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Neck Tension Issue

Hello, I'm pretty new to reloading. I've gone through loading my first 100 rounds no problem(all new brass), but once I had to start resizing fired brass I've run into an issue. It would seem that my necks aren't getting resized enough or possibly at all. I'm using the basic hornady dies for 6.5cm and I adjusted the FL die to bump the shoulder. My OD on my fired and resized brass is around .2945-.2950. My OD on my loaded rounds with new brass is only .289-.29. are my necks not getting sized down due to only shoulder bumping? Should I just FL size instead or do I need a different type of die?(bushing die maybe). I want minimal neck tension, but this is obviously way too little. Chambered one round to see if the bullet was getting moved around during the chambering process(just going up the ramp, my OAL is set so the bullets are off the lands by .4mm so I'm not worried about the barrel pushing them back). Upon removal of the round I learned why I should point the rifle up when loading a loose round. I'd like to have enough neck tension to never worry about a bullet detaching from the case if it's removed(this is a target/hunting rifle).

Thank you
 
I completely removed my expander and the neck isn't affected after running the brass back through. And no this is not a bushing die. Just the regular old cheap hornady dies. If it will allow me to bump shoulder and create the correct neck diameter than I'd be happy to switch to the hornady match die with bushings.
 
I'm using the basic hornady dies for 6.5cm

With this information, I would say you do not have bushing dies.

You need to try and determine the ID of the neck portion of your sizing die. Ways I do this:

- use a pin gage if you have them
- size a case with the expander removed, and measure the OD of the case neck
- I have used pure lead and "pressed it through the die neck, kind of like when you slug a barrel

It is always good to know the diameter of your fired cases, the diameter of the loaded necks, and the diameter of the case necks after sizing.
 
new to reloading
Follow Hornady instructions.

To adjust the full-length size die, follow these steps:
1. Raise the press ram to highest position without camming over.
2. Thread the full-length die into the press until the base touches the
shell holder head.
3. Tighten the lock ring against the press and tighten the set screw with
the allen wrench.
 
It takes me 2 steps to resize brass.
1) Use full length die, with no expander ball and only size to the shoulder bump desired. I use a bushing die, without a bushing in it.
2) Size the neck with a Lee Collet neck die.
I get very consistent neck tension with this method.
 
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Alright this is embarrassing but I guess I didn't have the FL die setup correctly. It was backed off way too far it wasn't doing anything to any of the brass. Once I readjusted the FL die to give just a tiny amount of friction when closing the bolt(w/o firing pin) my necks are all exactly .2875 which is basically perfect. So the die is working perfectly. It was just idiot error on my end lol. I started with 100 brass and so far I've lost 2 to user error so hopefully by the time I kill all this brass I'll have everything figured out lol.
 
OMG, that's bad advice!!
Not for a "new reloader".
Alright this is embarrassing but I guess I didn't have the FL die setup correctly. It was backed off way too far it wasn't doing anything to any of the brass. Once I readjusted the FL die to give just a tiny amount of friction when closing the bolt(w/o firing pin) my necks are all exactly .2875 which is basically perfect. So the die is working perfectly. It was just idiot error on my end lol.
:rolleyes:
 
I don’t know if you have a tool to determine how much you are bumping the shoulder back, but, it is kind of a must have. Hornady makes one, as do others. It is important to bump enough, and yet, not too much. Glad you figured out the first issue. Lots to learn and this is a great place to do so.
 
Hormady also makes a neck only die caliber specific, not cartridge. Sized necks measures same as my redding type s with .288 bushing.
 
I don’t know if you have a tool to determine how much you are bumping the shoulder back, but, it is kind of a must have. Hornady makes one, as do others. It is important to bump enough, and yet, not too much. Glad you figured out the first issue. Lots to learn and this is a great place to do so.
From what I understand, bumping too little = hard to chamber and bumping too much = unnecessary working of brass. I physically checked the chamber fit so that's spot on, and if I'm slightly overworking the brass I don't really care too much. Is there something else I don't know about? Thanks
 
From what I understand, bumping too little = hard to chamber and bumping too much = unnecessary working of brass. I physically checked the chamber fit so that's spot on, and if I'm slightly overworking the brass I don't really care too much. Is there something else I don't know about? Thanks

Its just nice to know exactly where you are at with numbers so that you can keep track and return to them in the future. You may not realize it yet at this point but its important to keep track, its the only way to improve without just stumbling blindly in the dark. I still wonder why I put it off for so long myself.

The hornady tools are extremely useful https://shop.brownells.com/reloadin...MIo_XH-NqC2gIViUNpCh18pwEyEAQYAyABEgJqZfD_BwE

l_749005148_2.jpg
1485625_1212131212_is


And then a bullet comparator lets you measure where the bullet actually engaes the lands rather than where the tips get squeezed together at the end of the bullet where variance is very much present. On the shoulder of the bullet not so much. https://www.brownells.com/reloading.../lock-n-load-comparator-insert-prod32794.aspx

upload_2018-3-23_10-4-31.jpeg
bullet-comparator01.jpg
 
Not for a "new reloader".

:rolleyes:

"New reloader" is on this fourm....he is simply a question away from the correct answer from some of the best on the planet...unless of course the fourm police yell at him and tell him to quit wasting our time and use the search engine and scare him away!! :D

I still don't know why that bugs people so much.

Tod
 
I have all of the specialized tools...but for me it is easier to simply strip the bolt, start long and work my way shorter till I get what i want.

I then lock the die up tighter than hell and throw away the "key" ,,,that setting will be good for the life of that tube!

....unless you have more than one gun to reload for with the same chamber. In my case I have been lucky.....all of my chambers are done by the same smith with my reamers to the same tollerences and I am able to use the same die setting. Otherwise I would rather just buy another FL or bump die for the second chamber instead of adjusting the die each time.

Good luck,
Tod

PS...I still haven't figured out how you "screw up" a piece of brass.
 
Alright this is embarrassing but I guess I didn't have the FL die setup correctly. It was backed off way too far it wasn't doing anything to any of the brass. Once I readjusted the FL die to give just a tiny amount of friction when closing the bolt(w/o firing pin) my necks are all exactly .2875 which is basically perfect. So the die is working perfectly. It was just idiot error on my end lol. I started with 100 brass and so far I've lost 2 to user error so hopefully by the time I kill all this brass I'll have everything figured out lol.

It seems I do that more often these days. I prefer to call it an I.D. ten T error (ID10T)
 
Hello, I'm pretty new to reloading. I've gone through loading my first 100 rounds no problem(all new brass), but once I had to start resizing fired brass I've run into an issue. It would seem that my necks aren't getting resized enough or possibly at all. I'm using the basic hornady dies for 6.5cm and I adjusted the FL die to bump the shoulder. My OD on my fired and resized brass is around .2945-.2950. My OD on my loaded rounds with new brass is only .289-.29. are my necks not getting sized down due to only shoulder bumping? Should I just FL size instead or do I need a different type of die?(bushing die maybe). I want minimal neck tension, but this is obviously way too little. Chambered one round to see if the bullet was getting moved around during the chambering process(just going up the ramp, my OAL is set so the bullets are off the lands by .4mm so I'm not worried about the barrel pushing them back). Upon removal of the round I learned why I should point the rifle up when loading a loose round. I'd like to have enough neck tension to never worry about a bullet detaching from the case if it's removed(this is a target/hunting rifle).

Thank you
Cmat1120
Sir, if I may step in' don't take your FL sizer apart use it for what it is made for and for a bolt gun use it only when the cases start getting too snug to chamber smoothly. For neck tension I've had good luck with a Forster benchrest neck sizer die.
Example- my 308 measures .308
Case wall measures .013.5 x 2 is .027 total is .335
After next sizing my brass OD is .333 that results in .002 neck tension.
Shoulder bump or neck bumping is best done with bump back bushing dies. There are several knowledgeable reloaders on this forum who could expand on that. I have not used or required one YET.
SPJ
 

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