Redding neck die

funman · October 30, 2011, 03:16 PM

I cannot figure this out, any info would be great. I have a 308 redding neck die (not the one with bushings or what ever) After i run the cases through the die i can manually put a bullet in with my hands. Some of them i cannot. I do not understand why it will not size correctly. I have moved it up /down, cleaned it. What else can i do? It does this on once fired brass and older brass as well. Like i said some of the cases will size , where i cannot manually stick a bullet in with my fingers. thanks

jepp2 · October 30, 2011, 04:13 PM

As you move the die up and down, you should be able to see on the neck of the cases how far they have entered the die. Can you see this?

Have you checked to make sure you have the correct expander on the decapping rod? Use your calipers to confirm it is correct.

Check the OD of the neck of some loaded ammo. The neck sized brass should have an OD around 0.003" less.

mrawesome22 · October 30, 2011, 09:18 PM

Federal brass?

jdillon · October 30, 2011, 10:07 PM

You may want to check the neck thickness of the brass in addition to the expander. I run Redding dies almost exclusively in my single stage press both competition and Type S. I have replaced all the supplied expander plugs with the carbide balls that float since they generally produce more concentric necks.

funman · October 31, 2011, 08:27 AM

Thanks ill check all that. No its not federal brass, its mostly winchester

dahermit · October 31, 2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

...its mostly winchester ...

This statement suggests that all the cases may not have been fired the same number of times. If so, some may be work-hardened and are springing back after sizing. When loading precision ammunition, all cases should be come from the same lot, fired the same number of times, etc. In short, all the cases should be as close to identical as humanly possible...and the certainly precludes using cases of different head-stamps.

F. Guffey · October 31, 2011, 09:06 AM

“After i run the cases through the die i can manually put a bullet in with my hands” Dies come in as many options as coffee, caf, de-caff, half caff mocha, light, dark etc.., etc.

My sizer dies size the neck down when the ram is raised, when the neck is sized down the neck gets longer, when the ram is lowered the sizer ball expands the neck, when the neck is expanded the neck shortens, there is no chance I would be able to seat a bullet by simply pushing in a case that has been sized, full length or neck sized because I do not trim necks on the inside or outside unless I formed the cases from too long to short.

I have heard of jump back, recovery, memory or spring back, if the cases are springing back that much there should be a sound created when the expander ball is pulled through.

The cases that will not allow for hand seating are the keepers, the cases with the loose necks have a problem.

Spring back is something I am accused of forgetting, me? I am surprised some reloaders can get anything done because they are obsessed with the thought.

F. Guffey

dahermit · October 31, 2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

I have heard of jump back, recovery, memory or spring back, if the cases are springing back that much there should be a sound created when the expander ball is pulled through.

Just the opposite. If after sizing, the case neck springs back, the expander ball will not make a sound because there will be little/no contact with it as the case is withdrawn from the die.

dahermit · October 31, 2011, 01:23 PM

“

Quote:

After i run the cases through the die i can manually put a bullet in with my hands” Dies come in as many options as coffee, caf, de-caff, half caff mocha, light, dark etc.., etc.

All dies, regardless of the brand, are intended on reducing the neck of a fired casing back to SAMMI specifications. If the cases are not being sized down enough to prohibit seating a bullet with finger pressure, something is not correct...either the brass, or the dies. It is most likely the brass, but could be the die.

funman · November 2, 2011, 09:33 AM

Yes all cases have not been fired the same amount of times, but very close. This has happened on my last batch of once fired winchester brass. Some of them sized (neck only) and some of them did not. I am leaning toward it being the die but i just dont see how it would do some and not the others. Spring back, yeah i get that, but this is happening on once fired ammo. Im going to contact redding and see what they say. Just thought i would ask the experts first. thanks

micksis86 · November 3, 2011, 05:58 AM

I'd say either the die isn't screwed in far enough or the expander is too high that it's not doing it's job. You'd know if the expander is going into the case mouth and coming out just by feel.

B78-22250 · November 5, 2011, 12:37 PM

Could it be possible you have a bump die instead of a neck die?

zeke · November 6, 2011, 08:02 AM

There is a considerable difference in 308 brass thickness at the necks, and Win is the thinnest.

October 30, 2011, 03:16 PM	#1
funman Junior Member Join Date: January 9, 2010 Location: Flordia Posts: 4	Redding neck die I cannot figure this out, any info would be great. I have a 308 redding neck die (not the one with bushings or what ever) After i run the cases through the die i can manually put a bullet in with my hands. Some of them i cannot. I do not understand why it will not size correctly. I have moved it up /down, cleaned it. What else can i do? It does this on once fired brass and older brass as well. Like i said some of the cases will size , where i cannot manually stick a bullet in with my fingers. thanks

October 30, 2011, 10:07 PM	#4
jdillon Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2011 Location: Southern NM Posts: 141	You may want to check the neck thickness of the brass in addition to the expander. I run Redding dies almost exclusively in my single stage press both competition and Type S. I have replaced all the supplied expander plugs with the carbide balls that float since they generally produce more concentric necks. __________________ "Emergencies have always been the pretext on which the safeguards of individual liberty have been eroded" - F.A. Hayek

November 3, 2011, 05:58 AM	#11
micksis86 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Posts: 420	I'd say either the die isn't screwed in far enough or the expander is too high that it's not doing it's job. You'd know if the expander is going into the case mouth and coming out just by feel. __________________ Never argue with morons, they will lower you down to their level and beat you with experience.

November 5, 2011, 12:37 PM	#12
B78-22250 Member Join Date: May 24, 2009 Location: Eden NC Posts: 56	neck sizing Could it be possible you have a bump die instead of a neck die?

October 30, 2011, 04:13 PM	#2
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	As you move the die up and down, you should be able to see on the neck of the cases how far they have entered the die. Can you see this? Have you checked to make sure you have the correct expander on the decapping rod? Use your calipers to confirm it is correct. Check the OD of the neck of some loaded ammo. The neck sized brass should have an OD around 0.003" less.

October 30, 2011, 09:18 PM	#3
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	Federal brass?

October 31, 2011, 08:27 AM	#5
funman Junior Member Join Date: January 9, 2010 Location: Flordia Posts: 4	Thanks ill check all that. No its not federal brass, its mostly winchester

October 31, 2011, 09:06 AM	#7
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	“After i run the cases through the die i can manually put a bullet in with my hands” Dies come in as many options as coffee, caf, de-caff, half caff mocha, light, dark etc.., etc. My sizer dies size the neck down when the ram is raised, when the neck is sized down the neck gets longer, when the ram is lowered the sizer ball expands the neck, when the neck is expanded the neck shortens, there is no chance I would be able to seat a bullet by simply pushing in a case that has been sized, full length or neck sized because I do not trim necks on the inside or outside unless I formed the cases from too long to short. I have heard of jump back, recovery, memory or spring back, if the cases are springing back that much there should be a sound created when the expander ball is pulled through. The cases that will not allow for hand seating are the keepers, the cases with the loose necks have a problem. Spring back is something I am accused of forgetting, me? I am surprised some reloaders can get anything done because they are obsessed with the thought. F. Guffey

November 2, 2011, 09:33 AM	#10
funman Junior Member Join Date: January 9, 2010 Location: Flordia Posts: 4	Yes all cases have not been fired the same amount of times, but very close. This has happened on my last batch of once fired winchester brass. Some of them sized (neck only) and some of them did not. I am leaning toward it being the die but i just dont see how it would do some and not the others. Spring back, yeah i get that, but this is happening on once fired ammo. Im going to contact redding and see what they say. Just thought i would ask the experts first. thanks

November 6, 2011, 08:02 AM	#13
zeke Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 1999 Location: NW Wi Posts: 1,671	There is a considerable difference in 308 brass thickness at the necks, and Win is the thinnest.