Advanced reloading, bushing dies, straight line seaters, etc

[subsonic]

I checked run-out on some ammo I made with standard RCBS dies and found some was off by as much as .006". So I sorted it in order of concentricity and shot it. The stuff that was within .001" shot a 1" group @ 100yds. The others sprayed a little less than a 2" group.
 
I know that I can do a better job with my current dies with some care, but have purchased a Redding Type S full length bushing die and a Forster Micrometer straight line seater die.
 
I've been trying to find a proper neck bushing. Loaded rounds measure .294". I plan to start turning necks as part of my plan to increase consistancy and thus accuracy, so I picked a neck bushing of .292 to cover that in the future and account for spring back.
 
Necks come out of this bushing at .290"
 
The local shop had a .295" bushing, so I figured I'd try it. I get .295" necks with that, which is a light friction fit. They won't fall out, but can be pulled by hand.
 
I *want* .292 to .293 necks. I have a .294" bushing on order.
 
Has anyone got some advice or experiences to share? Am I going to end up wasting my time here for a production rifle?

[nsk]

12345

[gitano]

Hard to say. Some folks swear by the nit-picking, others swear at it. Seems to be working for you if you can shrink an almost 2MOA shooter to a 1MOA shooter.
 
Did you mic those bushings you bought? Sounds to me like they may not mic the same as they're stamped. If I recall correctly, your father-in-law has a lathe. Have him make you a 0.2925" bushing. Then you'll know what it is. I made a whole mess of neck-sizer bushings for the various cartridges made on the .376 Steyr case. It's a piece o' cake.
 
Paul

[Nelsdou]

Sub,

You are on the right path.  I'm embarrased to say for quite some time after I got into handloading I didn't pay much attention to run out and variations in neck thickness:undecided: .  Always assumed it was the nut behind the butt resulting in the large groups.  When I ran into a tight-necked Husky and was forced to turn case necks, I started to examine some of my other calibers and was aghast with what I found among differing pieces of brass. Laupa is the exception for me and has been pretty consistent in neck thickness.

I haven't run any comparison tests, but now that I check for neck thickness variation and turn when necessary, I get alot less run out seating flat-base jacketed and gas-checked cast bullets and seem to get fewer flyers.

Nels

[subsonic]

The .294" bushing seems to give me what I want, around .2925" necks, depending on neck thickness and how much they were blown out at firing.
 
After talking to the Redding Tech guy, the amount you are squeezing down from the fireformed neck diameter has a pretty big effect on then end result, and so does brass hardness from multiple firings. And not necessarily in a predictable way.
 
I'm going to get a .293" bushing too, for after I start turning necks. The .295" bushing might work real good with my RCBS 140-SIL mould when I get that sorted out.
 
Now to pick out a neck turning setup. I like the forster for ease of setting and would use a Lee trimmer collet to spin the cases instead of their handle, but the Sinclair setup might be better for consistency due to the mandrel/expander setup.

[Paul Hoskins]

subsonic, I have never bought neck sizing dies or bushings but make my own. I cipher you are neck sizing for a 6.5 cartridge. For the 6.5/500 S&W cartridge, I made several bushings for forming and loading. For turning the necks I used the RCBS Trim Pro. It isn't the easiest thing to adjust for neck thickness tho. I usually start with a feeler gauge of the right thickness but it never seems to cut what you set it for. Once set, it does a good job.   ..............Paul H

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