Carbide Expander Balls for Resizing

[GrinerBros]

I am getting sick and tired of running a brush into the neck of my rifle cases when sizing them. I see that some of the companies sell a carbide expander ball for opening the neck back up to the needed size. I think I saw they are made by redding but no where can I find if they will fit into my standard RCBS die set. This should hopefully end the need to lube the inside of the neck.

Has anyone had any experience with these?

Information

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[MEHavey]

Are you getting a lot of neck expansion resistance -- like the case "squeeks" with the strain of opening up?

[Mike_Mills]

Your post intrigued me so I made some measurements. I use the Redding carbide balls in all my Redding dies. I have a Redding dies in 30-06, 308 and several other cartridges. In 223, I have both Redding and RCBS, so I will answer in the context of the 223 dies. What cartridge are you interested in?

The simple answer is no, it is not a drop-in replacement for an RCBS die.

The more complicated answer is maybe, perhaps, it might just work but it will require some work from you to make it work.

Please note, the discussion below is relative to the 223 dies I have. The details for the 30-06 may be different. The decapping stem for the 223, the 30-06 and all other Redding dies look nearly identical in generic design. I am encouraged by this but they do differ in their dimensional details, so caution is advised.

The Redding carbide ball will fit on the RCBS decapper shaft. You will have to hone/grind the RCBS expander ball to a smaller diameter such that it does no neck expanding. It will be used only as a threaded retainer for the ball and the decapping pin.

You may need to shorten the "threaded retainer" a bit to provide some room for the carbide ball to float axially along the decapper shaft. Redding allows 0.10" of axial float. I don't think you can or should or have to provide that much float. The retainer only threads on to a depth of about 0.175", so cutting a full 0.10" off would reduce thread engagement too much. I do think you could take off 0.050" with no trouble.

Anyway, people here have helped me. Perhaps this repays the favor in some small way.

[USSR]

Buy a Redding bushing die, and do away with an expander ball all together.

Don

[mold maker]

I have broken several of the Redding carbide expander balls in 223.
The thinness of the ball wall and the brittleness of carbide aren't a good combo.(their words)
In sizes larger than 223 they are probably much a better alternative.
Redding did replace the broken carbide expander balls and advised me to use motor mica anyway.

[Mike_Mills]

Bummer!

I've had mine for almost ten years with no hint of a problem.

A bushing die does not alleviate the need to have an expander ball. Sooner or later, and with some rifles perhaps always, you will get dented necks. You need the ball to round them out. If you don't want neck thickness non-uniformities on the inside of the case neck (you will be using your bullet as an expander ball), then you need an expander ball.

Buying a Redding bushing die with a carbide ball is a good option, perhaps the best option, but it isn't the only option if you are handy enough to make the mods.

[USSR]

A bushing die does not alleviate the need to have an expander ball. Sooner or later, and with some rifles perhaps always, you will get dented necks. You need the ball to round them out. If you don't want neck thickness non-uniformities on the inside of the case neck (you will be using your bullet as an expander ball), then you need an expander ball.

Au contraire. Any dented necks are quickly made round once again using any tapered tool such as a punch, or the knife sharpener that I use. Any "non-uniformities" in the ID of the neck are removed when inserting a bullet, as it acts in the very same way as an expander mandrel, in moving any ID inconsistencies to the OD. Have had 6+ years of experience in reloading this way for 1,000 yard competition, and have zero use for expander balls.

Don

[Mike_Mills]

Au contraire. Any dented necks are quickly made round once again using any tapered tool such as a punch, or the knife sharpener that I use. Any "non-uniformities" in the ID of the neck are removed when inserting a bullet, as it acts in the very same way as an expander mandrel, in moving any ID inconsistencies to the OD. Have had 6+ years of experience in reloading this way for 1,000 yard competition, and have zero use for expander balls.

Don

Then again, you are using a punch or knife sharpener to perform the very same operation. So, in that sense, you do have an "expander ball", it is just different than the one RCBS and Redding provide. You are welcome to do so, but it's not as if the function doesn't need to be performed. You said as much, yourself. Why do you prefer that method?

Personally, I prefer not to use my bullets as an expander ball. I prefer to use an expander ball as an expander ball and prefer an expander ball over a "punch or knife sharpener". If I were performing a manual case neck expansion, I would use my Sinclair expander mandrel, held in its die. This yields VERY uniform neck interior dimensions over the entire length of the neck. The die/mandrel are press-mounted so variations due to tipping (typical of a manual operation) do not occur.

[USSR]

Then again, you are using a punch or knife sharpener to perform the very same operation. So, in that sense, you do have an "expander ball", it is just different than the one RCBS and Redding provide.

The difference being, that with an expander ball coming out of the case body and thru the neck, you are pulling on the neck and shoulder after you have resized the case. Using a tapered tool to remove a dent in the neck is done prior to resizing the case, and does not impact the neck or shoulder in any way. I also have an expander mandrel, and I suppose in a severely "dinged" neck, I could resize the neck with a small bushing and then use the mandrel on it.

Don

[Mudcat]

If I am loading for one of my bolt guns, the expander ball is removed from the die....the last thing I want is something hitting the mouth of my nicely chamber formed case! Unless youre are denting up case mouths like say out of an AR, why use it? I dont.

John