Thread: FL sizing vs Neck. Opinions

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

not if your primer won't stay in by the 3rd reload


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Then you use the mrs nail polish to stick it in and get another couple of firings!

Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

Then you use the mrs nail polish to stick it in and get another couple of firings!

Nah just bog it up with plastic explosives

Originally Posted by Gibo

Yeah mate all good, have chambered a couple and they feel ok. Still to lazy to get my dies etc sorted. Getting reloaders vouchers (man cash) for xmas so will be early next year

So do we lose brass life if we full length everytime?

Yes is the easy answer. I don't lose sleep over not getting 15 reloads out of my hunting brass though. When you buy brass in 100 piece boxes you'll get 500 or more rounds out of it.

Originally Posted by ebf

shoulder bump 2 thou less than fireformed, then neck size using collet die

i do this every time

don't like the idea of neck, neck, neck then FL - rather have consistent sizing each time...

I'm similar, use a Redding Body Die and Lee Collet, but only body size every 5 fires.

Depends, for ultimate in accuracy ie target work in a bolt gun and long range then neck size. Even if it doesnt produce any better accuracy the brass will last a lot lot longer and given its price these days its worth it. Its also easier to neck size than full and the Lee neck sizer is a lube free job, saves on lube, mess and cleaning.

If you neck size and notice issues after a few reloads you get some issues with a reloaded round then a full size of all of that batch should cure that. Note how many neck sizes before that occured say 4 and then full size every 3.

Originally Posted by steven

Depends, for ultimate in accuracy ie target work in a bolt gun and long range then neck size. Even if it doesnt produce any better accuracy the brass will last a lot lot longer and given its price these days its worth it. Its also easier to neck size than full and the Lee neck sizer is a lube free job, saves on lube, mess and cleaning.

If you neck size and notice issues after a few reloads you get some issues with a reloaded round then a full size of all of that batch should cure that. Note how many neck sizes before that occured say 4 and then full size every 3.

So every fourth reload the brass has been sized completely differently. Wouldnt this cause more issues with inconsistency?

Probably should be a new topic but what do people see first in terms of brass failing and need to be chucked?

My 204 was split necks
308 they will be lost in the scrub before anything else
wsm, have a few now that the fl die isnt quite doing enough so may need to chuck
338 edge is definitely loose primer pockets first

if full lenght not doing enough maybe try anneal as a last resort>?

ok so full lengthing every 4-5 reloads and neck sizing the rest, well theoretically the accuracy can only get better after the FL

Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

So every fourth reload the brass has been sized completely differently. Wouldnt this cause more issues with inconsistency?

Probably should be a new topic but what do people see first in terms of brass failing and need to be chucked?

My 204 was split necks
308 they will be lost in the scrub before anything else
wsm, have a few now that the fl die isnt quite doing enough so may need to chuck
338 edge is definitely loose primer pockets first

the case splitting in half with the hornet

"Wouldnt this cause more issues with inconsistency? " not sure what you are asking here.

This is what I do.

For my 308w I have 400 lapua match grade cases and as I fire them (24 per weekend) I throw them in a 3litre systema box until all my 308w ammo is used up. The top of the box has a paper sheet taped to it and I mark it up as I go along.

I then neck resize it, length size it using the Lee quick trim (every time as it chamfers as well) all at once and that goes into another 3litre systema, I have a wilson 308w chamber gauge and I measure the cases as I do this.

I then prime and load and they go into a 2litre systema (smaller so it fits my ammo safe).

I have not bought a Reading 308w shoulder bump die yet but I will. However Ive not had the need yet and I can always use the club's one if I had to. If I found 1 that was stretched I'd inspect it very carefully and if its not dodgy I'd do them all. For 308w so far I have only ever Lee neck sized the cases but then my load at 45gr 2208 is moderate and the massive Millenium actions dont stretch.

I do the same for the 303british cases but I find after 2 ~4 neck sizes I usually have to full resize (if they go into a No4) but once I see that I do them all. For the Pattern 1914 / no3 there seems to be less signs of stretch so the brass might last a lot longer. So I also have a brass manufacturer per rifle, privy for no 4 target, Winchester for the p14, 1943 for no4 wsra. Each gun has its own colour coded systema box set for its brass.

"308 they will be lost in the scrub before anything else"

have you tried the barnaul ammo?

Originally Posted by scoped

if full lenght not doing enough maybe try anneal as a last resort>?

ok so full lengthing every 4-5 reloads and neck sizing the rest, well theoretically the accuracy can only get better after the FL

To be honest given all the variables like the wind and especially if on a sling (ie me) I am hard pushed to say there is much of a difference between neck and fl. I neck size because the brass will last a lot longer and at $1+ a pop its worth it (and the 303brit is $1.46 each for brass!)

Originally Posted by steven

To be honest given all the variables like the wind and especially if on a sling (ie me) I am hard pushed to say there is much of a difference between neck and fl. I neck size because the brass will last a lot longer and at $1+ a pop its worth it (and the 303brit is $1.46 each for brass!)

Same but i'm new to reloading. Couldnt notice any change.

I think a lot of calibers are quite forgiving when it comes to reloading the most challenging one ive come across so far would be the 22 hornet

Steven, what perazzi is talking about re inconsistencies is that you WILL have different shoulder dimensions after FL die, and possibly different neck dimensions because of variations between your FL and neck dies.

The "working the brass" part that some guys are concerned about is due to the expander ball in a traditional style decapping pin. If you bump the shoulder with a body die (it does nothing to the neck), and then size the neck with a collet style die, you do the least amount of work in terms of forcing the neck open and closed. So to me there are twin benefits, absolute case dimension consistency as well as longer lasting brass...

Many ways to skin a cat, but this works for me and makes sense.

Originally Posted by steven

"Wouldnt this cause more issues with inconsistency? " not sure what you are asking here.

yeah but you're 3 loads that are only neck sized are likely going to have a different neck tension/concentricity/internal capacity than the one you FL size... All of this could result in a slight difference to POI could it not.

Edit: yeah that is what i'm getting at @ebf. If we are searching for overall consistency every shot we should be doing the same process every shot i reckon. Like if i was going to anneal i would see sense in doing it every firing rather than every 3rd firing or whatever.