What are the different kinds of neck bushings? 4 common types
by Mac Raven
What are the different kinds of neck bushings?
This article may seem a bit dry. It certainly isn’t going to win me a Pulitzer Prize, but who knows? I’ve seen stranger things.
The article may help someone, or it may put people to sleep. I don’t know, but here we go.
Today I will be going over the 4 common types of bushings for reloading that most people will find available.
What are the different groups of reloading bushings?
Generally, these fall into two different categories. The first is the construction material, and the second is the tolerance.
Stainless steel
These are the cheapest and most common bushings on the market. Multiple companies produce these. Buyer beware—what you think you are buying and getting may be two different things.
Since they are mass-produced and made per the company’s quality control, these bushings can vary significantly in tolerance. Double-check the inside diameter of the bushing to ensure you received what you ordered. I had some that were perfect and others where I was like, WTF???
Also, if not lubricated correctly, steel tends to drag more on the neck of your case when you run the brass through your reloading die.
Titanium Nitride
Now you’re starting to get more serious. Since these are nonstandard, these bushings tend to have tight tolerances. The saying is, “You get what you pay for.”
These are heat-treated and then titanium nitride–coated.
What this means to you is that the bushings have less friction when running through your reloading die. In simpler terms, they are a lot smoother. They also don’t tend to wear after repeated use.
They are indeed increasing in price, but this isn’t where you want to cut corners.
Carbide
These have been a staple in benchrest shooting for quite some time. I have learned that if these shooters use something religiously, there is a good reason for this.
These bushings hold very tight tolerances and do not wear even after thousands of rounds. Another thing I’ve noticed through personal experience is that they are incredibly smooth and do not scratch the brass.
They are probably the most expensive bushings but worth the money.
Tungsten Coated
This type of bushings is more of a specialty type, and they have none of the weaknesses of the previously mentioned products. There is good and bad news when it comes to tungsten-coated bushings.
The good news is that they don’t require any lube. The bad news is that you can only use them in same-company full-length dies because making them a standard size like everything else would cut into their pocketbook.
It is regrettable, but it is what it is.
Conclusion
You probably see a pattern by now. When purchasing neck bushings, there are better options than cheap ones. The more expensive ones ($50+) will give you better results for the longest time.
Before I forget, if you neck-turn your brass, you may not find the type you want in your preferred size. Unfortunately, this is a common problem. I just had to order a custom-sized bushing in stainless steel. This is certainly not what I preferred, but my hands are tied.
I hope this article on what are the different kinds of neck bushings, 4 common types has found you well and didn’t put you to sleep.
Remember, shoot better than me. Mac R
Disclaimer: Reloading/handloading can be hazardous to your health like many things in life. You take full responsibility when performing these procedures. 5 Gun Nation is not liable for your decisions. Don’t be an idiot; if you are, it is not our problem.