Modify a reloading die

I believe you can, but I wouldn't. Years ago, I shot many a triple deuce in competition, until the PPC took over. The norm back then was to neck size only, which seem to work for awhile. The only problem was after 3-4 firings the case needed to have the shoulder set back to overcome hard chambering. After a case has been fired several times without a shoulder bump, the brass work hardens at the shoulder, and it takes more effort to push it back. When trying to get a .002" shoulder bump, most of the time the brass has so much spring back, by the time it actually moved, you'd get .006-.008" bump. Then you had to re-fireform and start the whole process over. It was discovered that a full length resize every time, sizing the case minimal amounts, kept the cases more consistent from firing to firing, and brass life was more than doubled.
As RJ said, sizing from the outside will only work for a time until the necks get thinner. I've had Lapua brass that have been FL sized with the expander ball every time and they have out lasted the barrel.
 
Sydney said:
Hi thanks for the replies
The brass i am using is Lapua and the neck thickness is very consistent
I was going to buy a bushing type die but some makers can t supply in 222
and the others are very expensive when you add the US -Can exchange rates duty ect
Do you think i could lap out appox 5 th out of a hardened die ?
Thanks Sydney
Click to expand...
Give it a try and see. If you muck it up then modify it to use as a body die and buy a Lee collet die from Higginson Powders for 40.98$ CAD (Part no. 90706) for neck sizing. Then you are off to the races.
 
Just out of curiosity, why are you looking to make this change? What are you hoping to accomplish? Is this a benchgun?

The inside of the die is very hard and metal removal could introduce excess TIR. May cause more problems than it solves in a benchgun, as well as introducing higher velocity ES.

Just wondering if perhaps there might be a better way to accomplish what you're looking to do.

Michael
 
Hi This is a heavy barrel match grade varmint rifle
As neck bushing dies here in canada are expensive i wanted to try this
By honing out the die the expander button would do a min of work on the case
I found that by overworking the neck it then had more runout than just neck sizing
I also want to bump the shoulder back .002
Please explain TIR and Es
I am open to any ideas
Thanks Sydney
 
Good evening, Sir. You are correct in that excessive sizing can lend itself to increased total indicated runout, but that can happen as a function of sizing the neck down as well as pulling an expander through. The issue with reducing neck tension below a meaningful level is that (generally) velocity extreme spread tends to increase, unless you provide a static point to fix against. Some guys call this "soft seating" and will seat long against the lands and let the lands provide adequate resistance. Neither instance should be entered into with full assurance of guaranteed accuracy improvement. If a person were trying get 3" groups at a 1,000 to become 2.5", then maybe that is worthwhile. If a person is shooting double digits at the same, then there are many more worthwhile opportunities for accuracy improvement, with higher rates of return. Apologies for the length of response.
Michael
 
Hi thanks for the reply
I still want .002/.0025 neck tension
I was hoping to size down just enough that the expander button
did very little expanding
this may not work out
i may just buy a neck die with bushings
Thanks sydney
 
A bushing die is a very good accuracy investment. And, for what it's worth, FL length sizing doesn't have to be less accurate than neck sizing. Neck sizing can be very good, in a perfectly straight, perfectly concentric chamber, but it causes brass to collect in the wrong places which lends to other problems.

If you're set on neck sizing bushing dies I can look for you a used set here if you would like.

Just let me know.

Michael
 
Hi Thank you for the offer--the good shooting weather will end soon
as i live in central B C
I m not in a hurry but if you found a used bushing die over the winter
please let me know

Thanks for taking the time to reply
Sydney
 
If you buy a Forster die, you can send it in with a case and they will custom ream the neck for a very modest fee. That's one solution that's worked for me in my most dedicated caliber, 6BR.

Of course, what you are trying to accomplish is the very reason bushing dies exist. At least with a bushing die you can set it up for different rifles, where with a customized die you've married the die to the rifle.
 
Give it a couple of weeks. That is not a particularly uncommon cartridge and I'm sure that a used set of bushing dies will turn up. They're bought and sold on BR forums everyday.
Have a good weekend.
Michael
 
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