FL die question

[mroels]

Hi all,

Been a while since I loaded anything or been to the forums. My setup had been unattended for a while so decided to clean my dies etc. Anyway now I've got everything back in place I can't figure how to get my FL forster die right again. Using a RCBS precision mic to check my brass, but I can't find any where the shoulders aren't already in the right place. It's definitely sizing the neck properly but doesn't appear to be bumping the shoulders even if I turn it all the way down to the shell holder. This is for .308

Should I just do the standard let it touch the shell holder and turn it back out a quarter turn? And then check it every time until my Brass expands enough?

Using :

Lee Turret (not the auto)
Forster FL die
Lee #4 shell holder

[rsrocket1]

No, you are supposed to set the die to touch the shell holder and turn it IN at least a quarter turn. The resistance of the brass will cause the press to flex a tiny bit and it won't go down as far with the case in the die. Some people depend on the press to "cam over" to ensure it's bottoming out. No need for that because you don't know how much more force you're putting on the press.

Try this.

1. Set your die to where you think you should.
2. Take a case that you know needs its shoulder bumped back.
3. Put the lubed case in the shell holder.
4. Pull the lever all the way down on the press
5. See if you can slide a piece of paper between the die and the shell holder.
6. Measure the headspace after the sizing.

If you can't, then your die has bottomed out. If you can, then you didn't screw the die down far enough.

[J-cat]

Forster 308 dies bump shoulders zero to none when used with standard shell holders and cases fired in tight chambers.

[mroels]

Amazing the type of stuff you forget within two year. Of course having a resource like this forum makes me too lazy to look anything up because I can just ask. Thank you for the responses guess I'll dust off the manuals and instructional videos to make sure I didn't forget anything else

[JagerDog]

The die is mfg to restore brass to minimum SAAMI spec when compressed tghtly against the shell holder. Of course there's going to be some tolerance stack up.

If you just want to bump the shoulder, set the die just shy of touching the shell holder, then screw it in on successive attempts using your RCBS precision mic as a gauge to compare fired brass to resized brass (or to zero/SAAMI spec).

Note that a 1/4 turn is ~0.018 so a 1/4 turn is YUGE.

Touching then backing off a 1/4 turn is poor man's neck sizing.

[ar15robert]

I use full length dies for my .223 and will run the die down til it touches the shellholder and leave it there.Been doing it like this for almost 20 years.I use the ammo in a mini 14 and ar15.

For my 300 win mag i turn the die just short of touching for neck sizing.I dont collect other brass just use what i have from my rifle for that one.I was gonna buy a neck sizing die when i started that but it wasnt in stock then and owner there mentioned to me this "poor mans technique"