Reloading ? -neck turning/primer removal...

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cath8r

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Hey guys. I'm going to get back into reloading. I sold all my old stuff and am going to pick up a starter kit to get going again. The ammo is going to go to the same gun. A .17 Rem and a .243 Win. If I get my emptys from factory rounds can I skip the full length resizing and just neck turn?
I've read that this will extend case life and be more accurate if used in the rifle that fired it the first time.
Also, If I skip the full length sizing, how can I get the primers out? Do they make primer removing die or tool?
Sorry if I'm not using the right terms, I'm kinda new at this.
Later, Rob.
 
Hey,

I think you will find a lot of different opinions on whether or not full length sizing is necessary. I have read from sources that it does not significantly increase case life, and I have read that it does. One of my old threads got a lot of good feedback if you want to look it up.

I FL size all my cartridges for now, but I also just started. If I change my mind, I also have a collet neck sizing die which only sizes the neck and this also has a decapping pin for the primer removal.

I think there is a way to only size the necks in a full length sizing die by smoking the cartridges, which allows you to remove the primer and neck size only, but I haven't ever done this.

Cheers
 
cath8r said:
Hey guys. I'm going to get back into reloading......., I'm kinda new at this.
Later, Rob.
Click to expand...

Did you sell your reloading manuals too?;)

You can do a "partial full-length" resize with a full-length die by backing the die out somewhat. "Smoking" the case colors it so you can see the progress you are making with the die. Idealy, you want to size as much of the neck as you can without touching the shoulder.

Or you can buy a $25.00 neck-size die......
 
I never used manuals. The shop I bought the gun (a tikka 595 in 22-250 I should never have sold) sold me the equipment and told me an accuracy load to use (55gr. Vmax, 34.7gr IMR 4064 I think) and thats all I used. Shot great and was cheaper and more accurate than factory.
I saw online a hand neck turning tool for $72.00 or so. The .17 and .243 pieces were a few bucks each. Again, sorry I'm not coming up with the right terms. I feel like a tool.
 
I never used manuals.
Click to expand...

Ah-HAH! Well THERE is a good place to start on your endeavour. You will need one anyway, and they all have at least the basics and usually more of what you need to get into reloading properly.

Buy one.

Read it.

I bet the first thing you learn is neck-turning is not a high-priority item when it comes to reloading.......;)
 
I think there is a consensus that neck turning provides minimum advantage compared to the effort required when the ammo is being shot in a factory chamber.

If I am loading for a big game rifle, I full length resize and seat my bullets deep enough in the cartridge to ensure that the rounds feed from the magazine and cycle through the action without a hitch. Conversely, when target shooting or varminting I most often resize the case with minimum set back to the shoulder, and seat the bullet long enough that very often the rounds have to be single loaded.

You can de-cap the cartridges in one of two ways. The most common approach is to de-cap in the same operation as you resize, be it full length sizing or neck resizing. A decapping pin extends below the expander ball or from a stem if you use a bushing style resizer. The second approach is to use a universal decapper so that the primer pockets are decapped and can be cleaned prior to resizing.

My preference with accuracy ammunition is to neck size with a bushing style die, yes I decap in the sizing operation, then use a body die to set the shoulder back the minimum amount to allow easy chambering of the cartridge. This can be achieved with varying degrees of success with a full length sizer partially resizing the brass, but IMHO it is less precise and results in only a portion of the neck being resized. This is a minor sin though as most people believe that the neck only needs to be resized to one caliber length of the bullet.

Edited to add . . .

Don't get a manual, get several and keep them current.
 
I think, as joe-nwt was pointing out, it is important to read a little about reloading. You will find out things like that neck turning is shaving the thickness of the brass at the neck of the case and neck sizing is sizing the neck down to hold a bullet. If you don't want to spend money on manuals, do some reading online, its all here.
 
Yeah, I think your getting confused by neck turning vs neck sizing, neck sizing is just sizing the neck, preferably in a neck sizing die, it is usually not necessary to lube cases when neck sizing and works best when the ammo goes back into the same chamber it came out of.
As mentioned neck turning is more involved and usually done by the accuracy crowd to improve concentricity. Some chambers are cut tight intentionally, and these require neck turning or the round won't chamber. I'm not as sold on neck turning if the chamber isn't cut intentionally for neck turning.
I'd suggest you forget the neck turning for now and get yourself the Redding deluxe die sets as they include both neck sizer and full length sizer, as well as bullet seater.......Ben
 
You're right. Boomers info is good. For me, where the neck turning process becomes applicable is first, as a touch for uniformity and concentricity for 'paper punching' loads. More often though it is part of the procedure I may use in forming brass from 30-30 to 219 Donaldson Wasp.
 
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