Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles What do you think of Redding Competition Shell Holder set?

I reload for my own .338WM ammo so that the case fills the chamber it was fired with from the belt to the shoulder. I do so on fired once or twice cases, and bump the shoulder down enough for the bolt to close with ease on an empty/de-capped case. What I do to accomplish this is to set the die so it does not contact the shell holder at the beginning, and then turn the die down toward the shell holder 1/8th of a thread at a time while cycling the fired-case through the chamber over and over until the bolt closes on the case almost without resistance. But it seems that the #6 Redding Competition Shell Holder Set would save me some guessing time, although I understand that this procedure is chamber specific (case sizing for the chamber it was fired with)

What are your thoughts on this subject?

They aren't chamber specific they are shell holder specific. I.E. the Magnum shell holder for 338 Win Mag will also work for 7 Rem Mag, 264 Win Mag etc etc. They work pretty slick. You just set your die in the press just like you would for full length sizing - the die touches the shell holder at the end of the press stroke. You work your way up the shell holders until you find which one gives you just the right sizing and smooth bolt closure you want. It's an excellent way to adjust your full length sizing back by accurate .001 steps. I have them in 4 sizes. :-)

Adjusting your die in 1/8 turns is changing the position by .009" at a time. Quite a big step. If your press has a threaded bushing with hex flats to screw the die into, then it is pretty easy to make adjustment of 1/24 turn that are about .003". With the ram all the way up screw the die firmly down onto the shell holder. Mark a vertical line on the die with a Sharpie that lines up with one of the hex points. Now you can adjust out 1/4 of the way to the next hex point for .003", or 1/2 way for .006" etc.

Thanks. Those are pretty good pointers I never thought about, specially the "1/24" turn. I use a Redding press, and a friend of mine mentioned to me that all I have to do is to use a feeler gage of the right thickness between the shell holder and the bottom edge of the die.

I stand corrected. Youper made some very good points, but it seems that the shellholders can end the amount of time guessing. Once I find the right amount of shoulder bump, then I can size a batch of the fired once cases without having to swap shellholders.

The shell holders are nice when you have a press that toggles over. On those presses adjusting the die involves more trial and error. I'm using a Lee classic cast that doesn't toggle over.

Some rifles need die adjustments larger than are available with the shell holders.

I don't do high volume reloads just enough for shooting a few rounds at the range with a .338WM, and then choosing a reload I am comfortable with for hunting. I had been using a Lyman T-Mag II press, but now will start using a Redding T-7 turret press. The problem I found with the T-Mag was that there always was some play on the turret when sizing or seating bullets. Maybe I am too picky, but the Redding T-7 is rock solid when the shell holder makes contact with the die.

Since the fired-once cases can be cycled though the rifle's chamber, the Redding gages would save me some time and take the guesswork when bumping the shoulder down a little. Anyway, as I mentioned before, some reloaders cycle the fired-once or twice case through the chamber, and bump the shoulder down a little at a time by placing a filler gage of the right thickness between the shellholder and the die (the de-capper has to be backed out so it won't hit the gage). The case cycling through the rifle ends when the case's shoulder has been bumped just enough for the bold to close over the case without resistance. This works quite well, too.