Lyman 308 sizing die

[AJC1]

Playing around sizing some ppu brass that I am playing with and I found that this die will majorly push the shoulder back way to far if I touch the shell plate. I am used to touching the shell plate with my rcbs dies and going into cam over to det the bump just right. My goal was a base to shoulder of 1.625 and barely kissing the shell holder got me back to 1.620. I have not used a lot of 308 dies but this was quite surprising. I hear people talking about cutting dies and grinding shell holders to get enough bump, with this die that's not the case. I also found that the lyman 308 case guage will pass 1.630 all the way to 1.620 and show the same go indication. Curious...

 

[243winxb]

See SAAMI drawings of cartridges & chamber measurements. Note : Tolerance. The amount a value can change and still be acceptable.

 

[forty_caliber]

I've got a set of Lyman MSR dies in .308 (comes with a case gauge in the box). They are supposed to be small base dies but it's not possible to get enough sizing with them. The case gauge in the set will pass just about anything and is nowhere near as accurate as a Wilson or Sheridan gauge.

I've tried RCBS and Hornady dies with mixed results as well.

I have found success with a set of Redding National Match dies along with a Redding small base body only die.

.40

 

[AJC1]

See SAAMI drawings of cartridges & chamber measurements. Note : Tolerance. The amount a value can change and still be acceptable.

I had not checked but I must have just found the tolerance by chance.

 

[Blue68f100]

Most of my Redding dies will do that too. I think this is because it designed to work with the competition shell holders which are up to 0.010" taller than the std. It's nice having the option to over size when you run into some really work hardened brass.

 

[Ruger 15151]

You don't need to do anything with the dies. Just back them off until you get the correct shoulder bump. Shell holders vary in thickness and cam-over varies depending on who is setting the cam-over. Your cam-over will be diffent than mine so there would be no way for any manufacturer to set a standard die length for that.

I run my Redding FL sizing dies down to the shell plate and them back them off 1/4 turn. I'll slowly turn them back in about a 1/16 of a turn each time until I get the correct shoulder bump. They almost never get close to the shell holder unless I need to bump all the way back to SAAMI spec for brass that was not shot from my chamber or for Semi-auto.

Reddings Competition shell holders are great if you just want to set the die for cam-over. The deck height of the shell holders are standard height but each shell holder will lower the case in .002 increments.They allow your to set you die for cam-over as if you were sizing back to SAAMI spec and then choose the shell holder that gives you the correct shoulder bump.

 

[JFrank]

Surely I can’t be the only guy that uses a feeler gauge between the die and shell holder to adjust and set my height.
J

 

[AJC1]

Surely I can’t be the only guy that uses a feeler gauge between the die and shell holder to adjust and set my height.
J

I would require a negative space in my case while your shimming up. I believe its normal to try and get more sizing while I have an abundance and have to back off.

 

[Slamfire]

Playing around sizing some ppu brass that I am playing with and I found that this die will majorly push the shoulder back way to far if I touch the shell plate. I am used to touching the shell plate with my rcbs dies and going into cam over to det the bump just right. My goal was a base to shoulder of 1.625 and barely kissing the shell holder got me back to 1.620. I have not used a lot of 308 dies but this was quite surprising. I hear people talking about cutting dies and grinding shell holders to get enough bump, with this die that's not the case. I also found that the lyman 308 case guage will pass 1.630 all the way to 1.620 and show the same go indication. Curious...

That's why these are critical in setting up sizing dies



I wonder, is your Lyman die stamped with an SB somewhere? I have not seen a Lyman Small Base die in a while, and I have a couple, but that die will reduce brass more than a standard die.

 

[AJC1]

No sb

 

[Slamfire]

No sb

It is my recollection that Dillion dies are "small base dies".

I have only one Dillion sizing die, and it is in 45 ACP. It is the cat's meow!

 

[AJC1]

It is my recollection that Dillion dies are "small base dies".

I have only one Dillion sizing die, and it is in 45 ACP. It is the cat's meow!

What I will absolutely say are these lock rings are garbage

 

[10wt308]

I also use feeler gauge.I actually milled the top of the shell holder (I ordered my barrel with a very short chamber).
I am torn about the cam over stuff. Mostly don’t like it. I like a solid stop, rotate the case and press it again. I do that while seating also. Use a Sinclair comparator and measure the length, you will pickup that last .001 - .0015. Really does not take much time.

 

[Slamfire]

What I will absolutely say are these lock rings are garbage

Agree. I have other brands, might have used Lee, have a bunch of those around.

 

[JFrank]

A feeler gauge allows me to put the die exactly where it was the last time.
I just write it down ( ie 308 @ .007 ) Here’s a dandy little tool I use for my 6 Br die. I can sneak up on the shoulder bump really easy with the Harrell’s portable press.

 

[Slamfire]

A feeler gauge allows me to put the die exactly where it was the last time.
I just write it down ( ie 308 @ .007 ) Here’s a dandy little tool I use for my 6 Br die. I can sneak up on the shoulder bump really easy with the Harrell’s portable press.

That PMA Micro Die adjusting lock ring is very clever, and a good idea. Once I "found" cartridge case headspace gauges, I found that shoulder set back varied based on number of times fired, and brass headstamp. Cartridge brass is very variable and how it reacts to sizing is therefore, very variable. For my 308 Win and 30-06 match ammunition, I regularly had my cartridge head space gauge on the bench and adjusted my die, based on the base to shoulder measurements, real time. Match ammunition must not be an interference fit going in, because it is likely to be an interference jam going out. The more you shoot, the more you find that feed and extraction are important, and not given's. I now think of neck sizing or partial neck sizing as madness. I want to bolt to close effortlessly, I want the bolt to open effortlessly, and I want the round to eject vigorously. And I want my ammunition to be smaller than the chamber before firing, and I want the stuff to relax off the chamber walls and be less than chamber size, after firing. Rounds that "cling" after firing will cause failures to extract and failures to eject. I don't want that.

 

[243winxb]

shell plate

Is the problem. Had a dillon shell plate that gave a different shoulder bump at each station.
Deck heigth should be close to .125"

 

[AJC1]

Is the problem. Had a dillon shell plate that gave a different shoulder bump at each station.
Deck heigth should be close to .125"

View attachment 913347 View attachment 913348

I'm just using a single stage with a standard shell holder. Low class I know

 

[JFrank]

I'm just using a single stage with a standard shell holder. Low class I know

Low Tech is a good thing

 

[Slamfire]

I'm just using a single stage with a standard shell holder. Low class I know

Not low tech at all. I started off with a Lyman Spar T which did not have enough leverage for small base sizing a rifle cartridge, then I used an RCBS Rock Chucker for more than a decade, then three presses later, I am using this.



My Lyman T-Mag was great but primers jumped out of the primer cup and on the floor. This Redding has a primer tube and all I have to do is empty the bottle.

Every good rifle shooter I know uses a single stage press for their rifle ammunition, the things are rock solid and predictable. The choice of press more or less depends on the shooter's confidence in their ammunition.

I often use the Dillion 550 B to dump powder and seat bullets for big runs of rifle ammunition already sized on the T-7 and primed off the press. I just as often use the Redding to seat bullets, for the smaller lots.