Need a Forster FLS .308 die measure please

[MartyK2500]

If any of you have a Forster FLS .308 die, the factory one (not honed), with expander ball removed (as you would be using a seperate expanding mandrel),
Could you please give me resized outside neck dia?

I have a certain number in mind that I want it to be, and would like to know before ordering the die.

ex : in 6.5x47 the factory neck die is 0.282’’ so I ended up getting a 0.285’’ honed die to work less the neck.
Since I neck turn .308 down to 13 thous from 15 thous, this has me suspecting that factory die won’t work the neck much.

Thanks!
Martin

 

[TrxR]

If any of you have a Forster FLS .308 die, the factory one (not honed), with expander ball removed (as you would be using a seperate expanding mandrel),
Could you please give me resized outside neck dia?

I have a certain number in mind that I want it to be, and would like to know before ordering the die.

ex : in 6.5x47 the factory neck die is 0.282’’ so I ended up getting a 0.285’’ honed die to work less the neck.
Since I neck turn .308 down to 13 thous from 15 thous, this has me suspecting that factory die won’t work the neck much.

Thanks!
Martin

Lapua brass. .337 before and .325 after running through sizer with no expander.

Measured with calipers not mic . Can mic if needed.

 

[MartyK2500]

Thanks that’s all in needed, much appreciated!
Is .337 your fired cases outside neck dia?
If it’s the case looks like a tight neck chamber, myself running .343’’.

 

[TrxR]

Thanks that’s all in needed, much appreciated!
Is .337 your fired cases outside neck dia?
If it’s the case looks like a tight neck chamber, myself running .343’’.

Im going to double check but that should be a once fired case .

I grabbed a couple more cases and they were .340 to 342 but still are .325 after sizing.

 

[MartyK2500]

That’s a whole lot of sizing going on, you’d be a perfect candidate for a honed die!
My necks measure 0.332’’ before having a bullet in (13 thou neck wall thickness)
Looking into getting a 331 honed die, as my mandrel sets me up at 332, and loaded bullet at 333.5

 

[TrxR]

That’s a whole lot of sizing going on, you’d be a perfect candidate for a honed die!
My necks measure 0.332’’ before having a bullet in (13 thou neck wall thickness)
Looking into getting a 331 honed die, as my mandrel sets me up at 332, and loaded bullet at 333.5

Thats not the normal die i use. I have a bushing die as well. I havent even shot this rifle much at all.

 

[MartyK2500]

Alright sounds good, the measurements we’re appreciated nonetheless as you just saved me a factory FLS die purchase as I would of end up buying a honed one afterwards.

Honed dies achieve the same as your bushings in the end, just a matter of preference at this point.

 

[bigedp51]

Bulk once fired Lake City 7.62 brass dated 15, .015 neck thickness, fired diameter .336, resized neck diameter .331. (Forster die)

For comparison, the same brass sized in a RCBS FL die, resized neck diameter .332.

NOTE, none of my Forster dies have honed necks. This is because I may want to resize case brands with thinner necks. And unlike many reloaders, I do not think using the Forsters high mounted floating expander causes any problems. Meaning using an expander mandril die vs the Forster expander did not change the neck runout. So why size the case twice if nothing is gained.

According to the Forster link below they give the minimum and maximum the necks can be honed to.

Forster Custom Neck Honing for Full Length Sizing Die
https://www.forsterproducts.com/pdf/Custom_neck-honing_full-die_form.pdf

* We recommend leaving the expander ball in place and honing the sizing die .004" to .005" less than the neck diameter of your loaded round.
This method should create approximately .002" of neck tension, to ensure minimal working of your brass cases while maintaining consistent
neck tension if you also resize thinner or work-hardened brass.
If you do choose to remove the expander ball from the die and hone more aggressively to .002" to .003" under the neck diameter of your
loaded round, you may require a new honed die whenever the wall thickness varies or the spring back changes in a batch of brass.

Honing is done in increments of one-half thousandths of an inch (.0005"), meaning that your specified inside diameter must be either.###0"
or .###5". No more than .008" stock removal from your existing die neck diameter is possible; see chart on p. 2 for maximum values for the
most common die calibers.

Below in the 6.5 Guys video, Forster recommends to measure a loaded round and subtract .004 for your desired honed inside neck diameter. This is in conjunction with using the dies expander or an expander mandril die.

FL Bushing Dies vs. Honed FL Dies
https://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/reloading/fl-bushing-dies-vs-honed-fl-dies/

 

[MartyK2500]

In my 6.5x47L I do have a set of 3 honed dies like the 6.5 guys video.
Yes I could use the expander ball, but I also have a set of 21st century expanding mandrels.
I can chose from any neck tension I want from 0.5 to 2.5 thous, in 0.0005’’ increments.
Not necessary, but really fun for someone who likes experimenting as much as I do.

Big Ed, seems like both you and TrxR have factory (not honed ) Forster FLS dies and his resizes to 0.325’’ and yours to 0.331’’.
I may just buy one afterall if I can spare buying the custom die.
I don’t pamper my .308 reloads as much as my 6.5 reloads, as the end result objective is much more forgiving in .308, as It’s used as my 600M match rifle with half minute accuracy in mind.