what sizing dies are you guys using?
- Thread starter 47guy
- Start date
Forster 6 Dasher die, cut down 0.090", honed neck to .265. I have a Whidden 6BRA full length die as well that works good, it's more like a .263 neck though so works the brass a tiny bit more than I'd like.
Harrell's bushing dies are good too, but the threads are a touch too short to work with my Dillon 550 toolhead/workflow (at least when floating on an o-ring).
Harrell's bushing dies are good too, but the threads are a touch too short to work with my Dillon 550 toolhead/workflow (at least when floating on an o-ring).
i think im going to go with the whidden dies...my reamer will be a .272 neck but ive started annealing every time again so i think it will be fine.
If you're looking for custom dies check out Short Action Customs.
SAC Home
www.shortactioncustoms.com
i looked at these as well but i like that they dont use an expander ball.
sorry i meant i prefer the expander ball on the decapping rod...i do not care to use just the bushing.
copied from their site....
Benefits of custom sizing die from Short Action Customs
- Sizes brass .0025" smaller than your fired shoulder diameter.
- Bushing neck for the ability to control your neck tension
- Superior internal finish
- Decapping rod/pin assembly with no expander ball so you can control your neck tension better
Use a mandrel for expansion - turning mandrel is sized .002 under nominal caliber size (so, .241), and most folks seem to find that the mandrel maintains lower runout than an expander ball.
True. Some prefer to skip expanding altogether though because they think their brass is consistent enough and use only a bushing to put the brass at their desired dimension as would be the case with the SAC dies (but for only 400 bucks
)No thanks I’m not looking to add extra steps to my reloading that do not make a big enough difference to matter.
Whidden FL sizer. The regular bushing model not the click adjust. It works perfect
Much cheaper than the sac dies. Looked at the set from them until I saw the $400 price tag for the pair. I'm not sure how much better they could be for the price difference.
Not sure if you're in need of a seater as well but I'm using a Wilson non micro adjust for 6 Dasher with the vld stem also works perfectly.
Thanks again...I’m just going to buy the set from Whidden as that’s pretty much all I use.
Whidden has the 6mm BRA as a "standard" die now (as in you don't need to have it custom made). That's what I use and it works well - I also got their seater die.
Thanks I’ll be ordering a set in the next couple weeks.
True. Some prefer to skip expanding altogether though because they think their brass is consistent enough and use only a bushing to put the brass at their desired dimension as would be the case with the SAC dies (but for only 400 bucks
Yeah, I get that - I found that using just a bushing gave me inconsistent seating force, even with good annealing. The mandrel seems to correct - at least in as much as I can feel with a regular press (not an arbor).
what does your chrony say?
Smaller SD with the mandrel - edit to add... I haven't measured it on the chrono in a couple of years, after the initial decision to use it, FWIW. I improved my annealing situation since then, and measured the difference in annealing on the chrono, but only noted that the mandrel still makes things feel more consistent after adjusting annealing.
At the time I first started using the mandrel, it reduced my SD by ~2-3 points, from 10-12 down to 7-9. Fixing annealing got me to sub-6 SD (6.5 Creedmoor, loaded w/ a Chargemaster 1500, using H4350, etc)
how many rounds was the sample with the smaller numbers?
I don't recall exactly - notes aren't in front of me. Based on what I know I was doing at the time, it was likely a total of 20 rounds of each, compared in two 10 round batches. And... I don't know if just annealing better would've made a bigger difference (because I haven't done that test)
Suggest to wait on the Harrels FL die. Harrels offers their FL bushing dies with different base dimensions. Need to get that right. Not size the base enough you'll have the dreaded bolt click.
6BRA reamer used on my barrels the .200 line/OD is .4715. Harrels model D3 6BRA sizes the case perfect. Crap shoot if brand X sizes the brass/base properly.
Forster Micrometer Dasher seater.
6BRA reamer used on my barrels the .200 line/OD is .4715. Harrels model D3 6BRA sizes the case perfect. Crap shoot if brand X sizes the brass/base properly.
Forster Micrometer Dasher seater.
exact problem i had with my 6BRX...had to have a custom made that basically sizes like a small base die at the base...id SB size then 2-3 loads have to SB size again.
do you know what reamer print you used? i ordered the wheeler print and just changed the neck size.
Re base diameter and sizing dies on the 6BRA. If you are running the standard reamer based on the "Wheeler Print" then you are less likely to have issues. I'm running same reamer as KevinU, also based on the Wheeler print.
Forster Dasher dies (cut down) size the base of the case about 0.0008-9" which is right about where I'd want it.
Whidden 6BRA dies were based upon the Wheeler print dimensions (confirmed talking to John Whidden) and they size the base of the case about 0.0006-7" which is still enough to avoid the "click" on extraction in my experience.
I don't have a Harrells D3, but I do have a D4 Dasher die and base on those dimensions I'd agree that a D3 would be just right.
Forster Dasher dies (cut down) size the base of the case about 0.0008-9" which is right about where I'd want it.
Whidden 6BRA dies were based upon the Wheeler print dimensions (confirmed talking to John Whidden) and they size the base of the case about 0.0006-7" which is still enough to avoid the "click" on extraction in my experience.
I don't have a Harrells D3, but I do have a D4 Dasher die and base on those dimensions I'd agree that a D3 would be just right.
.4714
thanks!
Off die topic....just wondering if any of you guys have tried IMR4895 or 4461?
