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View Full Version : Neck Sizing and Shoulder Bumping



libertyman777
11-19-2009, 09:07 PM
I have a set of Lee Collet Neck sizing dies and Redding Full Length dies for .308. I've been reading about this shoulder bumping deal and I believe I understand what's going on, but I have some questions.

I understand why the shoulder must be bumped back and I believe I can set up my FL die to do it. I also understand the reasoning on removing the expander ball and decapping assembly from the FL sizer so that the shoulder can be bumped without disturbing the neck.

If I understand correctly, the order of operation is to:

1) Realize the proper shoulder setback with the expander/decapper removed, run the fired cases through the die to set the shoulder back.

2) Then run these cases through the Lee Collet die to resize the neck and remove the spent primer.

3) Trim to length, chamfer, clean primer pockets, etc.

4) Check the cases to make sure they will chamber.

Is this correct?

Paul

jo191145
11-19-2009, 09:42 PM
Not quite right.

Any standard (non bushing) FL die will squeeze your neck down. And quite a bit too. Might be impossible to get a Lee mandrel down that tight neck afterwards.
If your redding die has a bushing remove that also and your good to go.
If not a body die would be your best bet if you want to maintain using the Lee to size the necks when bumping is required.

BrentWin
11-20-2009, 08:45 AM
What caliber are you running? Unless you are running very toasty loads, you should only need to bump the shoulder back every 3-4 loading (when the loaded round starts to feel tight in the chamber). So conventional FL resize every 3-4 time and the rest of the time, run them through your collet die.

Moosetracker
11-20-2009, 09:27 PM
Get the Redding body die and adjust it to bump the shoulder .002" every 3 or 4 shots. You may have to do it sooner if you're using hot loads.