Redding Competition Bushing Die

How much of the neck do you size? I’ve got the appropriate carbide .002” under collet and have been playing with it. I haven’t actually loaded any ammo with it yet. I’m trying to avoid the donut people talk about. Lapua brass if that matters. All input is welcome.

Pic, because people like pics.

I size the entire neck.

+1 some dies with the way they are setup won't allow that though but I always size as much as I can without tightening the die so the bushing won't float. Meaning when I shake my die, I want to hear the bushing move around...it helps center the bushing to the neck in my opinion. FWIW - I'm starting to come around to the bushing die is what causes the donuts...I think I'd be better off having a die with the neck I want to shoot versus using different bushings.

^^^^ what Judd said, especially about the bushing being able to move around. Tighten until you don't hear it shake, back it off slightly until you can hear it slightly shaking around, then set it. Always make sure you can hear it shaking, it needs to float side to side.

As far as how far you size the neck (I assume you mean longitudinal down to the shoulder), you really don't have much control over that assuming you are using a die that also sizes the case and bumps the shoulder back (.002 is my goal for bumping the shoulder on bolt rifles).

Are you using the button for the inside of the neck? If so, that will help prevent donuts BUT it also expands the neck a bit. I think most that use bushings remove the button.

Pretty much this. Screw down the top of the die until it hits the bushing, then back off ever so slightly. Tighten the jam nut.

As Judd noted I had never really had much issue with donuts until I discovered bushing dies. I have a couple I need to sell as I used them a few times and put them away.
I admit I am giving bushing die one more chance. I got one of the SAC dies as they say with their bushing you won’t have donuts... we will see.

I’m not sure that my dies work like what’s being explained here or I’m miss understanding which is more likely.

I am using a body die to bump the shoulder back

I am not running an expander at all which may be a bad idea I don’t know

I can use the micrometer to size any amount of the neck that I want. Which is why I’m confused about some of the statements.


This is a screenshot of a screenshot but this is what the die internals look like.

I've never used a sizing die with a micrometer on top.

Screw it down until everything is tight to the bushing. Then back the micrometer off enough for the bushing to be able to float just a little, so it can center. You do not need an expander ball, it negates what the bushing is doing.

bushing dies are a marketing scheme

The mic is for your shoulder bump not the length of the neck the bushing sizes..
Set your bushing in the die screw down till its firm against the bushing back off 1/8 of a turn.
Set your die in your press with about .005 clearance off the shell holder and turn that mic down until your case length has moved. Then you can set your shoulder bump once you have a known bump.

Thos dies typically aren’t full length resizers and used to come with a 3rd die that just sizes the body.

They work great kind a pita to set up but it will give you some good control over a standard die.

Btw bushing dies creat donuts just pick a bullet that stays out of the donut and don’t worry about it.
Anealing helps as well as using that knurled button that is caliber specific but in all honesty its not hard to select a bullet to stay out of the shoulder junction and the donut..

TAB this is the set that I have. I don’t think it’s the same as what you’re thinking about.

Same set I have, I have used the body die as a shoulder bump, you can actually bump a shoulder on a loaded round because the neck is opened up larger than a loaded round.

I have also turned that mic down and bumped the shoulder because you have that sliding piece in the die that is also spring loaded with a shoulder angle cut on it.. it stops on that step bushing above the spring.

I’ve been using the body die to bump the shoulder as described above. I never considered using the bushing die to bump the shoulder.


I think I’m starting to understand where people get the donut.

No matter what the bushing will never meet the shoulder junction so every time you push the brass through the die you push the extra into that junction so every firing brass flows to the shoulder and neck junction, you push it back to the junction as you run your case through the die.

In benchrest the donut doesn’t matter so muck because you prep and neck turn 20-25 cases and shoot the match. When the match is done folks usually trash that set of brass because they have been fired a minimum of 6x and by some considered used up. The bullet seating is very shallow in the br games so you can stuff as much powder in the case as possible.

If your not neck turning or trying to control your neck tension to be something specific or have some latitude on loading for multiple rifles a bushing die isn’t needed but it does produce lower run outs especially when utilizing a inline chamber style seater.

Agreed...benchrest guys know how to spec a reamer to a bullet versus using standard reamer...or they utilize throaters with a dummy round to get it perfect.

Dont know how Speedy Gonzoles, Walt Berger, Troy Boyer won all their benchrest titles without a bushing die, amazing

The type “s” bushing die by redding is Speedy’s design..
you can do it with mandrels but its more labor intensive. Bushing dies remove a few steps.

Way to go Buzz.

He’s right…the Type S…that S = Speedy

The donut will shoot out.

Oh He77, I've done it again

No, it won't...cutting it out is the only answer. It's a PIA to get rid of...you either cut it from the inside OR you expand it to the exterior and cut it off by turning the neck. There is no shooting out a donut in brass.

Judd is right, IDOD or mandrel and neck turn.. donut gets more pronounced after every firing.

If you want the best possible neck tension, FL size with Redding die that takes the neck size bushing. Then use an expander mandrel to size the inside of the neck (don’t use expander ball in sizing die) such that you get a good 0.002” neck tension!