Neck tension, hunting loads?

[justinp61]

I'm working up a load for my Shilen barreled Savage mdl. 11 22-250, this is 8 1/2ish pound a carry around coyote/groundhog rifle. Using Sierra 55gr Game kings and Winchester brass I'm only getting .001-.0015" neck tension, measuring the necks of resized brass and after loading.

I have standard and competition RCBS full length dies along with a Redding neck size die and a Redding bushing neck die with a .246" bushing. With the bushing die the neck tension is .005-.0055" using the same method mentioned above. The other three dies all leave .001-.0015 tension. I ordered a Redding full length bushing size die today and it should be here next week.

So, what do you guys recommend?

Thanks, Justin

 

[Ccrider]

For hunting no way I would be comfortable with .0015 tension. I would go with the .005 or more. I want to be able to pull the round if need be and don’t want to have to worry about how it is going to act as it comes from the magazine to the chamber.

 

[mikecr]

It's a 22-250, with barely a recoil.
Even .0015 will be re-upsized on bullet seating anyway. So there is no reason to go more.
~1thou is reasonable working of the necks, you can develop your load with it, you should do that.
Change bushings

 

[Webster]

I'm working up a load for my Shilen barreled Savage mdl. 11 22-250, this is 8 1/2ish pound a carry around coyote/groundhog rifle. Using Sierra 55gr Game kings and Winchester brass I'm only getting .001-.0015" neck tension, measuring the necks of resized brass and after loading.

I have standard and competition RCBS full length dies along with a Redding neck size die and a Redding bushing neck die with a .246" bushing. With the bushing die the neck tension is .005-.0055" using the same method mentioned above. The other three dies all leave .001-.0015 tension. I ordered a Redding full length bushing size die today and it should be here next week.

So, what do you guys recommend?

Thanks, Justin

Shoot it your the only one that knows.

 

[justinp61]

Shoot it your the only one that knows.

It shoots good. My main concern is that being magazine fed and loading, unloading the bullets will be easily knocked out of the case. The bullets are short and a boat tail so there isn’t much of it in the case.

200 yards.

 

[WVRJ]

Are you measuring the neck diameter after you seat the bullet?I use a .248 or .249 bushing in my 22-250,and it's 2 thousandths of difference between sized brass when the bullet is seated.I can't imagine wanting it any tighter,and that's using a Wilson neck die that doesn't size all of the neck.

 

[D-4297]

^^^^^^^^ What he said . .002 neck interference should be more than enough , as long as you aren't "jamming" hard .

 

[Mad_Charlie]

Can you push the bullet deeper into the case by holding the cartridge in your hand and pushing the bullet against something solid, like the edge of your bench? If not, you're probably just fine. Unless you are jamming into the rifling.

 

[justinp61]

Can you push the bullet deeper into the case by holding the cartridge in your hand and pushing the bullet against something solid, like the edge of your bench? If not, you're probably just fine. Unless you are jamming into the rifling.

Yes.

 

[338 dude]

I'm working up a load for my Shilen barreled Savage mdl. 11 22-250, this is 8 1/2ish pound a carry around coyote/groundhog rifle. Using Sierra 55gr Game kings and Winchester brass I'm only getting .001-.0015" neck tension, measuring the necks of resized brass and after loading.

I have standard and competition RCBS full length dies along with a Redding neck size die and a Redding bushing neck die with a .246" bushing. With the bushing die the neck tension is .005-.0055" using the same method mentioned above. The other three dies all leave .001-.0015 tension. I ordered a Redding full length bushing size die today and it should be here next week.

So, what do you guys recommend?

Thanks, Justin

For hunting rifles I’m trying to go with .004 neck tension

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

My hunting 22-250's are .222 mandrel minus spring back. I have a 0.025 freebore, loaded off the lands, never had a bullet change seating depth. Sig brass is 0.250 loaded. I have used a 0.223 mandrel, didn't see any difference on the target, so I went with the 0.222.

 

[1bamashooter]

I use. 005 in my 300prc and 270stw

 

[Ccrider]

It want matter until it does. What is the benefit of light neck tension in a hunting rifle using a magazine, even if you are not jamming hard into the lands? I would be comfortable with .004 but like I said above, I use .005 or more in my hunting rifles. My guess is that factory loads use much more.

Loading to shoot paper is totally different.

 

[Mad_Charlie]

Yes.

Then I would tighten it up a few thou.

 

[justinp61]

Thanks guys. I'll order a .247" bushing, that should give me .004-.0045".

 

[Edd]

So, what do you guys recommend?

Thanks, Justin

I would size a case with the .246 bushing and measure, seat a bullet in that case and measure, remove the bullet and measure.

 

[jepp2]

The bullets are short and a boat tail so there isn’t much of it in the case.

Neck tension is also impacted by your bullet seating depth. I "used" to think that 1/2 a bullet diameter of seating depth was sufficient (and the boat tail doesn't count). Then one cold morning shooting a 204 Ruger with a hard to ignite powder, the primer went, shoved the bullet into the lands but the powder never lit off.

 

[justinp61]

I would size a case with the .246 bushing and measure, seat a bullet in that case and measure, remove the bullet and measure.

A .246" bushing gives .005-.0055" measuring after resizing and after seating the bullet. I haven't pulled a bullet and measured though.