FL sizing die set up?

[wisconsinteacher]

I just read a good article about setting up a FL sizing die using fired brass and a headspace guage to get the brass .002" smaller than when it was fired. My question is how do you guys set up your FL sizing die if you don't have a headspace guage? I take a piece of brass that was fired and size it moving the die a little at a time until it feeds easily into the rifle. I know I may be working the brass a little harder this way, but is there a better way to do it without having to get a guage for every round a guy reloads for?

 

[Guest]

I've done it the same way you do, and did for a long time. I picked up a Hornady headspace bushing kit for my comparator and started doing it the .002" way. I think it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. Once you get the die set, set your lock ring and lock it down tight. Then you can generally size without adjustment until you move to another rifle or a different batch of brass. Sometimes a different batch will be more or less springy and thus it may take a little different adjustment of the sizing die to get it just perfect again.

 

[PJGunner]

This is how I set up my sizing die for bottleneck cartridges.

1. Take a once fired factory round and blacken the neck and shoulders with a Magic Marker or Sharpee pen. Some people like to smoke the neck and shoulder, but I find the Magic Marker/Sharpee pen a bit better.

2. Carefully lubricate the case.

3. Loosen the lock ring on the sizing die and back off about two turns from when the die is set to touch the shell holder.

4. Size the case. Note where the marks are on the case and turn the die down about a half a turn and size again. Turn down some more, and resize again. What you are looking for is the marks on the blackening just touching the shoulder.

5. Clean the lube from the case and try it in the rifle. It may chamber just a bit on the snug side. If so, turn the die down ever so slightly, lube and size again. Wipe off the lube and try in the rifle. If it slides in as easily as a factory round, you should be good to go. If not, usually one more very slight adjustment should fix the problem.

6. Tighten the locking ring for the die and you're done. You have just set your sizing die up for a custom fit to your specific rifle, rather than a generic one size fits all guns.

Paul B.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Just remember that half a turn is .0355 inches in length.

 

[300WSM]

If you are using it in the same rifle then how you size it is much less crucial because its going back in the same rifle.

However if you are using the fired case in a different platform than what it was just fired from then you will need touch the shell holder plus 1/4 turn. If you go 1/8 turn it might not be enough. 1/4 turn after bottoming out on the shell holder is a must in bringing the whole case back to specs letting it fit in any rifle.

 

[Vince]

If you are using it in the same rifle then how you size it is much less crucial because its going back in the same rifle.

However if you are using the fired case in a different platform than what it was just fired from then you will need touch the shell holder plus 1/4 turn. If you go 1/8 turn it might not be enough. 1/4 turn after bottoming out on the shell holder is a must in bringing the whole case back to specs letting it fit in any rifle.

I ran in to this issue recently.

Had to "re-adjust" my die. Oh well, live and learn as they say.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I set up my FL sizing dies using a gage block to measure the actual chamber shoulder datum, minus .002 inches.

 

[rick smith]

Depending on caliber, you can use a fired pistol case over the mouth/neck of the fired case and measure base to base. The pistol case just neds to sit on the shoulder of your case and use the same pistol case each time.
If the cases were fired in another chamber, try them in your rifle before any sizing is done. The other chamber may be smaller than yours.Rick.

 

[big rifle man]

I made it easy on myself and purchased a set of Redding competition shellholder dies. They are made in increments of .002 work extremely well. After three or four reloadings I find that an annealing and full length resize are in order. The calibers I'm refering to are my .300WSM and my .338RUM although a host of other calibers would apply also.

 

[.300winmag]

My gunsmith provides about an inch of my barrel with the shoulder, neck and throat cut into it. This is my headspace gauge custom built for the reamer built in my rifle. I set my FL die up to push the shoulder back 0.001-0.002".

 

[big rifle man]

Sorry fellas, meant just Redding competition shellholders.