New neck sizing die?

[Hawkeye7br]

I currently have a Neil Jones custom neck sizer with a short body so I can reload 6br, 6.5br, & 7br. I'm now interested in other calibers like 308 & 277. Do I keep ordering bushings from Jones or invest in a commercial neck sizer with a gazillion bushings available at more nominal cost? What are other precision shooters using, and why?

I've searched back postings but none seem to address this specific question. I understand that I'm asking for personal opinions, but not interested in starting a pi$$ing match.

Thanks.

 

[bigedp51]

Forster makes bushing bump dies that come with three bushings. this die allows you to just neck size or lower the die and bump the shoulder. This Forster die does not have a expander so neck turning will be required with less than perfect brass.

Forster Precision Plus Bushing Bump Neck Sizer Die with 3 Bushings $85.99


308 Win. – Bushing Bump Neck Sizing Die Kit with Bushings in dia. .336″, .334″, .332″


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010943241/forster-precision-plus-bushing-bump-neck-sizer-die-with-3-bushings

NOTE, food for thought, at Whidden custom die website they do not sell neck sizing dies. And they tell you they get the most concentric cases using non-bushing full length dies.

 

[natdscott]

Neil's setup is nicer.

But the availability of bushings (easily) is definitely in favor of Redding and Wilson, and Neil is, unfortunately, not getting younger.

I would NOT go with Forster due to proprietary bushings, and the fact that their bushings go in 0.002" steps.

Suffice it to say: between HSS bushings from Wilson, and HSS bushings AND TiN-coated bushings from Redding, AND 3rd party support with carbide bushings...all of the same, universal bushing pattern....and available down to 0.001" easily, and even into the 0.0005" steps for carbide 6BR sizers....

...no good reason to go Forster. (as much as I dearly love their stuff. And I do.)

-Nate

 

[Hawkeye7br]

Forster makes bushing bump dies that come with three bushings. this die allows you to just neck size or lower the die and bump the shoulder. This Forster die does not have a expander so neck turning will be required with less than perfect brass.

Neck turning is a deal breaker for me. I recently had both my 6br guns reamed with a .272 reamer. Rifle was .263, pistol was closer to .260". I hated turning brass, especially for the pistol since a match was 85 rounds. Plus, the thin wall seemed to reduce longevity, meaning I had to buy and turn more brass.

My original Jones .304 bushing for the 7br is much longer than the .287 & 288 bushings I ordered last year for the 6.5's. And I want to get bushings for other calibers so I can enjoy shooting them without working the full body each time. My old .222 neck sizer won't touch the 22-250 with its' bigger body.

Regarding other threads I searched, I was reminded of the poor tolerances that some die makers incorporate. I have a .250 Savage Imp and the FL die takes the neck ID down to about .246 before DRAGGING the expander back thru & out. The cost & effort of turning necks is far outweighed by the simplicity of simply buying a proper size bushing. Ditto for my FL 6br die, it would size my turned brass down enough to hold a bullet, and far too much for unturned brass.

Thanks for the info.