Run type s neck die without expander ball

[drewh]

I am in the process of buying back an old 17 AH project, and have gotten a type S neck die so I can run bushings. Never used that particular combo and was considering running without the expander ball to extend brass life. Anyone else done this?

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by drewh

I am in the process of buying back an old 17 AH project, and have gotten a type S neck die so I can run bushings. Never used that particular combo and was considering running without the expander ball to extend brass life. Anyone else done this?

I have a neck size die, the has no expander ball in it, which I use when I do have a neck that is slightly to open and size it down some.
Don't know why your 17 die would not work just fine without the ball in it.

[ray h]

I never use an decapping/expander rod in the bushing die, just the sizing bushing. Started using a Lee APP for decapping.

[B23]

Using the expander ball in a bushing die really kinda defeats the purpose of using a bushing die.

Like others, I don't even have the stem in nearly all of my bushing dies and instead deprime with a whole separate die.

[dedogs]

Drew, You did not say whose neck die you would be using. A Wilson 17 caliber neck die's stem does nothing but remove the spent primer. But be careful if you use one of these. My understanding is that Wilson no longer makes replacement stems for these dies.
Any of the other manufacturers bushing dies should work without the stem. As was stated above--having an expander ball in a bushing die is self defeating. dedogs

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by dedogs

Drew, You did not say whose neck die you would be using. A Wilson 17 caliber neck die's stem does nothing but remove the spent primer. But be careful if you use one of these. My understanding is that Wilson no longer makes replacement stems for these dies.
Any of the other manufacturers bushing dies should work without the stem. As was stated above--having an expander ball in a bushing die is self defeating. dedogs

One thing Drew also. Some of those sizing dies have a expander ball that also holds the depime pin in/on the rod.
So removing it you lose the deprime mode. But there are several depriming dies that will remove spent primers from a lot of different size cases, get one and it to deprime and just size the neck/case with your bushing die/s.
Only one small extra step in reloading, but is worth it.

[drewh]

Bill, I actually have an old Lee press set up next to my rock chucker as a dedicated decapping setup, so no loss there.
Drew

[Daryl]

I use Wilson 'bushings' in Wilson dies as well as in Redding "S" dies - same diameter bushings - ie" 1/2".

For WW brass, I use .191" bushing turned for .1905 side down and for RP brass, I use a .188" bushing.

Wilson bushings are (or were) 1/2 thou tighter than the stamp, on one side.