Neck size die ?
- Thread starter BigBraz15
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I think the "partial neck sizing" and the "neck sizing" presupposes some consistency in neck wall thickness- within one round and round to round. Back in the Day, I had a hand operated neck trimmer - worked away at some 338 Win Mag R-P brass to get the necks even - and with my store-bought Winchester rifle, I could not show any difference on targets over my other loads. So, I gave up on "peeling" neck walls for that rifle. It might have made me "feel good" - but I could not show any difference on target.
Mostly today I focus on slick chambering for my hunting rounds - there does occur occasions where a follow-up shot is wanted "right now" - that is not a time to find out that I was too "cute" with that round.
At the time, I read that most brands of ordinary dies scrunch the necks to be too small - by pressing on the outside of the case neck wall - then the "expander ball" opens up that neck hole (from the inside) to proper size to seat that bullet - regardless of neck wall thickness. All the holes should be the same size. I even read of one fellow who would size his necks, without the expander installed, then re-install the expander and open those necks by inserting the expander INTO the case - he claimed he had much better consistency (less runout) when he did that.
Mostly today I focus on slick chambering for my hunting rounds - there does occur occasions where a follow-up shot is wanted "right now" - that is not a time to find out that I was too "cute" with that round.
At the time, I read that most brands of ordinary dies scrunch the necks to be too small - by pressing on the outside of the case neck wall - then the "expander ball" opens up that neck hole (from the inside) to proper size to seat that bullet - regardless of neck wall thickness. All the holes should be the same size. I even read of one fellow who would size his necks, without the expander installed, then re-install the expander and open those necks by inserting the expander INTO the case - he claimed he had much better consistency (less runout) when he did that.
guntech, it really depends on the cartridge. But it doesn't hurt anything if a bit of the body gets resized, might even help a bit, depending on the case.
My point was simply to point out you do not neck size with a full length sizing die. You partially size the neck and the body. It is not neck sizing unless you are using a neck sizing die.
The only problem I have encountered when partially sizing a case with a full length die is sometimes the case is hard to chamber because the shoulder itself needs to be touched by the die flattening that small bulge that sometimes forms.
That little bit on the shoulder isn't much and just makes things work better all around. The lower portion of the neck, helps keep the case centered in the chamber and keeps the bullet concentric to the bore, which should enhance accuracy.
There was a fellow who used to show up at our club matches with an old 30/40 US Krag.
This was a match for "hunting rifles only." There was some flexibility in that we allowed custom barrels, but they had to be chambered for factory cartridges, and the barrel profiles couldn't be heavier than #3 profile, unless it was something with larger diameter bullets, but you get the idea.
He used to win a couple of turkeys every time he showed up. He reloaded his own ammo and loved the "long necks," because the bullet was held by the neck until it came into contact with the leade. He partially resized the necks to keep everything concentric to the axis of the bore, because he didn't like the "tilt" of the cartridge in the chamber.
Old school tech and it taught many of us a lesson few of us forgot after shooting with him.
Like the one shown in the pic taken by porpoise, and I fully agree with you on that.
Thats if true for a straight walled case. Not for tapered case like 300wm, 30-06, 308, etc.
I already do in 300wm and others. I expect results would depend on chamber dimensions and vary from rifle to rifle.
