Help with Redding dies

[mwilkins]

Just got in my new dies this afternoon. Typical initial setup, run the shell holder up, run the die down until it just kisses the shell holder.

Took my first 5 pieces of clean fired brass, took a permanent marker and colored the necks and shoulders. Run the first piece of brass up into the die and check where the die runs down on the neck. Don't really want to hit the shoulders. Just wanting to get the necks.

Anyway, turns out the decapping pin isn't long enough to eject the spent primer without getting my shoulders. Measuring a before and after, the shoulders are getting bumped about .004". All of the brass is once fired factory Hornady and Lapua.

Is there anything I can do to minimize the shoulder bump and is anyone else using the Redding dies?

May just try to find me another set of dies with separate decapping, sizing and seating dies.

[ricsmall]

My redding dies are adjusted to bump about .003-.004, and I've got plenty of adjustment left on the decamping assy. Can you snap a pic and post it. Something doesn't sound right. I think the gap b/w my die and shell holder is about .030. You may look into the redding competition shell holder set for around 40 bucks.

[mwilkins]

Think I have it figured out. Gonna back the die out of the press just a bit so that at full stroke of the press, the brass isn't as high in the die, adjust the decapping assembly down in the die to compensate for the raising of the die in the press and check again. Only need about .004" to stay off of the shoulders. Maybe a quarter turn out on the die will get me there.

[tackdriver]

I am having a very similar problem w/ Hornady dies. As shell shoulders bump die it pushes primer 90 % of the way out. Any help is appreciatd

[mwilkins]

You should be able to screw the decapping stem further down into the die on the Hornady's.

[Drifter]

Be mindful of positioning of the expander button when adjusting the decapping pin. Though it's an extra step, my preference is to use an inexpensive universal decapping die to remove the primers beforehand, which allows setting up the expander button in the sizing die without regard to the pin. (I actually remove the pin from the sizing die.) Neck tension and runout (and thus accuracy) seem more consistent for me using this method.

[mwilkins]

I had thought about that as well Drifter in regards to getting an independent decapping die. Have a funny feeling that my die collection is about to grow rapidly as I learn and find the particular components that work for me.