In June I purchased a new set of Redding 45/70 reloading dies. I posted here last month with a question concerning my 45/70 resizing die and you guy's supplied me the answer I needed. Additionally, my set was shipped with the incorrect neck expanding plug in the expander die and Mr. Kurt Nelson of Redding mailed me the correct replacement part - I would like to thank him for his timely response to my problem.
Now I have another technical question that concerns the expander die. How far into the case does the neck expanding plug need to go? I have resizied my cases using the Redding sizing die and then trimmed my cases to the "trim to" length using a Lee hand held case trimmer set. Now, I find I am having to "expand out" all of that top portion of the brass case that the resizing die sized down (approximately the top 3/8" of the case) in order to expand the case enough for a bevel-based lead bullet sized at .458" or .459" to start without shaving lead. The Redding neck expanding plug has an initial bevel then a straight section that measures .457" in diameter before stepping up to another, wider bevel. I am using up most all of the .457 diameter portion of the neck expanding plug (that is; it is inserted completely into the case). I have not quite reached the second bevel.
Let me know if I am correct in my method. The Redding dies are unlike the other brand I have used (Hornady) - I am just on unfamiliar ground here.
Thanks, Odessa
Now I have another technical question that concerns the expander die. How far into the case does the neck expanding plug need to go? I have resizied my cases using the Redding sizing die and then trimmed my cases to the "trim to" length using a Lee hand held case trimmer set. Now, I find I am having to "expand out" all of that top portion of the brass case that the resizing die sized down (approximately the top 3/8" of the case) in order to expand the case enough for a bevel-based lead bullet sized at .458" or .459" to start without shaving lead. The Redding neck expanding plug has an initial bevel then a straight section that measures .457" in diameter before stepping up to another, wider bevel. I am using up most all of the .457 diameter portion of the neck expanding plug (that is; it is inserted completely into the case). I have not quite reached the second bevel.
Let me know if I am correct in my method. The Redding dies are unlike the other brand I have used (Hornady) - I am just on unfamiliar ground here.
Thanks, Odessa