Neck sizing.

[billjoe]

It's kind of embarrassing to ask this, but how do you expel the primers if you only neck size?  I have to full length size to get the primers out.  Or am I missing something here?

A lot of people neck size only and I'd like to try that with my bottleneck cartridges.

bj

[mugs]

bj
Back your full length die off to only size a portion of the neck. If the decaping pin doesn't reach the primer, screw the decaping pin in deeper.
Mugs

[Curtis]

I believe you can adjust the decapping pin into your neck-only die far enough.  I say "believe" because even though I neck size some I always decap in a separate operation before tumbling (I guess because I like cleaning the media out of the primer pockets afterward LOL).  Also I am only familiar with RCBS dies.  Others may vary.  If you are using a full length die to partial size, mugs got it right in the post above.

Curtis

[Elwood]

Hey Billjoe
Good Question.  All of your bottlenecked cases are tapered, for a example the 30-06 is .470" at the web. At the beginning of the taper it is .441". It is only the last 1/8" or so of thrust into the die that fully resizes the body of a bottleneck cartridge. The neck portion is cylindrical, if the die is adjusted so that the shellholder stops short of touching the die the neck will be resized almost completely but the body is resized very little. A better solution is to buy a neck sizing die but most of us never get around to doing it so,we back the full length resizing die out.    
   So you see that extra 1/16"-1/8" is all that you'll need to adjust your decapping pin to compensate for.

Elwood

[T.J. McSuds]

I use a Lee Universal decapping die. About $6 at Midway.

[billjoe]

Thanks for the reply guys.  Elwood, I didn't realize there was such a small adjustment necessary to change the die over.  Great explanation.

bj

[xphunter]

After several firings (4-5) you may want to full length resize and slightly push the shoulder back.  In fact I want to bump the shoulder ever so slightly each time I load.  This is preference on my part, but a practice I use on both break-open and bolt SP's with good success in terms of accuracy.

[sgtt]

I am of the opinion that if you are using your FL sizer to partial size, the shoulder moves forward more from that, than from firing.  I, when doing this, always maintain the shoulder datum.  That is to say that the sizer die "bumps" the shoulder back to its position after the first firing.  What I am trying to say is that the sizer die pushing the sides of the case in causes the brass to flow forward, ever so slightly.  Imagine pushing in on the sides of a balloon.  I use either Stoney Point or RCBS equipment to measure the shoulder datum.  To the original question, I do use a universal decapping die as I normally have the expander ball as high in the sizing die as is possible.  I believe it allows for less run out.

[Steve P]

My neck sizing dies have decaping pins.

Steve  

[sgtt]

I would surmise most do.  I like to have all of the expander balls high up in the die.  I think it is even more important with neck sizers.  Doing this does not allow the decapping pin to decap.

[Curtis]

I would surmise most do. I like to have all of the expander balls high up in the die. I think it is even more important with neck sizers. Doing this does not allow the decapping pin to decap.

This interests me.  Have you measured neck runout with a dial indicator to see what improvement there is with the expander ball adjusted high instead of down low?  Are certain calibers or brands of brass more prone to neck runout than others?

Since I decap in a separate operation anyhow, this would not slow me down any.  I don't have a dial indicator or I would perform some tests myself.

Thanks,
Curtis

[Hopalong7]

I switched to the Lee Collet die for decapping and neck sizing.  So far I've tried .22Hornet, .222Rem, and 25-06Rem. It decaps like the universal die(no expander) and neck sizes by squeezing the neck around a mandrel...no pushing or pulling on the case itself.  There is the added advantage of no need of lubrication(a big plus in my book).  I don't have a tool to measure run-out, so I can't report on that, but my Hornet and triple duce are shootin' their best groups ever.  I just started shooting the 25-06, so I don't have a comparision there, but accuracy has been very good.  When previously loading the Hornet, I indexed my brass in the sizing die, seating die, and in the chamber.  When I switched to the Collet die, I purposely did not index at all,  and still the resulting accuracy was noticeably better.  This method is still new to me, but so far, I'm a happy camper      GOOD SHOOTIN'  Walt