Creed dies

Need a set of Creed dies...don’t think anything new and amazing out there in dies but thought I would ask.


Planning on Redding bushing dies. First time using bushing so this should be interesting

I use redding bushing for my 6mm and whidden on my 22 creed. Both are equally as nice imo. I use redding seaters with both though.

This is the newest that I am aware of.

https://www.whiddengunworks.com/click-adjustable-sizer-die/

Interesting..trying to figure out if it’s a gimmick or useful feature.

Thanks!

I tried a whole bunch of stuff on mine, but the Hornady FL size and standard seating die work best for me.

I have a Lee neck sizer and Hornady bushing die with 288 and 289 bushings that I'd sell cheap if you're interested.

Just curious why Redding bushing dies instead of a standard FL die set?

bushing dies are overrated IMO

1. Redding with carbide sizer button
2. Check The Widden on YouTube, very nice stuff. I have their comp seater for my Creedmoor

Never used bushing died and wanted to try. Under the impression that it allows for a little more control of neck tension. I was planning on using alpha brass which is a bit thicker then other brass so I didn’t want too much neck tension.

Any reasons not too? I have not hear any reason against them other than the ammo may not work in other guns

I did some extensive measurements on my 6.5 brass after sizing to compare the bushing dies versus regular hornady FL sizing dies, and the FL die created much more consistent brass for me.

Have you ever screwed around with Lee Collet dies? If you did, what did you see?

In what ways was it more consistent?

I avoid all Lee items

I mostly do too, Buzz, but the collet dies are truly outstanding---at least as far as design goes. They give excellent results, but I'd like to see them made the way Redding or Forster would make them.

What's wrong with Lee collet neck sizing dies, and a Forster seater? The Lee's make very straight and accurate ammo, with very low runout.

I use Whidden FL bushing dies, if you already know the bushing size you need Whidden can tailor a FL die so you don't have use a bushing.

Every time I read a reloading thread I realize I'm a hack.

This is how I've finally gotten myself set up---as far as possible.

I use RCBS competition seating dies for all my rifle cartridges. I use a single-stage press & I like the convenience of the top loading feature. Loads excellent concentric ammo.

I like bushing dies to have the ability to control nk tension on verious types of brass. I get little to no runout with this setup.

Primarily, the bushing die seemed to have much more variation in how much it stretched the case, which doesn't make any sense when you consider how each die operates. But I was getting wildly varying lengths out of the bushing die and very consistent lengths out of the FL sizer. You can solve it with a trimmer, but ultimately I think more stretch would contribute to varying wall thicknesses, which would eliminate your objective of doing a better job of controlling neck tension.

Runout was not a problem with either die. And both did a good job of leaving a consistent shoulder bump. But I got worried about some of the rounds being long enough to cause a problem using the bushing die, given how close I was running my brass to max length anyway.

Do you remove the expander or leave it on? If you leave it on its probably causing the stretching issue.

Can't say I have noticed any trim length issue's. I trim every 2nd firing though. I also only run an expander on my 22 creed die and that is only when necking down 6 creed brass.

What about an RCBS X-Die? Isn't supposed to cure case stretching?

My thinking is, you actually got more consistent neck thicknesses with the bushing die. That is what it is for. When it forces brass into consistent thickness, the brass has to go somewhere, which is forward. So my opinion is, if you want to compare measurements of consistency of bushing die versus standard die, is to be using a ball micrometer and measure neck thickness, not neck length.

As you stated, that is what trimming is for. Hornady, Remington, Winchester, Federal brand new out of the bag, I will size then with a bushing die, then trim all of them. They are less expensive, they are lower quality than premium brass such as Lapua, Nosler, Norma, therefore the savings in dollars means they require more work. They end up producing fine ammo, but they require attention right out of the gate.

Sounds like I was misinterpreting results. I'll give it another shot. Unfortunately I haven't tried again since getting my 289 bushing, and I think the 288 bushing was too much neck tension.

The Redding bushing die I was experimenting with didn't size the whole neck like the Lee does. I did not like that. I also like the fact that with the Lee no lube is necessary.

Mine all allow me to size the entire neck if I want to which most omly get the top 2/3 sized.

90% of my sizing dies are FL bushing dies, set for a .001" to .002" shoulder bump. Some of them appear to not completely size the entire length of the neck, maybe 80%. But, the ammo chambers, shoots great, and ejects, so I don't worry about that 20%.

Does this happen with all of your calibers? That seems odd to have some resize the entire neck and others not too

Doesn't happen on all. I find it odd, as well.

Picture it...you run your case into a die that forces the case to conform to an exterior profile. It comes out of the die shaped in perfect conformity on the exterior. If the case neck is not perfectly uniform in thickness, what has happened to the concentricity of the interior dimension of the case neck?

It still is not perfect, but better. Some brass flowed outward causing a longer case, and an out of square case mouth.

Yes, no?

What I am trying to point out is that when case neck thickness is not perfectly uniform all the way around (let's say it measures 0.016" thick on one side of the neck and 0.0175" on the opposite side of the case neck) but the outside dimensions are all perfect, then there is no way that the inside of the case neck is concentric with the rest of the case...which means that when the round is chambered the bullet is offset from the center of the bore to some extent.

I can't agree or disagree with that. We might be having to dive into measuring bullets also. Getting into ten thousandths is not something I have the ability to measure, or have noticed any effects from that possible off set.

Interesting discussion nonetheless.

For my money, I'd rather have the inside dimension of the case neck concentric with the case body than the outside, were I forced to choose. Clearance in the chamber can negate the effects of non-concentricity of the outside dimension of the case neck when the cartridge is headspaced the way we both know it should be.

So standard dies, not bushing for you?

I've been working with collet dies the last couple of years, but that choice was made based on some demonstrations I saw on youtube a while back.

These other things hadn't occurred to me until I considered one of your comments above, but then it hit me.

I'm thinking that collet dies stand a better chance of keeping the inside of the case neck concentric when neck thickness varies, but that's just based on intuition.

One clear advantage to the collet system is that you don't size the outside diameter of the case neck to perfection and then drag an expander through it. You squeeze the neck down to force the inside diameter to conform to the central axis of the case body and the neck's outside diameter just ends up wherever it ends up. It all happens in one event, not two.

Anyone know the thickness for hornady or other makers of brass? My alpha is measuring .015 rather consistently and I am curious how this compare to other producers.