Little help with .308 sizing.

[Walkalong]

The part that doesn't make sense to me is why bother with a bushing when using a mandrel. One would immediately follow up with overworking the brass and the then one would question how that is possible if perfectly annealing with a 2000 dollar machine every time... I say start with the standard dies, add mandrels and see if something more is needed. Could the op even see results from the first change.... the ability of tuning neck tension is a big step by itself....

If set up correctly the bushing sizes the necks just enough that the mandrel is doing just a tiny bit of expanding on all of the necks. It really doesn't over work necks the way standard dies do, and after 7/8 firings on Lapua BR turned Dasher cases the necks are still fine, as are the primer pockets. Naturally better brass helps, since the neck thickness will be more uniform than some and especially a mix of brands, but we already established that if we're looking for above average accuracy we aren't using mixed or poor quality cases anyway.

Sure, its just cheaper and faster to make them.

And I have, but many don't have the tools, and it I can't coat them, so......

For the life of me, I don’t understand why they aren’t selling the “-“ shell holder sets any more, and only selling now the “+” sets.

For the most part I agree, but there can be times. I only own standard ones though.

 

[JFrank]

After three pages, I would suggest a reloader should purchase a Full length sizing die ,whether standard or bushing type and learn how to use it.
I have both and both do the job.

Simple solution to a non problem.

 

[Walkalong]

I have both as well. I put a carbide expander button on my standard .308 sizer.

I don' have a pic of that one, but here's the one I added to my .3-30 sizer.

 

[AJC1]

I have both as well. I put a carbide expander button on my standard .308 sizer.

I don' have a pic of that one, but here's the one I added to my .3-30 sizer.
View attachment 1206131

Can't you order the ball in the size you want? That would also be a good benifit

 

[Walkalong]

I don’t think so, but they might do special orders

 

[Varminterror]

I don’t think so, but they might do special orders

It's been WELL before covid since I have done so, and I'm sure other groups offered the same, but Lee, RCBS, Hornady, and Forster all used to offer custom ball and custom neck honing diameters - occasionally it was free, but I think the most I paid was $14 or 19. Nicer to have bushings so I can swap around and keep the same die, instead of 1) overworking with standard diameter necks and balls, or 2) have dies married to ONE brand of brass (or neck thickness), but it was a service offering - at least WAS. I have to hope they still are offering these services, but a lot has changed in our world in the last few years.

 

[Walkalong]

but Lee, RCBS, Hornady, and Forster all used to offer custom ball and custom neck honing diameters

Yea, and a lot of folks like to use custom honed (neck part) dies instead of bushing dies, but IMHO you need to turn necks with those.

 

[Varminterror]

Yea, and a lot of folks like to use custom honed (neck part) dies instead of bushing dies, but IMHO you need to turn necks with those.

And REALLY need to be annealing so the springback is the same. OR just have the diameter honed still too small so it’s like using a slight undersized bushing, but not so tight as the standard die (some dies I have measured as as much as 7-8thou under bullet with even thin Hornady brass!).

 

[GW Staar]

I used to have fits with concentricity issues, using expanders, and even bushing sizers. I found simplification by just by buying RCBS's tube Rifle bullet feeders for both .223 and .308 which come with "M" style neck expander dies too.......then I could use a regular RCBS sizer with the expander rod removed in station 1 and the "M" neck expander in 2 (priming in the up stroke), then simply charging in 3, powder checking in 4, bullet feeder in 5, seat in 6, and taper crimp in 7.......in both calibers, but that requires 7 or more stations.........or six on my Lee 6000 using my ...feed N seat coupler on that press........but you could use a Noe "M" expander too on a single stage in batch mode. I personally much prefer "M' expanders over bushing dies or conventional sizers with expander rods. That's my admittedly very divergent view. I've learned to hate expander buttons that deform stretch and ruin accuracy.

 

[AJC1]

I used to have fits with concentricity issues, using expanders, and even bushing sizers. I found simplification by just by buying RCBS's tube Rifle bullet feeders for both .223 and .308 which come with "M" style neck expander dies too.......then I could use a regular RCBS sizer with the expander rod removed in station 1 and the "M" neck expander in 2 (priming in the up stroke), then simply charging in 3, powder checking in 4, bullet feeder in 5, seat in 6, and taper crimp in 7.......in both calibers, but that requires 7 or more stations.........or six on my Lee 6000 using my ...feed N seat coupler on that press........but you could use a Noe "M" expander too on a single stage in batch mode. I personally much prefer "M' expanders over bushing dies or conventional sizers with expander rods. That's my admittedly very divergent view. I've learned to hate expander buttons that deform stretch and ruin accuracy.

I to enjoy the noe two step expanders. My rcbs pistol dies already had them or is be buying those as well.