Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Redding Die Shoulder Dents

I have a set of standard Redding dies for a 270 WSM that invariably end up leaving shoulder dents. I use RCBS case lube sparingly on every other case, making sure to keep the lube off of the shoulders, but the darn dents always show up. When I switch over to a set of Forster dies the dents go away. What is it with the Redding dies that causes the case dents? My RCBS dies don't do this either(on various other calibers) unless I get sloppy with the lube but that is easily corrected after the first case shows up with dents. I don't even use the Redding dies anymore because of this, I just reach for the Forster instead. What gives?

I'm convinced it is not the die. Pull the die apart and clean all the lube from the inards. Most importantly make sure the air release hole on the side of the die is open and can breath.
If that hole gets plugged that air inside the die can not release and it will crush your case.. usually the shoulder. Been there,,done,,,,
Terry

Agree with previous poster. Check the vent hole to ensure it is open. Also, Forster dies are better than Redding, so why don't you sell the Redding dies if you have both.

I can't seem to find the vent hole on the Redding die. I don't think it has one like the RCBS dies do. My thought was that it was air causing the dents because I've disassembled the die multiple times looking for excess lube and it just isn't there.

Redding dies don't have vent holes.

Try wiping the neck and should lightly off with a dry paper towel. You only need just a tiny bit of lube to keep it from sticking - never dry though!

Also make sure that you are not oversizing the brass........................DJ

It is caused by either trapped air or lube. Redding dies do not have the vent.

I was having the same problem with my .300 Wby. I even tried lubing one case, sizing it, and trying the next two or three without lube. I could size about one or two more cases, unlubed, before I got dents. Cleaning the die throughly didn't help, except I could get one or two cases without dents, after cleaning.

A set of RCBS dies solved the problem. Cheaper, too.

I don't know why Redding does not put a vent into their dies. This is not the first time I have heard of this problem, and someone said that Redding says a vent is not needed.

Well, I am not a die manufacturer, but I disagree.

Had the same problem. Much prefer Forster to Redding...

John

+1

Redding should add vent holes, there's a reason every other manufacturer does.

They are loosing a lot of my business to Forster and others...............................DJ

Alright. I'm glad it is not just me. The Redding dies are probably the best looking dies of the bunch (if you appreciate that sort of thing) but I think I'll avoid them in the future - at least the sizing dies. I do have a few of their competition seaters and one BR bushing neck sizer that I like.
Seeing as the sizer die is no good to me as is I don't think I have much to lose by drilling my own vent hole.

If you buy bushing dies or competition seater dies again, check out the Forster ones first. Forster used to be Bonanza, and Bonanza held all the patents on these dies. Since Forster's patents have expired Redding has been trying to produce knock off versions. I believe the original Bonanza (Forster) is still better. In the bushing die Forster bushings are more consistent in size, and are actually what they are stamped. The seater accommodates the VLD bullets. And the Forster price is lower. In Forster dies with an expander ball, it is located up near the neck to reduce runout from neck sizing. They also sell special oversized expander balls for benchrest light tensions. In the FL and neck dies you can have Forster hone the necks out to custom 1/2 thou increments for about $10.

I agree with the others that your die probably needs cleaning. I also agree that I prefer Forsters over any others. In fact, I have 2 sets of sizing dies for most of my rifles. 1 is to FL resize & the other is set to PFLR. Then, there's no adjusting/re-adjusting involved. In addition, I prefer the Forster Competitin seaters over the others.
Bear in Fairbanks

I ran into the same thing with some Reddings in .243. I was using the RCBS lube pad and was getting dents. I switched to imperial sizing wax and graphite for the neck, haven't had a dent since.

"They are loosing a lot of my business to Forster and others...............................DJ"

Mine, too. I won't ever buy another set.

had a set of redding 17rem. dies that were bad for denting shoulders, no matter how much i cleaned them and how careful i was with lube after a few cases through them they would start denting again. i emailed redding and asked why there was no vent in the dies to prevent denting and was told p,o, ackley said vent holes were not needed. evidently forster had not heard that imfo as the replacement set has a vent and works great

Ed

I have never had a dent with Redding dies. I prefer them to RCBS. Never tried Forster. Redding sells carbide buttons too, that work really slick...

I thought I was the only one................

I ran a few cases last night dry to be sure it was excess lube - still got dents. Am thinking RCBS will solve the problem.

It looks like the guys that use the Imperial Sizing Wax don't have the issue. I don't need any other stuff on my bench (like special wax) so I'll probably stick with the dies with vent hole that work with the RCBS case lube.

I would never buy any Redding dies. They don't even have a vent hole on their full length sizing dies like RCBS and others do!

I called Redding a few years ago with a question and the gentleman there was rude to me. This was unnecessary I felt.

Try the dies with just some sizing wax put on sparingly on the body of the case and a tiny wipe on its neck. Do this with your fingertip and thumb.

This is after wiping out the die first.

Buy some new dies. I prefer RCBS. http://www.rcbs.com/

FWIW, I rub Imperial on and into a Redding foam case lube pad, the warmth from my fingers seems to help it penetrate into the pad and it lasts a good while. After quite a while, If the pad gets overly dirty from cases I wipe it clean with a paper towel and reapply.
I haven't had a shoulder dent in years regardless of who's dies I've used. I also put a little dab on a Q-tip that sits next to the lube pad and run it around the inside lip of the cases before I size them. No squealing ,chattering or howling from the sizing button either and I have yet to have a contaminated case.
JME,
BD