense but I was afraid of taking too much off or unevenly and screwing up the die. Thankfully, I was able to get it far enough without grinding. Would their shell holder sets eliminate this problem since they are different thicknesses?

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Redding Body Die setup

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rum</div><div class="ubbcode-body">When I was searching, it must have been a post by you that I found about grinding the bottom of the die off. It makes perfect sense but I was afraid of taking too much off or unevenly and screwing up the die. Thankfully, I was able to get it far enough without grinding. Would their shell holder sets eliminate this problem since they are different thicknesses? </div></div>

Well, with typical removeable shellholders, you have a few brands, LEE, Hornady, Redding, RCBS and they all fit. This type of holder is hard to grind down properly.

Redding makes competition shellholders with differing heights, but I don't know if they make this set for the 338LM or if they're actually thinner where it matters...the top of the shellholder where the die touches and not the shelf, that the case actually sits on.

There are also issues with 338LM brass and the geometry at the extraction groove is different between the Norma and Lapua brands, necessitating two shellholders, but you can do a search here for the specifics. Norma needed one and Lapua brand brass needed the other.

You've been made aware of some sizing issues with this caliber and Redding has confirmed it, so you know what to do in the future.

I keep neck sizing as long as they chamber, which means a little more work figuring out where the cases are after firing, but it's not a caliber one goes out and shoots everyday, nor in great quantities, so I'm fine with the extra work.

Chris