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Does any one use redding body dies. The post man turned up with some goodies this morning so this evening I had a play.
I read the blurb before I ordered them. But now they are here I think I miss understood how they actually work. I thought they worked like a small base die and sized the body slightly undersized.
But in reality they dont what they do is resize the body back to original spec and bump the shoulder to a standard length but they do not resize the neck at all.
In fact a new Lapua case in 6.5x55 can be inserted into the body die down to the base of the case with out lube and pulled back out.
So I thought is this another expensive alpha1 screw up to be slung in the draw with the rest of the expensive dont know what Im going to do with stuff. I need to have a sort out of these draws Im running out of storage space.

Any way I had a play:
I sized some cases using the body die and then I sized some cases using the full length die with out the expander.
The body die sized the cases as you would expect and all the shoulders were a uniform set back.
The full length die sized the body to the same dimensions but the shoulder set back was a lot more than the body die.
I then chambered each case:
The case run through the body die chambered and extracted fine.
The case run through the full length die with out the expander chambered but was a loose fit and the bolt extractor would not pick up the case. I had to tip the gun up and extract it manually.
I then examined the cases them selves the one run through the body die looked fine.
The one run through the full length die looked like the shoulders were set back to far and the neck looked tight.
I refitted the expander coated the case with imperial sizing wax and attempted to resize the case I could not get the expander ball to enter the case.
The die is a Redding full length die.
So another learning curve I will investigate further.
That was just one item out of the package. I have enough stuff here to keep me occupied into the new year. hmm whats next.

I use them, I also use the Redding bush dies which use bushings compatible with Wilson dies.

I use Redding dies for reloading 7.5 x 55 Swiss. It's PPU brass and the dies function perfectly.

Mezzer

Alpha1
The body die is for use when you only neck size and probably only use every 3rd or 4th firing and you set it up to only bump the shoulders Back 2thou
The type S full length sizing die bumps the shoulders back on every use and need to be set up to headspace for your chamber
You can set the type S dies up to only neck size by setting them high in the press so as not to act on the shoulder
I use the Redding comp set with the 3 dies and have no issues with them as long as I make sure I set them up correctly

If your running brass through the body die that has been through the full sizing die already and of fired it may well have no impact on the case been sized

That's how I understand their use and happy to be corrected

The only brass I have issues with is my winmag brass as the standard dies do not resize the case directly above the belt and I have ordered a special die to resolve this issue

Hope you get it sorted

The cases I inserted into the body die by hand are new unfired lapua. I was just experimenting to familiarise my self with the die.
In future I will be neck sizing with L.E.Wilson bushing dies. I will use the body die alongside the neck sizer. I will also be using a set of Redding competition she'll holders. hmm what's next.

Alpha1 wrote:hmm what's next.

Shoot something? :)

. Saturday I have a range day.

Alpha1 wrote:The cases I inserted into the body die by hand are new unfired lapua. I was just experimenting to familiarise my self with the die.
In future I will be neck sizing with L.E.Wilson bushing dies. I will use the body die alongside the neck sizer. I will also be using a set of Redding competition she'll holders. hmm what's next.

Brand-new brass is slightly under-size - so that it will fit any chamber. This is why it will easily fit into your die.

Ovenpaa wrote:I use them, I also use the Redding bush dies which use bushings compatible with Wilson dies.

Ditto.

Mike

Alpha1 wrote:The cases I inserted into the body die by hand are new unfired lapua. I was just experimenting to familiarise my self with the die.
In future I will be neck sizing with L.E.Wilson bushing dies. I will use the body die alongside the neck sizer. I will also be using a set of Redding competition she'll holders. hmm what's next.

If you are also using the Wilson straight-line seater, you'll likely find that you need to use the body die + your Wilson neck sizer unless your chamber was cut with a 'minimum SAAMI' spec reamer. With brass from a standard SAAMI spec chamber, unsized case bodies are a slight interference fit in the seater die body cavity (in my 6.5X55 custom rifle) and most loaded rounds need to be levered out with a screwdriver blade or similar.

IMO, a good neck sizer PLUS use of the body die is the best combination on every sizing / loading. Also, be careful of the amount of 'shoulder bump' and how you set your die up in the press. It is very easy to 'over-size' setting the shoulder back too far with these dies, and setting at the default position in hard contact with the shellholder has seen some cartridges I've used them on end up with far too much 'bump' sometimes to the point of creating excessive headspace.

Incidentally, an increasing number of American precision shooters, F-class and FTR competitors etc, now use the combination of a Lee Collet neck-sizer plus a body die for best results. The Collett die will true up a slightly out neck. The usual practice is to fine-tune the die as it comes from Lee to smooth the collet tines etc out and adjust the neck tension slightly to whatever is desired with the favoured (or neck-turned) brass neck thickness. I've tried this in my long-range 223s shooting 90s which are very sensitive to neck tension and concentricity variations with very good results.