I have a 308 redding s type bushing die. I also bought a 290 ti coated bushing for it so I can use it for my 260. I run 7-08 win brass in and it comes out .286 od on the neck. With the ID being .257". I measured my bushing and it is .286" anybody else ever get undersized bushings? Also since I never checked this I just sized 300 pieces of brass that are way too small.
- Thread starter skog
- Start date
On the Stype bushing dies decapping pin there are two ends. One silver (larger) and a black one (smaller). You should be able to put the silver one on and remove the bushing and it should open your cases back up some.
I know I can run the expander ball through to open the necks up. That is what I did do to open all the necks back up to .261" but isn't that missing the point of a bushing die. How would that be any different than running a standard FL die which over works the neck and then running it over the expander ball on the way out. The root of my problem is my bushing is .004" smaller than advertised. I measured my .335" bushing last night and it measures .333" so I guess I am just going to call redding.
Measure the inside diameter of the bushing. I think you'll see that it matches what is marked on the bushing. The problem is when you're using a bushing to reduce the diameter more than a few thousanths of an inch. It will tend to force the diameter smaller. I think there's even a note in the instructions that mention this.
The "fix" for this is to get a bushing that will get you close to the desired diameter, and then use the final bushing for the final diameter.
The "fix" for this is to get a bushing that will get you close to the desired diameter, and then use the final bushing for the final diameter.
Yeah I use a .338 and it ends up at .336 and if I use my .335 (which should give me the proper tension) it makes it WAYYYY too much!
I've experienced the "sizing too much" phenomenon before also. The directions do address it correctly, you have to size it down in two separate steps when you are first necking it down from a larger caliber, or are sizing necks with thick walls. Now you know why Redding makes that handy and cool little green carrying case for all your bushings! Now just go out and buy, buy, buy! Lol
There are a couple of things that you need to consider when using bushing. Commercial brass is thinner than military brass, so if you use calipers and measure the outside of a loaded military round, and subtract a thousand of an inch, then theoretically that is the bushing size you need for sizing the military brass (308). When you do the same measurement on commercial rounds, you will find they are smaller in diameter so you will need a smaller bushing. To be better prepared, theoretically you should have a bushing one thousand of an inch smaller than your ideal, to be able to adjust your neck tension, for each of the two sizes (commercial and military). Also, you can use a mandrel to expand the neck back out to proper bullet diameter instead of the expander ball in the die.
If you do use a mandrel, use the Imperial powdered lube to make sure the inside of the neck is lubed.
If you do use a mandrel, use the Imperial powdered lube to make sure the inside of the neck is lubed.
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Sounds like your bushing is incorrectly marked. Mine are all the same inner diameter as they are stamped, although it's tough to measure precisely with calipers - they could be a hair smaller. It looks like you have a .286, not a .290.
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