Why FL resize?

[JFrank]

Neck sizing use to be popular with guys like Sam Wilson, not so much these days, while die manufactures like LeWilson still produce NS dies they’ve also gotten the memo that reloaders don’t want to move brass any further than necessary.
Their full length bushing type dies are quite nice in this regard .

 

[ballisticdaddy]

Because I like a bolt that can be worked easily and without ever having to come off the gun to pound the handle up and or down.

 

[Leo_B]

Because clickers suck and you eventually get ES issues as well.
I’m a recovering neck sizer who finally saw the light.

It sure is nice to just run brass through a Lee collet and be ready for primer, powder and bullet.
No lube as well.

But eventually it bites you.

How is it no lube?

 

[ELR LVR]

How is it no lube?

Any time you are sizing brass that is straight walled, no lube is needed
Such as pistol cases in carbide dies
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with a rifle, the only part that remains straight walled is the neck
So no lube needed
since the body portion doesnt even touch the die
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With a Collet neck die, even less so, since the collet squeezes only upon the last portion of travel with the sizing ram, then relaxes back open, no longer touching the case once neck sized

 

[ELR LVR]

View attachment 1707505Neck sizing use to be popular with guys like Sam Wilson, not so much these days, while die manufactures like LeWilson still produce NS dies they’ve also have gotten the memo that reloaders don’t want to move brass any further than necessary.
Their full length bushing type dies are quite nice in this regard .

Cool old time picture with Unertl's and that far side action ???
That looks like one big sleeve

 

[wright brothers]

What is Lees' response?

 

[Rob01]

Even with an FL Die (standard or bushing), it does not mean you need to go crazy with it and bump the shoulder down a mile. I bump until I can close the bolt with no resistance and maybe a half thou more, which for me is about 0.002" total from fired.

I bump mine .001” so not to work it too much and still be reliable. .002 is still a safe space too.

 

[BoydAllen]

A lot of shooters only have experience with FL dies that make their cases crooked and shorten their lives. Their opinions on neck vs. Fl are based on this experience. On the other hand many of us have dies that hardly move the brass when FL sizing, that we set to bump shoulders .002 or less. Our experience are quite different, as are our opinions. When someone asks this question, he is likely to be part of the first group, and may not be interested in joining the second, based on expense and the number of variables that need to be understood. In any case, giving more details will result in better answers that are more suited to the situation of a particular shooter.

 

[Leo_B]

I'm in the third group, the guy just studying and learning and trying to know enough to actually start reloading. Plus I've got to shoot enough of my own ammo to have the once fired brass to load. And I'm of group three that's read just enough to not know anything but learned in reading that neck sizing prolongs case life and lets them be used for more cycles than FL sizing. And I don't know enough yet to know more details to give.

 

[Rob01]

I'm in the third group, the guy just studying and learning and trying to know enough to actually start reloading. Plus I've got to shoot enough of my own ammo to have the once fired brass to load. And I'm of group three that's read just enough to not know anything but learned in reading that neck sizing prolongs case life and lets them be used for more cycles than FL sizing. And I don't know enough yet to know more details to give.

That’s bs. Maybe if someone doesn’t know how to size and is bumping shoulders back .007 you will overwork brass and get case head separations but done right you will burn out a barrel before your brass goes bad.

 

[Leo_B]

That may or may not be, as I don't know how long a steel barrel lasts vs. a brass case, but I'm going by what I've read so far and there's a fairly large camp that goes with the longer lasting brass stance. And a fairly large camp in the FL every time option. So more studying and researching.

 

[Shifty6br]

I guess at the end of the day this particular aspect of brass prep there is no real right or wrong, mostly personal preference.

Just.my personal xp.
I used to neck size only way back when I first started handloading.

Every third or so firing I would have to chamber check my brass because we all know each piece of brass moves differently than the next while one may still be under the other may not.

I did not find any measurable difference in accuracy neck sizing only vs fl resizing whatsoever.

At some point, I eventually could not find any benefit in neck sizing only, I was getting tired of having to check each piece of brass, having hard stiff bolt close and having the occasional loaded round that had to be run thru a body die if I didn't comb thru things carefully.

I have brass that has been fired and fl resized so many times I can not possibly remember how many. No issue no problem, into the fl die they go rinse and repeat.

Tho now I have added a few steps in my process, mandrel die, decapping die etc..but it's worth it to me, so is fl sizing every time. I can say over time and experience, testing, I am able to produce some very very accurate ammo surpassing anything I have tried in the past. There is no better teacher than experience.

So really n the big picture, nk sizing only comes down to personal preference, it's just one I don't do anymore.

 

[Rob01]

That may or may not be, as I don't know how long a steel barrel lasts vs. a brass case, but I'm going by what I've read so far and there's a fairly large camp that goes with the longer lasting brass stance. And a fairly large camp in the FL every time option. So more studying and researching.

Yeah you don’t know. I do. Trying to give you the info but you would rather search the internet. lol

Honestly brass life is a way over obsessed about thing. Use it until it’s no good then get more. It’s not something that lasts forever but it will probably last longer than you need. How many rounds a year you shoot?

 

[64Rambler]

I bump mine .001” so not to work it too much and still be reliable. .002 is still a safe space too.

I still get a little bolt "feel" at 0.001", about 10 degrees worth.

 

[209jones]

I'll FLS hunting rounds, or any other rounds that I do not want feeding issues with, I would do it for comp rounds as well.
I usually neck new brass the first two times to let the brass fill out to full length before I set up the FLS die on it, and to make sure neck tension is set where I want it, as I'll mandrel it to size.
I usually only neck rounds past 2nd rd for my falling blocks, as they're the ones I put the most rounds thru, but, still FLS at the 4-5rd mark. There were times when I'd use 400-600 rds on a weekend, first 200 load during the week, then another 200 Sat nite, maybe 200 Sunday nite. Had to neck them for the time factor. I even used a Lee handpress doing that, if they were due for FLS, use the RC during the week.
Also have bushing neck only/bump dies, haven't loaded a mass amount with them, but, it's a nice option, seems to work OK, all I have to worry about is case body dia with them.
And you have to remember the lower case and the shoulder do harden with firing and lose elasticity, they want to spring back to fired size, so, somewhere along the line, you have to FLS to take care of those two, annealing won't help with the lower end.

 

[Rob01]

I still get a little bolt "feel" at 0.001", about 10 degrees worth.

I don’t feel anything the way I run the bolt.

 

[64Rambler]

I don’t feel anything the way I run the bolt.

Are you stripping the bolt down to just the lugs? No firing pin, no spring loaded ejector? Click on the "Sizing Brass" video here:

Videos | wheeleraccuracy

www.wheeleraccuracy.com

If you decide to stick with neck sizing, I'd highly recommend chambering each piece of empty brass to make sure it fits and you can close the bolt, even if there is some slight feel to it, before you finish loading it. That way there's no surprises at the range or in the field.

 

[Rob01]

Are you stripping the bolt down to just the lugs? No firing pin, no spring loaded ejector? Click on the "Sizing Brass" video here:

Videos | wheeleraccuracy

www.wheeleraccuracy.com

If you decide to stick with neck sizing, I'd highly recommend chambering each piece of empty brass to make sure it fits and you can close the bolt, even if there is some slight feel to it, before you finish loading it. That way there's no surprises at the range or in the field.

I don’t neck size only.

 

[jimmymac]

That may or may not be, as I don't know how long a steel barrel lasts vs. a brass case, but I'm going by what I've read so far and there's a fairly large camp that goes with the longer lasting brass stance. And a fairly large camp in the FL every time option. So more studying and researching.

You are overthinking this. A good full length sizing die is the best answer. No need to neck size. Get a good bushing die and set it up in the press to provide a proper shoulder bump and you are good to go. Oversized cases suck. Done correctly, the brass will last a long time gun function will always be as smooth as it can be with your particular setup. Paralysis by analysis.

 

[DShortt]

I used to wonder why guys were discussing lug lube and galling on the lugs.
After reading this thread, I now know why.

You all go be you. I'll go be me. And I'll not be spending a second thinking about which lug lube is best.