.264 Win Mag neck sizing - is this far enough?

[Shinbone]

Pretty new to reloading and this is my first time neck sizing. Pictured is a piece of once-fired .264WM brass after running through the Redding neck sizer die on a Forster Co-Ax press. Decapping stem removed, Neck bushing is .290", case neck was lubed with Imperial Sizing Wax. My plan is to fire the brass 3 times, neck sizing each time, and then send three pieces to Harrels to have a full-length die made for this chamber.

You can see how far down the neck the bushing went. Did it go far enough? Looks to me like it needs to go farther down towards the shoulder junction. But, the die body is adjusted so the bottom is just off the top of the shell holder with the ram at the top of the stroke, i.e., made contact to the top of the shell holder, and then backed off about 1/8 of a turn. Don't see how I can size any further down the neck?

 

[nmkid]

I try to size about 1/2 down the neck with my bushing dies. That doesn't always work. Looks to me like you are fine. If you look at your picture there is a rectangle shiny spot toward the case mouth. In the shiny spot, there is a dark spot at about 9 0'clock. That's about how far I end up sizing most of the time too.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

would harrel's make a 264wm die? I thought they only made a few dies and keep different sizes in stock, not really making dies for your cases they just pick the one that sizes it enough. whidden will make one for your case- not sure who else will.

 

[mikecr]

Why would you want to size more length?
How deep does your bullet shank seat?

 

[243winxb]

Measure the head to datum length at each firing. Is it getting longer? Light loads may get shorter.

Hopefully, the bolt closing will produce a crush fit when chambering a neck sized round. This is what i would want..

I think the neck diameter is not as important as the head to datum measurement?

Ask the die maker.

Measure head to datum of fired factory ammo. How does that compare to fired/reloaded brass. The die maker may want this brass instead of reloaded?
Factory ammo runs at 64,000 psi.

 

[Shinbone]

Thanks for everyone's input. Glad to hear that the neck in the photo is sized far enough because I think it would be a PITA to size any farther down considering that the die is already bottomed-out.

Why would you want to size more length?
How deep does your bullet shank seat?

Well, I am not sure what, if any, benefit there is to varying degrees of sizing more or less of the neck. I guess that is part of why I asked the question. Before starting to neck size, I had just assumed that the neck would be sized down to the shoulder junction.

I have not run a seating depth test, yet, so I don't know where the bullet shank will end up being seated.

 

[243winxb]

any, benefit there is to varying degrees of sizing more or less of the neck.

I found sizing 1/2 of the neck in a 243 win factory chamber improves accuracy, as the unsized neck area fully expands to the chamber. This centers the round in the chamber. Redding Type S FL sizing bushing die.

 

[Shinbone]

243winxb - you neck sizing strategy sounds like it should be very effective. How much accuracy gain do you think you get from sizing just half of the neck?

 

[243winxb]

About 1/4" @ 100 yards. It takes 3 or more firings for tne unsized neck area to expand to the chamber.
After many firings, it can be felt when chambering a round.

 

[243winxb]

222 Rem Chamber
"A cross sectioned .222 chamber with a gazillion rounds down the barrel. Normal cleaning and nothing more. Bushing die..You can clearly see where the neck bushing stopped sizing the neck of the brass. "http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/erosion-from-blowback-on-necks.3938810/page-2

 

[Zero333]

You're good.
Now load them and go shoot !

 

[40X Guy]

2/3 to 3/4 of the neck sized will be good which appears to be where you are. Looks like case mouth is belled a bit? Are you deburring outside of case mouth?

Frank

 

[243winxb]

Looks like case mouth is belled a bit

If belled? The cause may be sizing down .008" or more in 1 step with a bushing?
Sizing in 2 steps may be the fix? More testing is needed.

 

[Shinbone]

Looks like case mouth is belled a bit? Are you deburring outside of case mouth?

I noticed that, too. I am deburring the outside and inside of case mouth before neck sizing. Maybe I need to get a little more aggressive with my deburring?

 

[Shinbone]

If belled? The cause may be sizing down .008" or more in 1 step with a bushing?
Sizing in 2 steps may be the fix? More testing is needed.

I am away from my reloading bench and don't recall how big the neck sizing step is. I will check when I get home.

 

[Shinbone]

BTW, thanks for all the great input, everyone. I have learned way more in this thread than I thought possible. I really appreciate the knowledge gain.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You do need to debur a bit more- see that part at the mouth rolled over and kinda ironed in? Factory ammo seems to do that when you go to reload

 

[Bill K]

Agree with Dusty.. Don't know how others chamfer, but I do the outside first, then the inside last and it just seems to work best for me, with the appearance and seating the bullet into place.

 

[Shinbone]

Some more info:

Before neck sizing, the neck's range 0.3005" to 0.3010" in OD. Recall in post#1 that the sizing bushing used was 0.290." So, maybe sizing down the neck by 0.010" in one step is too much?

A small right angle bend at the end of a paperclip dragged along the ID of the case mouth did not feel any kind of burr, but there is the occasional small burr in places at the OD of the mouth.

Not sure where the belled mouth comes from . . .

Neck-sized case on the right, with three other cases before neck sizing (what looks like it may be a crack in the edge of the mouth of the neck-sized case is actually a nick):

 

[40X Guy]

The belled case mouth is from sizing .010 down in one pass. I'd go in .003-.004 increments.... .297, .294 then final to .290-291.. Plus does not hurt to clean the case necks with some Nevr-Dull or very fine 0000 scotchbrite before sizing.

Frank