I was wondering if it would be possible to neck size once fired 577-450 brass using the lee fl sizing die and if so what would the process be. I know there other ways to neck size the brass, I've seen videos online where people use .480 ruger dies to neck size I also know ch4d makes a neck sizing die for the 577-450 they also have bushing neck sizing dies but at around 150.00 US for the ch4d dies I don't know that I could justify the expense for one rifle that I only occasionally shoot especially considering I already have the lee die set.
neck sizing 577-450 Martini henry using fl sizing die
- Thread starter Lucite
- Start date
Using a full length sizing die to neck size only is impossible. You will still be partially sizing the case. But it is still better than FL sizing the case due to the case fitting the chamber better. I back my die off so that it just contacts the shoulder without pushing it back. This works only for the rifle the case was previously fired in or if another rifle has a larger chamber. You can back the die off so no contact with case body or shoulder but I find not enough of the neck is resized to hold the bullet.
The Lee 8X56R Seating Die served me as a good neck-sizer for the 577-450. A lot depends on your bullet diameter, the brass you're using and the particular die being used, so experimentation is required. My sized brass (Jamison and Kyncoch) had an outside diameter of about 0.498".
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right now I'm using reformed mag tech brass with a .468 dia bullet
I checked and came up with the following:
It depends on the outside diameter of your sized brass. If close to 0.498", then:
- the Lee 8X56R Seater (Lee P/N 80246-SD1040) might be the way to go; and if a bit larger
- the 480 Ruger F/L die (Lee P/N 70007-SD1465).
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Incurable Collectoer
CGN Regular
- Location
- Canada, B.C.
For my .577-50 I use Magtech brass and to neck size I run the fired brass into an RCBS .45-70 seating die till the bottom of the die touches the top of the shoulder. I use .470" bullets so I then run the neck about half way into a .45-70 full length sizing die. It ain't pretty but it works.
Lee can make custom dies but at a cost of 160.00 us and a decent wait time so I'd be better off with a ch4d die. I can get a lee .480 ruger fl sizing die for 30.00 Cdn less shipping. Or after re watching the video done by britishmuzzleloaders and seeing that you just use the .480 ruger die body I could probably turn a basic neck sizing die to whatever spec I need
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Yikes. I didn't know it was that high. Definitely not an option!
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
interesting about the 480 Ruger die
I just back off the die a few turns and size the last 3/4 of the neck.
I've been using 458" bullets 405grn.
I just back off the die a few turns and size the last 3/4 of the neck.
I've been using 458" bullets 405grn.
So for curiosity's sake I decided to try the fl sizing die and backing it off and these are the results, the one on the left I screwed in the die so it sized the neck right up to the shoulder but I found it also just slightly resized the body as well, the one on the right I backed the die off 1 turn and it sized 3/4 of the neck while just contacting the body just below the shoulder. The only down side to this method is it seems to work the neck quite a bit so re-annealing the neck after one or two firings probably wouldn't be a bad idea to increase case life.
At the pressures you'll be employing in your Martini-Henry, you might be like me and not even have to neck-size until 2-3 firings. I found that after flaring the mouth of the neck slightly, I could press the bullet into the unsized neck with my thumb. It stayed there by itself and a light crimp would ensure it didn't move.
with the .468 bullets I'm using neck sizing is necessary, I haven't measured the fired case neck I.D but its larger than .468
