Redding 73 Style Steel Neck Sizing Bushing .246 (73246)

Description

This is the .246 diameter heat-treated steel neck sizing bushing from Redding, part number 73246. If you run a Redding bushing-style neck or full-length die, this is how you fine-tune the amount of grip the case neck puts on your bullet. Instead of overworking your brass with a one-size-fits-all die, you pick the exact bushing that matches your neck wall thickness and loaded neck diameter, which means less sizing effort and brass that lasts longer.

What the Redding .246 Steel Bushing Does

Neck tension is one of those details that separates plinking loads from the stuff that prints tight groups. The idea is simple: you measure the neck wall thickness of your loaded cartridge, double it, add your bullet diameter, then subtract about a thousandth to land on your bushing size. Drop in the .246 and you get consistent, repeatable grip on the bullet without squeezing the neck down more than it needs. That consistency is what shows up on paper downrange.

Build and Fit of the Redding 73 Style Bushing

Redding makes these from heat-treated steel with the sizing diameter hand-polished to a surface hardness of Rc 60-62, which keeps the sizing stroke smooth and cuts down on friction. The bushing measures a standard 1/2 inch outside diameter by 3/8 inch long, so it interchanges freely across all of Redding's bushing-style neck sizing dies. That same external size also plays nice with other bushing systems on the market, so if you've already got dies set up, this slots right in.

Picking the Right Redding Bushing Size

These come in .001 inch increments across a wide range, so most handloaders end up keeping two or three on hand to test what their rifle and brass like best. The .246 is a common pick for necks in that window, including setups built around .22 and 6mm brass. The size is clearly marked on the bushing itself, and the last three digits of the part number spell it out too. Made in the USA.