Neck sizing with full lenght dies
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To properly neck size you need a neck sizer. You can set up your full length sizer a bit high and it will size most of the neck (less the amount the die is raised), This works ok for most rifles. I have neck sizers and body dies for rifle calibers.
Thanks, that's a good tip. I wasn't sure if neck sizing could be done with a full lenght die. Jack
Pickup Brass...
If it will chamber in your rifle then there is no need to full length size it. Just check it, quite often it will chamber.
Screw your sizing die in until it hits the shell holder when in the raised position. Now back the die out a half turn or more and you will be partially full length resizing.
You'll be able to see the line on the case neck, no soot needed. The unsized portion of the neck will nicely center the case in the chamber.
This is almost the same as true neck sizing. The difference being that the body of the case will be resized to some degree as well.
If it will chamber in your rifle then there is no need to full length size it. Just check it, quite often it will chamber.
Screw your sizing die in until it hits the shell holder when in the raised position. Now back the die out a half turn or more and you will be partially full length resizing.
You'll be able to see the line on the case neck, no soot needed. The unsized portion of the neck will nicely center the case in the chamber.
This is almost the same as true neck sizing. The difference being that the body of the case will be resized to some degree as well.
Thanks for all the tips. I have 200 matched brass, so I don't bother with range brass. When I wear those out I'll just by new ones. I am trying for consistency and you just never know about range brass. If it were for hunting that would be different. Thanks again, Jack 
I think I remember reading years ago that if you wanted to use a FL die to neck size brass, that you should set your dies up so they bottom out with a dime between the die and shell holer. I never tried it but it makes sense that the shoulder would not be bumped back.
Get a Lee collet die, you'll save a lot of time and get excellent results. I've use them for years and loaded probably in excess of 10,000 rounds with them in various calibers, 1000's in 303. Very good value for the $ and saves time as you don't need to lube the cases, then remove the lube. Size, prime, charge, seat. From what I've read you will end up with less runout using a collet die than short stroking a FL size die. Haven't checked that myself, just what I've read. I get excellent accuracy using them.
That was exactly my experience when loading 300 RUM.
The collet die is a nice tool and worth getting for the reasons big boar mentions.
Partial FL sizing is what you do when you don't have the actual neck sizing tools and don't want to or haven't had a chance to get them.
I currently partial FL resize for 303 and it has been working fine. If I were loading a lot of it I'd probably get a Lee Collet die. They're cheap.
roberto mervici
Regular
- Location
- Prov.Quebec, Canada
the neck size die will resize only the neck part of the brass, for this operation I do not even use lube since there is no danger that the polish case would stick to the die, on the other hand when you use a full lenght die high up on the press ( about the tickness of a dime or ) to perform a neck resizing if you dont lube the brass guarantee that they will stick in to the die and you need a brass remover tool for the extraction.
As a rule of mine all brass fired on that rifle I keep separate labeled for that rifle, when ready to reload I clean and neck resize only, that way the brass last longer, pending on the caliber up to 30 reloads, after I dispose and start a new batch. I use also once fired brass pick up at the gun club, in this instance I resize full lenght the first time.
Regardless the tipe of brass, rimmed or belted I resize the minimal required to properly function in my bolt actions ( I only own bolt action rifles this is not recomended for semi auto ) in other words I head space on the shoulder regardeless where the cartridge is supposed to headspace, I get more accuracy, and longer life out of the brass, since less strech and compression when resized... I shoot a lot and various caliber from .243 to 9.3x62 and very very rarely experience brass felior.
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roberto
As a rule of mine all brass fired on that rifle I keep separate labeled for that rifle, when ready to reload I clean and neck resize only, that way the brass last longer, pending on the caliber up to 30 reloads, after I dispose and start a new batch. I use also once fired brass pick up at the gun club, in this instance I resize full lenght the first time.
Regardless the tipe of brass, rimmed or belted I resize the minimal required to properly function in my bolt actions ( I only own bolt action rifles this is not recomended for semi auto ) in other words I head space on the shoulder regardeless where the cartridge is supposed to headspace, I get more accuracy, and longer life out of the brass, since less strech and compression when resized... I shoot a lot and various caliber from .243 to 9.3x62 and very very rarely experience brass felior.
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roberto
Well - If you're firing the brass in more than one rifle, then partial resizing has merit. You resize to the largest chamber - with a gap of about a loonie between the die and shellholder. (trial and error required.)
Yes you're right - I shouldnt try to post without 2 coffees in me! Additionally, if you've got a rifle with a commercial chamber (I do) as part of the team, then the partial resizing strategy wont work too well.
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That comment about the dime as a spacer was probably something I wrote. Later i realized a washer would be better, since it would not require backing out the decapper.
If you can find a nickle-sized waher with a big enough centre hole to pass the brass case, cut a piece out of the waher so it looks like a "C".
Use some contact cement to glue this washer on top of the sheller holder. The set your FL die so it hits the shell holder. This means every sizing stroke will be uniform.
The washer will back off the die enough so as to not size the shoulder or much of the case body.
For 308 type shells, RCBS sells a set of shell holders in 2 thou increments, so cases are not quite full sized. I use 4 thou as my standard shell holder.
If you can find a nickle-sized waher with a big enough centre hole to pass the brass case, cut a piece out of the waher so it looks like a "C".
Use some contact cement to glue this washer on top of the sheller holder. The set your FL die so it hits the shell holder. This means every sizing stroke will be uniform.
The washer will back off the die enough so as to not size the shoulder or much of the case body.
For 308 type shells, RCBS sells a set of shell holders in 2 thou increments, so cases are not quite full sized. I use 4 thou as my standard shell holder.
