Your delivery of information is extremely well presented. Often with videos others do, I have to rewind and watch them several times to get the big picture, or simply because they went thru too fast. Every new reloader should watch this video.
Wow, thanks for the kind words Bob, I really try to present the information in a straight forward way and appreciate your feedback. Thanks for watching my friend!
Excellent video! Wish I found this video right off the bat. You have cleared up a number of questions and took away a lot of confusion. By reading other comments, even veteran re-loaders found this helpful as well. Too many others are putting out videos for those who all ready know how. Its as if they are trying to "one up" each other with their knowledge. Not to denigrate them but after watching your "101 discussion" it all makes sense. I'm new to the reloading game are trying not to buy equipment I may never need. You made much of this quite clear in one video. Thanks for the great explanation.
Thanks Joe! Sometimes I get down the rabbit hole myself and I have to sit back and tell myself to 'get back to basics'. At the end of the day, inexpensive equipment does the same job as high-end stuff, it just boils down to how accurate to you want, or really, need to be for your shooting. Deer hunter? You don't need to be super accurate at 300 yds. F-Class/ELR shooter? Yep, you need all the accuracy you can squeeze out of your equipment and reloading materials. Thanks again for the kind words and for watching my friend! PS, I did a video on reloading equipment that might be of interest to you...ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P0rXA59-WcM.htmlsi=bhJWnRoIF8M0ZrB_
Thanks Roperboy87! I know it's a bit long, but I wanted to really help folks understand this important topic. Thanks for the kind words and for watching my friend!
I just found your RU-vid clip on Neck Tension and subscribed. I’ve been reloading for close to 60 years. (mostly hunting stuff) Thank you! You answered my question about Mandrels or the Expander Ball in the FL die. That has always been a conflict for me. I use Redding Type S for my 243.
Hi Rusty Voice! Thanks for the kind words! I wore my buddy Jeff out with questions when I started reloading and neck tension was something that took me a while to understand why it was so important. Thanks for the sub and for watching my friend!
Thanks for making this video and explaining in detail all that goes into neck tension! I'm new to reloading and in the process of reloading my first load. Just so happens I'm measuring and about to start loading when I drop a bullet into the case mouth and it goes plunk! Oh shit! I knew I missed something and started reading and searching youtube. Fortunately, I ran across your video and now have a better knowledge base of the importance of neck tension and how reloading is a hobby of daily learning. Thanks again for an awesome learning tool!
Between an FLS bushing die, a neck/bump bushing die and expander mandrels, you have the versatility to size the case any way you want. Then there are cartridges they don't make bushing dies for, the mandrels give you the option of adjusting the neck tension on those as well. I found out about using them 30+ yrs ago with using a Lyman M die for cast bullets, they use a two step mandrel for expanding and flaring, and there are custom ones available from Buffalo Arms, that are done in .002 steps. First time I used them I asked myself why not use these to expand for jacketed as well, it is far easier on the cases and you are pushing on the strong side of the case, not pulling and stretching. It is extra steps, but, it also works very well and adds a pile of versatility.
I’m pretty new to reloading and am just getting into long range shooting. This confirms that my purchase of both bushings and expander mandrels was a good move. I’m having good preliminary results and I’m finding that it’s good to have the versatility because I have right now several brass manufacturers which as I’m sure you know have different specs. Anyways, thanks for your willingness to show us your methods and preferences, i tend toward your way of methodology so your video was very relevant. Again, Thanks 👍
Hi Brad! Thanks for the kind words and glad your setup is working for you. It is challenging when you're dealing with multiple brass brands for the same caliber for sure. Thanks for watching my friend!
Great video on a topic that definitely needed attention! I'm a all in 1 bushing guy myself but I definitely appreciate the control that mandrel gives you!
Hi Keystone! Thanks for your kind words and for watching my friend! Yeah, I started with the individual steps and just can't tear myself away from it, even though it would save me a ton of time!
IMO neck tension importance greatly affects CBTO measurements when seating bullets. Variations in CBTO effect velocities, increasing SD's and possibly putting you out of your node. However, Thiers a new study from Litz and his team and fan stating that bullet jump test is futile.
Hi Eagle Eye! I agree with the bullet jump to a point. I find a "good" seating depth that is usually very close to what the specific bullet likes to jump at, then, I generally leave it alone and don't worry about it until groups start to open up...That may be 500 - 700 rounds, or, it may be never. In my 6.5 creedmoor for example, that Hornady 140 gr ELDM LOVED to jump and I never adjusted the seating depth, which near the end of the barrel life was most likely over 0.100"! Thanks for watching as usual my friend!
Great video and thorough explanation of this topic! I love your workbook/spreadsheet too (I'm going to modify mine slightly after watching your video). Looking forward to your "upcoming subjects" too. Thanks for taking the time to put this video together - awesome job!
I bought a bunch of Redding Premium dies while I was still learning, (including a neck sizing die I’ll never use) but not the bushing dies. So I full length resize without the expander insert and set the shoulder back, then use a .002 mandrel from 21st century. That does work the brass more, but has given me good concentricity. Now my question is if I should invest in new bushing dies to work the brass necks less? I do anneal, so not sure if adding a bushing to the mix is worth it. (?) I appreciate the clear explanation regardless. 👍
Hi E.L.! If it's working for you right now, and you're expanding .002" with the expander, AND annealing, I'm thinking you're OK. Now, that does depend on the brass you're using of course. If you have the money to spend, it wouldn't be a bad investment to work that neck a little less, but if not, I think you're fine. Thanks for watching my friend!
@@The4GunGuy Good deal, thanks! I don't why I was thinking I'd have to buy a whole new set of dies, obviously just a single sizing die with bushing will work, (but then I should probably get a micrometer seating die too, LOL!) Thanks again.
One thing you didn't mention is that run out tends to be higher when using an expander ball. I'm not really sure if that higher run out makes a difference down range though. I've been thinking about getting a Short Action Custom sizing die that lets you have a bushing and a mandrel in a single step.
Hi Joe! Yeah, that's a great point! Too much tension or poorly machined dies could cause a "lop sided" seating which would indeed be reflected in measured runout. Thanks for the comment and for watching my friend!
I was looking at a Forster FL resizing die, with the decapping pin and expander mandrel/ball included. I saw a video from Gavintoob with ultimate reloaded, saying he likes it because Forster designed the expander to be much higher up on the pin body, so that the next is expanded when the case is “supported”, as opposed to near the bottom of the pin, like the Redding you show. Does the claim that having a higher located expander, so that resizing happens sooner in the down stroke when the case is still supported, theoretically reducing run out, make sense to you? I hope my question makes sense. Btw, I’ve been watching a ton of your videos, and I feel I’m getting a lot of value from you. Thank you 🙏
Hi Chad! So remember that using the dies we're talking about here, the neck is sized DOWN on the "downstroke" of the kind of press I'm using. During that downstroke, the mandrel passes freely through the neck, because the neck hasn't been sized down yet. At the bottom of the downstroke, the neck has now been sized "down" to a size just a bit smaller than the mandrel, and the mandrel is in the case. Now, on the "upstroke" of the press, the mandrel passes through the neck, expanding it and (hopefully) removing any concentricity issues that may have been present before/after sizing. Now, to your specific question, I DO feel that having the mandrel higher in the die is better for the reasons Gavintoob states...The case is better centered at that point. I'm loving the SAC die and mandrel right now...A lot of money, but I like an "all in one" process. I will say that I like a true mandrel as opposed to a "ball" as I believe a pillar type mandrel will truly straighten out a neck where as a ball may just follow the irregularity if you see what I'm saying? Great feedback and thanks for watching my friend! Glad you're getting something out of my videos!
@@The4GunGuy thanks for confirming that I had a reasonable understanding of the principles being talked about. I appreciate the full response, I’m learning a lot! See ya around
Hi Jim! Annealing makes the brass a bit more malleable, which reduces the stress on the metal when it goes through the resizing process, which redistributes small amounts of brass. Hope that helped and thanks for watching my friend!
Hi Kyley! I'm using my mitutoyo gauge and measuring the outside diameter first, then inside diameter, and then the actual neck thickness at at least 5 different locations. I also have a ball micrometer that I use to measure the neck wall thickness to verify. Once you have the neck thickness, you can work backwards from the bullet diameter and desired neck tension and decide which bushing to use in your FL die and (if you mandrel), which mandrel diameter will get you the desired tension. Hope this helps!?
