Just picked up a new .300 WM and though I would jump into the world of Redding type S comp dies over the RCBS dies I normally use. My question is when using new brass am I going to need a to get a stand alone die that has a expander button to get the case necks round so they can be loaded the first time? The dies I have don't have a expander on the decaping pin. I understand the reasoning, just not sure how to go about it for the first loading.

Richard

You just want to make sure the necks are round for the initial loading? Do you have any other .30 cal sizer die? If so run the expander down 'til it almost comes out of the bottom and run the WM cases into it just enough.



{Someone will come along in a bit to accuse me of heresy, but I bet it works.} { }

Any .30 caliber expander button will work as you note. Lacking a .30 cailber expander of any kind, you can use a closed pair of needle nose pliers inserted in the case mouths to iron out any major dents. Seating a bullet for the first time will round out the neck and firing it certainly will, the pliers are just used to open the neck enough so the bullet base doesn't catch it and collapse it. Any kind of roundish angled tool will work, I just use the pliers since there is a pair on the reloading bench and they are the right size and shape.

Real shade tree reloading to be sure and a proper expander is definitely better, but it does work.

Lyman M dies are great for this.