neck sizing - not for hunting rounds ?

MudChucker

MudChucker

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as you read this keep in mind Ive only been reloading now for about 3 months and Ive only reloaded about 400 rounds...

why does the lee site info for nick sizing dies say that neck sized rounds are not for hunting rounds ? I dont "crimp" my 30-06 rounds with my RCBS dies as it is ...do I ?

so why does it matter if the round is neck sized vs full length , and why does it matter if Ive not used a crimp ?

from, www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/dies-collet.html

This set is designed for assembling the most accurate ammunition, but is not recommended for hunting rounds as the case is neck sized only and the bullet is not crimped in case.
 
very very rarely do i do a full length resize of any of round that has been previously fired in the rifle i reloading for .

used brass from a unkown rifle may get a full length resize if a neck sized round is tight when chambering it .

i normally only resize 2/3's to 3/4's of the neck .

i also cycle every reloaded round intended for hunting through the rifle being used at the time , just in case there is one or 2 that might be a bit tight .

the only time i might consider crimping the neck is when the ammo is for a semi auto , a lever action with a tube magazine , or something really big firing heavy bullets where the recoil may have the tendancy to move the bullets around in the case mouths of ammo in the magazine
 
the big reason for full length full length sizing on hunting rounds

check out the amusing gif page and the charging lion and landing at the guys feet and knocking him over if you neck size and had a jam the lion would be eating him in stead of landing at his feet:eek:

that is the extreem case not so dangerous if it was a deer or moose and you had a jam you might miss out on a once in a life time shot but the deer or moose won't eat you

but you will not eat them either and could pay your favorite gunsmith to un jam it for you

also make a bad week if it was a fly in trip and did not have a spare gun:mad:

some hunters even go to the range and chamber every round with out firing a shot just to make shure no jams when they do go away:dancingbanana:
 
Good question... seems like the set is meant to be used for bench rest only. that being said i always FL size and crimp most of my ammo because i shoot primarily leverguns. with the exception of .303brit which i only collet neck size after fireforming with o-rings, but i crimp them also. i like crimps done with a FCD, i believe it allows for a more uniform starting pressure.
I don't know if there is a for sure answer to this, or if it's like lee's disclaimer that you shouldn't use speer bullets. Make bullets and shoot them at animals... that simple.
 
I often hunt with neck sized loads,but I cycle each one through the gun first to verify that there aren't any issues.I never crimp any rifle loads,as it just isn't necessary,unless you are using a tubular magazine,or an extremely heavy recoiling cartridge.
 
I use to FL size all the time, but now I only neck size. The main reason they say to FL size hunting rounds, is so there is little or no resistance when chambering a round.

If you are concerned, chamber the rounds you are taking hunting, before you head out.
 
Main reasons for not neck sizing hunting rounds:

1) dirt can make and already tight round impossible to chamber

2) it is not uncommon for hunters to exchange cartridges (ie. forgot my ammo, can I borrow yours?). Neck sized rounds could not chamber in a different rifle.
 
1) dirt can make and already tight round impossible to chamber
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Without dropping a rifle in the mud,it's pretty hard to get enough dirt into the magazine to contaminate ammunition to the point where it won't chamber.If I do drop my gun in the mud,I won't shoot it until I verify that the barrel and ammunition aren't contaminated.

2) it is not uncommon for hunters to exchange cartridges (ie. forgot my ammo, can I borrow yours?). Neck sized rounds could not chamber in a different rifle.
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I don't exchange reloaded ammunition with other people.I don't use reloads in any firearm but the firearm that the loads were developed for,because they may not be safe in other guns.It might actually be a good thing if reloads won't chamber in a gun that they haven't been worked up in.
 
I neck size only most of the time and have been since I was using a basic lee loader 20+ years ago. But, I also check each round to make sure it fits in my rifle as well.

I think the FL sizing is just being cautious, and is not really necessary. You should always check if your rounds fit anyways. I just finished reloading some 9.3x57 and I full length resized (new brass) and even after running one particular piece of brass through my dies THREE TIMES, that piece would not feed in my rifle. Goes to show that even FL sizing is no guarantee that every round will fit. Like I said, you always need to check.
 
stubblejumper said:
I often hunt with neck sized loads,but I cycle each one through the gun first to verify that there aren't any issues.I never crimp any rifle loads,as it just isn't necessary,unless you are using a tubular magazine,or an extremely heavy recoiling cartridge.
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Exact same here. Except I do put a heavy crimp on my .308's going through the M305 and neck size for it only as well.
 
Generally speaking, any ammo I'm going to use for big game hunting gets FL resized. For 'punching' paper, once the brass has been used in a specific rifle, neck size. Then for playing around with a couple of 303Br. Jungle Carbines and as notorious as the LE's are for head space problems, and so to extend the brass life, neck size after the brass has been used in that specific rifle.
 
cycle each one through the gun first to verify that there aren't any issues.I never crimp any rifle loads,as it just isn't necessary
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I totally agree with the cycle em through but do not agree with skipping the crimp. A consisitent crimp means consistent start pressure. Considering that my hunting rounds go into and out of a rifle a heck of a lot and each time they get picked up and cycled by the bolt I like to know the bullet is gonna stay where I put it. The collet crimper or factory crimp die or what ever it is called from lee is my chosen method. I think they are 20 bucks.

Measure the OAL length of some cartridges that you did'nt crimp now cycle 5 cartridges a dozen or so times through your rifle, now measure the OAL. Bet you don't like what you find.

If you hunt with a single shot disregard.
 
"...neck size for it only as well..." That's going to give you grief sooner or later. Semi-auto's require FL sizing every time. They don't need a heavy crimp, or any crimp at all.
"...neck sized rounds are not for hunting rounds..." Most likely a corporate CYA. They don't want people blaming the dies for feeding issues.
Neck sizing is for bolt actions using brass that was fired out of the same rifle, only. Semi-auto's, pumps and lever actions require FL sizing every time. They don't have the same camming strength a bolt action does. Not FL sizing can cause feeding/chambering issues. Mind you, new brass and once fired brass, must be FL resized before using it in your rifle.
 
mikeystew said:
Good question... seems like the set is meant to be used for bench rest only. that being said i always FL size and crimp most of my ammo because i shoot primarily leverguns. with the exception of .303brit which i only collet neck size after fireforming with o-rings, but i crimp them also. i like crimps done with a FCD, i believe it allows for a more uniform starting pressure.
I don't know if there is a for sure answer to this, or if it's like lee's disclaimer that you shouldn't use speer bullets. Make bullets and shoot them at animals... that simple.
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small threadjack - is there a particular size of O-ring that you found works the best? I just learned of this technique and would like to use it for the rest of the factory rounds I have.


I also neck size only, but I'm using a Lee Loader so I don't have a choice. Plus, I'm only loading for .303 Brit and I've heard that's the way to go for that cartridge.
 
If you don't crimp when using a semi-auto you stand the chance of a bullet being pushed back into the case upon feeding and possibly compressing a charge. This could result in a dangerous over-pressure situation. The nice thing about the Lee Factory Crimping Die is that you can even crimp bullets that don't have a cannelure on them. It is possible that some bolt actions that do not feed well could do the same thing.
Another thing, why wait until your ammo is fully assembled to try chambering them? Do it after resizing. Then check again when assembled. It may happen that after a couple of rounds of reloading you may need to bump the shoulder back with a full length die. I would want to know that before I've added powder and bullet to that case. Another reason that a round may not chamber on a hunt is that the temps may be a lot lower than when you tried chambering that ammo when reloading it.
 
"...If you don't crimp when using a semi-auto..." Been loading for my M1 and M14 for 30 years with no crimp. No fuss. No bother. Neck tension should be enough.
"...possibly compressing a charge..." Compressed loads are nothing to worry about. A cartridge with a bullet that got pushed in a bit will likely jam anyway.
 
If you were using only your reloads from one specific semi auto, would you still need to resize the entire case? I have an R25 - if I use my once fired brass, which should be fireformed to my chamber, why would I need to full length resize? I would still crimp the reloads, but could I get away with just resizing the neck?
 
It is a potential repeater feeding issue only. Fire-formed cases fit the chamber with pretty close tolerances. Furthermore, the neck on most factory chambers is very sloppy (large). Bushing type neck sizing dies do not do a great job of sizing the "doughnut" of material that remains at the base of the shoulder neck junction, and this could impede feeding.

There is nothing unsafe about it, simply put, they feed better.

As to a crimp, there is no real need. Most bullets are more accurate with less neck tension, not more. If your rounds won't feed without it, well, I guess you need to crimp, but rifle ammo doesn't routinely need it.
 
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