Too much case lube?

[minnesotamulisha]

I am in the process of FL sizing some 1x fired 6.5x47 brass. I have removed the expander ball and decapping rod as I decap, tumble, size, tumble, load. Overkill to tumble twice, I know.

I noticed that while sizing, some of the necks come out at .288" which is what I am looking for, but other pieces come out at .2865". I tried a few pieces and with the expander ball, my brass is coming out at .289-.2895"

For the life of me, I can't figure out why some are at .2865".

The brass is from two different lots.

I am using the Hornady case wax.

Is too much case wax getting between the die and the neck causing the neck to decrease in size farther than intended? Is there something else I am missing?

Thanks.

 

[Schism]

Perhaps brass from different lots have different hardness. You may need to anneal a batch and see how uniform they are after sizing.

Are all the necks the same size before resizing?

 

[minnesotamulisha]

I've sized them all now so I can't say one way or the other. And I just loaned out my annealer! I guess I will have to fire some of the pieces at .288 and see if there are differences.

 

[Schism]

I don't think it's a coincidence that your brass is from two different lots and sizes consistently to two different sizes. I have a hard time believing too much sizing wax would lead to a sizing difference that is that consistent. Sizes all over the place, perhaps, but consistently measuring the same is where I become skeptical excess wax is the cause. I have been wrong many times before however. Lol

Shoot them up and see how they perform. I would anneal them all before the next reload.

 

[MN50Shooter]

Look at the wall thickness of the necks. Is it possible they are different, and giving different measurement? You didn't mention whether the necks had been turned or not.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

MN50, I do not turn my necks. I will try to.measure them with my calipers, but am skeptical about getting accurate results.

 

[MN50Shooter]

MN50, I do not turn my necks. I will try to.measure them with my calipers, but am skeptical about getting accurate results.

With that info, I would highly suspect the differences you are seeing between lots and wall thickness. I use a tubing micrometer to measure my neck wall thickness. I have to admit, I do turn my necks. But, that is mainly due too have a very tight match chamber/throat on my 50 BMG Rifle.

 

[hogpatrol]

If you don't have a tool to check the neck thickness you could determine it from your loaded round size. Dummy load one of each and check them.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

Thanks hogpatrol, I will try that!

 

[bsekf]

Too much lube will cause dents in the shoulder, can't believe it would cause size difference in neck.

 

[Fotheringill]

Look at the wall thickness of the necks. Is it possible they are different, and giving different measurement? You didn't mention whether the necks had been turned or not.

This would be my first step.

 

[effendude]

Neck wall thickness should make no difference if you are not pulling an expander through the necks. If you are FL sizing without the expander, you are only exerting force on outside of the case. I would guess your brass has some varying stages of springback and annealing would solve the problem.
Scott

 

[Schism]

Neck wall thickness should make no difference if you are not pulling an expander through the necks. If you are FL sizing without the expander, you are only exerting force on outside of the case. I would guess your brass has some varying stages of springback and annealing would solve the problem.
Scott

I share this opinion.

 

[Shaggy357]

I noticed that while sizing, some of the necks come out at .288" which is what I am looking for, but other pieces come out at .2865". I tried a few pieces and with the expander ball, my brass is coming out at .289-.2895"

For the life of me, I can't figure out why some are at .2865".

Sounds like hardness difference as indicated before. Difference in hardness will create difference in amount of spring-back. I did not read all of the threads, but if you are getting better consistency with the expander ball, and the necks are confirmed same thickness, I would polish the expander ball down to where your necks are coming out at the .288 you want. Removing .001 off the expander ball will not take much time and will give you the consistency you are looking for.

 

[ireload2]

There is not any magic. The only thing that it can be is variation in spring back of the brass due to work hardening.

Just anneal all of your brass and it should all behave the same.

 

[shoot4fun]

Excess lube can make dents in the case at or near the body/shoulder junction and can make for inconsistent shoulder set back during FL sizing. It isn't as likely to cause difference in neck diameter.
You are not neck-turning but not using the expander button. Why? Cases necks are never perfect on any brass and I always want any neck wall differences pushed to the outside where they won't affect neck tension. If you don't like the "drag" pulling the neck back over the ball then get some Imperial Dry Lube. It won't contaminate powder and tends to (My experience) remove some of those pesky unexplainable fliers. Another way (Redding dies) is to by the carbide expander button kit.
Your discrepancies on necks, again my opinion, are from the two different lots of brass. These days I'm seeing quite a bit of difference in Lapua neck wall thickness even inside the same box.