sizing

[mjbgalt]

does full-length sizing make THAT much difference??

i used to neck-size only but when i found that i couldn't chamber ammo that was fired in one of my guns, in another of my guns, i switched to full-length.

i no longer have two guns in the same caliber but i do still have the full-length dies. i sold the neck sizing dies. i don't see a need to go buy neck sizing dies now unless you guys do.

i reload for .243 and .204 right now and i have worked up loads for both that come in under a half inch if i do my part while shooting.
so neck sizing isn't going to get me much gain in accuracy...is it going to yield a better case life?

and if so, by how much? i doubt it will double...or even be half-again as much...but if it is, i would like to know.

thanks,

-Matt

[jpsmith1]

Back off the full length sizing die about 1/2 to 1 full turn.  You'll need to mess with it a bit to get the die to just touch the shoulder without setting it back.  This is the same as neck-sizing without a special die.  You may get a touch of sizing on the sides of the case, depending on case taper and chamber size.

You really need to fool around with it.  Full length sizing is almost mandatory if you have multiple guns in the same caliber, unless you keep segregated lots of brass.  Try full-length vs. neck vs. partial sizing (bumping the shoulder a bit)

No-one can really predict what your gun will like.

[dw06]

jp is right,I've partial resized for years in my varmit rifles.The cases may last anotherr 2-3 firings and don't stretch as much.If using a hot load and chambering gets difficult you then full lenght size them and are good to go.Some reloaders get washers that fit under the die and I've done that,or back die out a turn and half lube a case run it in and adjust die down do again till you see that neck is sized to where sholder starts.Then I put a couple washers that fit on shell holder and run ram up to put pressure on die and loke die down while under alitte pressure.That takes all the slop out of threads and aligns the die better.

[mjbgalt]

i am shooting a .243 and a .204 at less than max loadings. i load for accuracy, not speed. so i would assume my brass would, on average, last a decent amount of loadings...but is that 3 or 33?

what have your experiences been?

-Matt

[dw06]

When partial sizing I've got up to nine firings out of brass,might get a few more but I don't push it anymore.With full sizing six or seven only because they will be trimed a couple times and a few of the necks start splitting so I toss them all.

[Graybeard]

I prefer neck sizing only for rounds for varmint rifles especially UNLESS you have more than one of same chambering, then it might not work, often won't. I'm not fully convinced it makes that much difference in accuracy but usually saves time and effort as I've never seen the need to lube cases for NS only sizing so I don't have to clean it off.

[jpsmith1]

The majority of my loading has been for handguns, so rifle brass is still a bit of a mystery to me.  I've not shot enough to wear out brass, yet.  What I can tell you, though, is that SOMETIMES, for best accuracy, you need a max, or near max charge.  If you get a load that won't behave, push it and see what happens.

[Don Fischer]

I've tried that partical re-sizing deal and I doesn't work for me. Problem is if you don't bump the shoulder just a bit, couple of firings and the case is to big and won't chamber. Then have to full length size anyway. I just full length size everything. Probally I'm gonna find a real need for partical sizing again and frustrate myself all over again. I seem to do that every couple years or so!

[PaulS]

I neck size only the first 2/3 of the neck on all my bottle-neck cases. I load rounds that give best accuracy with the highest velocity (which takes a back-seat to accuracy) and I NEVER exceed the maximum published loads. I haven't had to "bump" the shoulder back on my cases - ever. I have rounds that I have loaded over 20 times with no sign of failure at all. I run each case through the trimmer each time I reload and I never get more than a rub. Most of my guns are bolt actions but I also shoot 30-30 in the Contender. It is treated the same way the rest of my bottle neck cases are. If you keep pressures below the elastic limit of your shells and the chamber then you won't need to do anything more than neck size. If you push the limits then you have to expect the cases will stretch.

Note: The published maximums are not necessarily within the elastic limits of your brass and your chamber. Case stretch is a great indicator of pressures that are execessive in your gun.

[jgalar]

I use collet dies or neck sizing dies for all rifle rounds except 7.62x39 and 30-30

I like not messing with lube and the brass lasts forever(well almost)

For different guns in the same caliber I seperate the brass and loaded rounds.

[MnMike]

Neck sizing will give you maybe an eigth inch improvement in groups. It also eliminates lubing. Does that matter? That is a matter of opinion.

For me, I use Lee collet (neck sizing) dies on my .223, .220 Swift, and .243 varmit guns, but not on my deer rounds. My deer riflle is a semi auto (best to full length resize) and they don't make a collet die for my Contender 7-30 deer pistol. My other guns are pistol calibers.

JMHO

mike

[sr sawyer]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.  If my groups were under a half inch I would not change anything.  You are obviously doing something right, even if you could get two or three more loadings from your brass unless you shoot a whole bunch it would not be worth the cost to buy more dies.  Besides all that you should not trim brass over three times if you allow it to reach maximum length before each trimming.

[Bullseye]

I neck size only with a neck sizing die.  Cannot give no scientific data to prove this way is better, it is just the way I do it, mainly because all I need to do is dip the case neck in Mica.

One thing I noticed is you said you sold your neck sizing dies.  I have came to the conclusion over the years to never sell reloading dies.  They seem to bring such a small amount of money and it seems that I end up needing it again later.  Heck I bought a S&W 45 Colt last year just because I still had the dies from when I owned a 45 Colt Contender barrel a few years ago.

[Chuck White]

Everything I reload gets full-length resized except my 22 Hornet!

For the Hornet, I partial resize, I set the full-length resizer die down until it bumps the shell holder when the ram is at the top of the stroke! There is no "cam-over" at the end of the stroke!