It doesn't touch the shoulder at all. It will hit the web down to the extractor groove. The diameter of your case will depend on how far up the die will touch it but likely wouldn't be more than 1/3 way up the body.
So it would be a separate operation from the FL sizing, but it's a cost...
https://www.shootsmallgroups.com/product/expanding-mandrel-dies/
It definitely works. You can get one without the mandrel and just use it to squeeze the head/web area.
If you guys want to learn all the tricks of stock making and finishing, go over to https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=2.0
There's a bunch of 70-90 year old dudes that have been building masterpiece stocks for 30-50 years. They're incredible and share a lot of helpful tips on...
When I saw this one in an ad awhile back I looked up the changes from the first xbolt and it almost seems they're targeting Tikka with the improvements. Grip, antibind bolt, there was some type of trigger improvement...
I've thought of a way to make a stock detachable without folding. I'm not sure how hard it would be to make.
But it would essentially be a fitting that is sort of a twist lock mechanism installed on the grip. Two metal pieces that fit into each stock piece on the grip and the outside of the...
That's a bit of a bummer. I thought and was hoping it was going to be a flush guard and mag closer to factory protrusion.
I guess it doesn't matter much for me though. My factory guards and mags work fine for my purposes
Here's the 6.5cm VV load data page. They show 140AB but no n160 load for it. There are other 140gr loads with that powder though to give you an idea of where you could start.
OP, I haven't used either of those powders in my Tikka 6.5cm, but I do use 6.5 staball with 147 eldms. It's very very accurate and seems to get good speed around Hornady's book max. N160 isn't that much slower on the chart than 6.5sb, so maybe it would work.
Are you shooting 143eldX or 140/147...
With mine, it did increase the base to shoulder datum measurement by about 0.001 on cases that had reached max size. I think if it's used every reload cycle it won't increase length much at all. Also, there's no need to account for that if using before the FL sizing step
I haven't been on a bison hunt yet and have eaten a limited amount.
However, there's a reason the people in the west 200 years ago said "fat cow" and "poor bull" when referring to what they had to eat