neck size only ?

[6Creed73]

Because eventually you’re going to get tight cases that can mentally or physically affect your performance
Tight cases often shoot fast so there goes your vertical and if your feeling a tight bolt close suddenly your thinking of that and worries affect results.
I’ve never noticed an improvement in ES with neck sizing.

In fact I found improvement in vertical sizing the entire case for my ELR stuff

As far as the lazy part nothing is as simple and fast as running a case through a Lee collet brush neck, One pass in press with absolutely no lube and your ready for primer, powder and bullet.

I get what you are saying, which is why I limit neck sizing to only two firings. Ultimately, people need to do what works best for them and their rifle.

I have to lube regardless, because I don't simply run it through the neck die, and I have no experience with the Lee die. I run it through a Forster neck bushing die to size the neck and bump the shoulder, then I run the case through a neck expander mandrel die. I dip the neck in dry lube, knock off excess powder with a pencil or something before running it through the mandrel.

When I give advice to friends just starting out I tell them the mandrel expander is a must, imo, for consistent neck tension. It pushes the inconsistencies to the outside of the case and doesn't risk messing with the shoulder bump like an expander ball can.

I only go through this trouble for precision rifle. My gas guns get an Rcbs short base full length sizing and done.

 

[Mark611]

OK, anybody else have an opinion on this, JMO, my shell holders are pretty tight in my presses,

 

[6Creed73]

Bill N , what do you think about allowing your shell holder to free float to align the brass with the die?

This is one reason I like bushing dies. The bushing has a bit of float if it's installed correctly.

 

[Bill Norris]

This is one reason I like bushing dies. The bushing has a bit of float if it's installed correctly.

Yea, I always leave a portion of the neck un-sized so the bushing is not locked down solid in any of my dies.

 

[Murray Brook]

What I meant by slack in the shell holder is the case in the holder. My holders are also tight in my press.

 

[Mark611]

I have 1 of my presses set up this way but, I have not really use it to load ammo with,

 

[Bill Norris]

I have 1 of my presses set up this way but, I have not really use it to load ammo with,

Please let us know your findings once you use it.

 

[Mark611]

MURRAY, I get that, I set one press up using an O-ring to keep the shell holder from falling out, i'm going to load a few rounds tomorrow so I see what happens!

 

[SKWERLZ]

I get what you are saying, which is why I limit neck sizing to only two firings. Ultimately, people need to do what works best for them and their rifle.

I have to lube regardless, because I don't simply run it through the neck die, and I have no experience with the Lee die. I run it through a Forster neck bushing die to size the neck and bump the shoulder, then I run the case through a neck expander mandrel die. I dip the neck in dry lube, knock off excess powder with a pencil or something before running it through the mandrel.

When I give advice to friends just starting out I tell them the mandrel expander is a must, imo, for consistent neck tension. It pushes the inconsistencies to the outside of the case and doesn't risk messing with the shoulder bump like an expander ball can.

I only go through this trouble for precision rifle. My gas guns get an Rcbs short base full length sizing and done.

Two is a safe compromise, I found 3-4 was as far as you could go and not get issues if you’re running reasonable pressures.

 

[Bill Clifton]

Bill, what the hell ya mean old days, lol;-). Lol, I recall searching all over kingdom come for neck dies for some of the odd balls I had. I even threw out some pretty heavy coin for custom neck dies.
A few short years i find it interesting what we as a group have learned.
I will admit to still using a neck die on some orphan project guns. A standard size die or body die may size to much of a sloppy/generous chamber is involved.

I maybe I shouldn't say old days it makes many of us seem old and guess in a way it does seem like just a short lifetime ago but I don't think I've used a neck sizing die since the early 80s. Even before knowledge of bushing dies trickled out in the sticks where I grew up I had started at least using full sizing dies even though would mostly just have them where they were just bumping the shoulder back slightly.

You are right it's crazy the knowledge that has started really spreading rapidly since the internet and especially the past ten years. As I mentioned it was probably the 1990s before I knew of bushing dies and the benchrest crowd had probably been using them for a couple decades.

 

[Martin52]

One can equal the case alignment issue with only sizing a portion of the neck which will allow the un-sized portion to align the case with the chamber as well. A bushing die would be required.

I agree, that's where the Wilson inline neck bushing die comes in, sizing only part of the neck. I do this after body sizing in an appropriate body die or in a FL bushing die without a bushing.

 

[Turpentine]

expedience: no lube to futz with. wipe neck, size, and go.

Yep. It's quick and easy. I'd love to have a run out gauge just to know which gave me better run out. I'll bump shoulders with a Redding body die pretty much every time. I'll anneal and tumble/polish/trim about every other firing. Even though I don't compete I shoot long distance and I want my cases to be as uniform and similar as possible.

 

[chop house]

Keep it up long enough, and you'll get one stuck.

in the collet die or in the chamber? hahahaha

 

[6Creed73]

in the collet die or in the chamber? hahahaha

I've never gotten one stuck in a chamber before, but I have gotten a case stuck in a $150 body die

Hard lesson learned!

 

[chop house]

I've never gotten one stuck in a chamber before, but I have gotten a case stuck in a $150 body die

Hard lesson learned!

yikes. yet another reason to size, then mandrel i.d. in a second step. the other? i found on the issue of runout that i get better results pushing on the neck with a tapered mandrel rather than pulling on the neck with a button.

 

[6Creed73]

yikes. yet another reason to size, then mandrel i.d. in a second step. the other? i found on the issue of runout that i get better results pushing on the neck with a tapered mandrel rather than pulling on the neck with a button.

Agree 100%. I switched to using a mandrel die a few years ago and never looked back.

 

[Homerange]

Keep it up long enough, and you'll get one stuck.

In 2 decades not one has.
What are you doing different ?

 

[Mark611]

Alright my little test using a free floating shell holder, I will say I cannot draw any conclusions as of yet, reason being, The Lapua brass I used is 1x fired, and was fired from another rifle I had yrs ago, IMO that brass is not fully formed, it needs to be fired a few more times in my match chambered rig before I try to try my test again, my body die is set up for my match chambered rifle, also I did not notice any change in my runout on my collet die, it's still 1k or less every time, the brass has been cleaned and annealed, I ran 10 cases from the same case weight batch, I will post another thread once I get my brass in the order I want it in,

 

[Liven The Dream]

I shoot F-class matches at 300 yds. I am just looking at getting better accuracy

Look up Speedy's Post on neck sizing.
Or talk to F/Class Shooters ?

 

[dcali]

In 2 decades not one has.
What are you doing different ?

Interesting. I was doing it for a bit a long time ago with my .30 BR. Maybe it has to do with the chamber clearances or pressure. But it can definitely happen.