So when I setup my reloading bench years back, without a thought I stocked the bench with some Redding Type S full length resizer dies for 223 and 308. Now that its been a few years, I am asking myself the question about WHY I went this way. Call it blind Internet knowledge but at the time the Redding bushing style resizer dies just seemed like the no brainer selection. Now I'm not so sure.
As I've used the Type S dies, one thing has really stood out. That ridge of brass at the shoulder to neck junction on resized cases that is created by using them. The Type S seems to, no matter how it is adjusted, leave a ridged shoulder to neck junction that is just asking for the creation of a donut as well as variable neck tensions (these dies are just not designed to resize the entire neck surface). With the flow of brass from a full length resize up the case body and down the neck, the path of least resistance is right into the small space between the die's shoulder and the neck bushing. Giving it some thought, I played around with tightening the bushing all the way down to reduce this effect. But after rereading the Redding instructions, they seem to require that you NOT dial the bushing down as tight as possible to allow the bushing to float. This play only seems to leave a minor gap between the bushing and the die shoulder allowing flowing brass to fill the void.
Upon first, second, and every firing thereafter, this outer rim flows to the inside diameter of the case caused by the firing pressure molding the case to the chamber wall. With multiple iterations of resizing and firing, this activity is just facilitating the creation of a donut.
My proposed solution would be to revert back to a standard non-bushing full length sizing die so that I can maintain a clean body to shoulder to neck transition. As long as the die provides an adequate neck tension, it would seem to me that the added movement and complexity in the Type S die would be a downgrade in many respects. Especially when you consider that the free floating of the neck bushing to reduce run out is really unnecessary when the Forster Co-Ax press is already allowing an X and Y float ensuring proper alignment and straightness. Perhaps the high quality standard die really is turning out straighter and more accurate hand loads.....
So what say you? Is all of this Type S frenzy just another passing fad and the old school folks with their standard dies have continued to maintain their upper hand?
Now before you say, "Just neck size only", I'll tip my hand and say that I'm not a fan of this approach. At some point you'll have to bump the shoulder and I'd rather do it in small increments rather than one large one (or let it go until running into headspace problems and then getting into a shoulder bumping routine). For you Ackley fans (of which I recently joined the crowd), full length resizing should be a requirement to maintain any assemblance of reliability (especially in tac competitions or LE applications).
As I've used the Type S dies, one thing has really stood out. That ridge of brass at the shoulder to neck junction on resized cases that is created by using them. The Type S seems to, no matter how it is adjusted, leave a ridged shoulder to neck junction that is just asking for the creation of a donut as well as variable neck tensions (these dies are just not designed to resize the entire neck surface). With the flow of brass from a full length resize up the case body and down the neck, the path of least resistance is right into the small space between the die's shoulder and the neck bushing. Giving it some thought, I played around with tightening the bushing all the way down to reduce this effect. But after rereading the Redding instructions, they seem to require that you NOT dial the bushing down as tight as possible to allow the bushing to float. This play only seems to leave a minor gap between the bushing and the die shoulder allowing flowing brass to fill the void.
Upon first, second, and every firing thereafter, this outer rim flows to the inside diameter of the case caused by the firing pressure molding the case to the chamber wall. With multiple iterations of resizing and firing, this activity is just facilitating the creation of a donut.
My proposed solution would be to revert back to a standard non-bushing full length sizing die so that I can maintain a clean body to shoulder to neck transition. As long as the die provides an adequate neck tension, it would seem to me that the added movement and complexity in the Type S die would be a downgrade in many respects. Especially when you consider that the free floating of the neck bushing to reduce run out is really unnecessary when the Forster Co-Ax press is already allowing an X and Y float ensuring proper alignment and straightness. Perhaps the high quality standard die really is turning out straighter and more accurate hand loads.....
So what say you? Is all of this Type S frenzy just another passing fad and the old school folks with their standard dies have continued to maintain their upper hand?
Now before you say, "Just neck size only", I'll tip my hand and say that I'm not a fan of this approach. At some point you'll have to bump the shoulder and I'd rather do it in small increments rather than one large one (or let it go until running into headspace problems and then getting into a shoulder bumping routine). For you Ackley fans (of which I recently joined the crowd), full length resizing should be a requirement to maintain any assemblance of reliability (especially in tac competitions or LE applications).
