Redding bushing die

[RoscoeP]

Well I have loaded and fired about 200 new Lapua .223 cases off. I just cleaned them and want to resize them with my Redding bushing die. It is my understanding to measure the outside of the neck on a loaded bullet then subtract 2 thou. to pick the right bushing, is this correct?
These rounds are going to be loaded single shot. What size bushings are some of you using?
Any pointers on this much appreciated. Cheers Roscoe

 

[Chinbullco]

Bushing size

Two thousands under will give all the grip / tension needed. After first firing I trim cases to uniform length and inside neck chamfer with a 22 degree cutter mounted in a Wilson case trimmer. Necks of equal length will have more uniform neck tension.

 

[Ganderite]

I prefer to use 3 thou less for more neck tension. It gives me some leeway if a batch of brass is thinner in the neck, too.

 

[Paatz]

Isn't that brass now fire-formed?
I'm new to reloading, just asking.

 

[RoscoeP]

Fireformed

Isn't that brass now fire-formed?
I'm new to reloading, just asking.

Yea it is fire-formed, but there is barley any tension on the neck, so the neck at least needs to be sized a certain amount depending how much tension you want to hold the bullet. Cheers Roscoe

 

[Paatz]

Ahh so this is just neck-sizing then.

 

[Chinbullco]

RoscoeP

I've never loaded Lapua brass in .223, just wondering how thick the neck is, and how much neck clearance you have in your barrel. For my 6.5 X .284 Lapua brass I use a 0.283 bushing. That brings the necks out to 0.287 with bullet seated, in a chamber that measures 0.290 in the neck. But with that much neck tension the rifle is starting to show more vertical spread than it should or the cases need to be annealed.

Had good results with close to zero clearance on a few rifles, but these were "tight-neck" chambers that required outside neck turning to chamber rounds.

 

[stubblejumper]

I use Lapua cases, and the 69gr Sierra in my .223rem. I use a .248" bushing for just under .002" interference.