The Redding .203 Heat-Treated Steel Neck Sizing Bushing (MPN: 73203) provides precise neck tension control by sizing the outside neck diameter of cartridge brass to exact dimensions. Precision-machined from high-grade steel and heat-treated to a hardness of approximately Rockwell C 60–62, this bushing features hand-polished internal surfaces to minimise friction and prevent over-working case brass. It incorporates a precision-engineered lead-in chamfer to ensure smooth case centering during the press stroke, eliminating the need for standard internal expander balls and reducing neck runout.

Key Features

  • Precise Neck Tension: Accurately sizes case necks to an inside diameter of 0.203 inches (5.156 mm) to optimise bullet grip and extend brass life.
  • Heat-Treated Durability: Hardened to Rockwell C 60–62 with polished sizing surfaces for wear resistance during repetitive reloading cycles.
  • Smooth Case Entry: Machined with a radiused lead-in chamfer to guide the case neck smoothly into the sizing surface.
  • Universal Die Interface: Fully interchangeable across all Redding Type S Full Length and Neck Sizing Dies, Redding Competition Bushing Dies, and standard L.E. Wilson–style bushing dies.

Product Specifications

  • Inside Diameter (Sizing Diameter): 0.203 inches (5.156 mm)
  • Outside Diameter: 0.500 inches (1/2 inch)
  • Length: 0.375 inches (3/8 inch)
  • Material: Heat-treated steel
  • Surface Hardness: Rockwell C 60–62 (Rc 60–62)
  • Operating Requirements: Requires external case neck lubrication; manual mechanical operation

Who is the Redding .203 Heat-Treated Steel Neck Sizing Bushing for?

  • Precision benchrest shooters reloading small-calibre cartridges — relies on the 0.203-inch inside diameter of this neck sizing bushing to set exact neck tension on small-calibre wildcats and .17 calibre variants with loaded neck diameters measuring between 0.204 and 0.206 inches.
  • Long-range competitors handloading with Redding Type S bushing dies — utilises the standard 0.500-inch outer diameter and 0.375-inch length to interchange seamlessly with Type S and Competition bushing dies while maintaining hardness at Rockwell C 60–62 to eliminate expander-ball brass drag.

Less suitable for: Handloaders requiring total neck reductions exceeding 0.004 to 0.005 inches from fired brass dimensions in a single stroke, who require an intermediate step-down bushing size or a custom progressive sizing die setup to prevent case neck buckling.

SKU RD41758LP
Model # 73203
Brand Redding
Shipping Weight 1.0000kg

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