Help with necking down to 20 practical

[Craiger5658]

Gentlemen,
Got a problem here: I'm necking down some Lapua .223 cases to 20 Practical and using a mid-jump down to .235" first. But when I do this, I end up with a stepped neck because I'm not sizing all the way down to the bottom of the neck. I'm about .080" short. I'm using a Redding Type S bushing neck sizer die and have the plug screwed all the way down. The shellholder is tight to the bottom of the die. So I'm not sure why I can't get the case all the way up into the die to resize the neck all the way. My only solution is to grind off some of the bottom of the die itself to allow the shellholder to push the case all the way in. But that kind of seems like the Neanderthal approach. But it does give me an excuse to use the new grinder.

Help?

Craig

 

[CatShooter]

Gentlemen,
Got a problem here: I'm necking down some Lapua .223 cases to 20 Practical and using a mid-jump down to .235" first. But when I do this, I end up with a stepped neck because I'm not sizing all the way down to the bottom of the neck. I'm about .080" short. I'm using a Redding Type S bushing neck sizer die and have the plug screwed all the way down. The shellholder is tight to the bottom of the die. So I'm not sure why I can't get the case all the way up into the die to resize the neck all the way. My only solution is to grind off some of the bottom of the die itself to allow the shellholder to push the case all the way in. But that kind of seems like the Neanderthal approach. But it does give me an excuse to use the new grinder.

Help?

Craig

Don't worry... be happy

It is called a false shoulder, and it will help insure that the cases form with minimum stretch when first fired.

Just finish forming them, load them, and shoot them.

 

[Craiger5658]

Catshooter,
Cool, I just went out and tried it. I seated a .204 bullet into my two tiered neck 20P and it wouldn't chamber in the gun. It was pretty close, but when I hammered the bolt handle, in she went. And came out without the stepped neck. All's well that end's well, but this hardly seems like the way to go? Or am I still doing something wrong?

Craig

 

[RLP]

Craig, I use a .233 and a .225 or .226 bushing and leave the bushing float a little and have had no trouble with chambering. Mine never go all the way to the neck, you might try working up a dummy round and check if it chambers. You may want to your loaded neck size as well , Lapua brass is too thick for my chambers. I have to use winchester or mil brass to get any neck clearance. The false shoulder shouldn't be a problem but the tight neck will cause you grief , especially in an AR.

Bob

 

[Craiger5658]

Just got a PacNor barrel installed on my Rem 700, so at least I don't have the AR problems. If I allow the bushing to float, it sizes the neck even less......still stumped here.

 

[CatShooter]

Catshooter,
Cool, I just went out and tried it. I seated a .204 bullet into my two tiered neck 20P and it wouldn't chamber in the gun. It was pretty close, but when I hammered the bolt handle, in she went. And came out without the stepped neck. All's well that end's well, but this hardly seems like the way to go? Or am I still doing something wrong?

Craig

The first firing of all wildcats, including Ackleys, is often "awkward"... but that tightness insures that your case is a fulll fit to the chamber.

My 20 Tac cases (also Lapua) are a veeeery tight fit for the first firing - but I fire form them while I am working up loads.

They come out fine.

P.S... no need to let the bushing float.

 

[RLP]

A floating bushing helps with concentricity after fire forming for me but in my AR the Lapua brass was too thick.

Bob

 

[Craiger5658]

Ok, thanks to all for the assistance!

 

[greg8012]

I bought fL dies from 4D tool and die and they work perfect I also bought a 20 cal throat reamer from PTG to seat the bullet out a little further and it works perfect.. dies are 75 dollars. Just ask for the 20-223 dies greg