Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Need Help Setting Full Size Die

I haven't had to set a resizing die since 2005 and wanted to get some advice as I'm a little rusty.

All my rifles are bolt action and used for hunting purposes. All my dies are RCBS full length.

When I first got my .270 wsm I bought 2 boxes of Winchester factory ammunition. This ammunition was loaded very hot and really expanded out the cases. So what I was able to do to set this die, was to back it off a turn and slowly increase the turn until the case would no longer fit in the rifle. Then kept increasing the (turning in/down) die until the case just fit nicely. Just at the point where the bolt closed nicely.

However on my .300 wsm I was never able to achieve this as I never bought factory ammunition. I purchased new cases and never loaded them hot enough to expand like the factory ammo. So I remember doing a lot of fiddling around with this die and don't know that I ever got it set right. No longer have this gun. Did just buy another though but won't be shooting this rifle til spring.

Now I'm getting ready to set the resizing die for my new .308 Win and Lapua brass. I have Stoney Point (now Hornady) head and shoulders measuring tools so I have measured my cases. I have loaded a lot of different powder measurements while working up loads so I have many different measurements so the cases measure all different sizes.

So do I

A. Use the method I used with my .270 wsm where I back the die off and then keep turning in until the case doesn't fit and then turn a little more until it fits. My concern here is that the cases are not expanded enough and this method will not work. But have never worked a .308 Win before.

B. Take the longest head and shoulders measurement and set the die until I slightly push back the shoulder on the longest cases. This will leave the brass in slightly different sizes. Then after firing all my brass again repeat this step slowly getting them to finally fit perfect for my rifle.

C. Take the shortest head and shoulders measurement and set the die to this measurement so that when I'm done all my brass will be the exact same size. Then after firing all my brass again repeat this step slowly getting them to finally fit perfect for my rifle.

D. None of the above as I'm an idiot and have no clue what the he77 I'm doing.



Thanks,
Adams

A

I've always used the A method on all of my rifles also known as partial full length resizing. Just recently bought several Lee collet resizing dies for just about everything so don't have to worry about it anymore.

A


I set my dies for a .0015" shoulder setback

I set the die to bump the longest back .002", check the case to be sure it feeds as expected and never touch the die again.

There are many answers to the question of setting a die; all of them sworn to by their proponents, and all of them contradictory.