Neck sizing with full length dies

604shooter

604shooter

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Neither here nor there.
I am a noob reloader so be gentle:

As the title indicates....is this possible or do I have to go out and buy a neck sizing die? I have a bunch of fire-formed cases and only intend to use the brass with this particular rifle. If it makes any difference, I will be reloading 6.5x55

Thanks.
 
604shooter said:
I am a noob reloader so be gentle:

As the title indicates....is this possible ...
Click to expand...

Are suggesting we are not normally gentle? ha ha....
The full length sizing die sizes the whole case, the last bit of motion bumps the shoulder. Two different tools. Sorry looks like you'll have to work that extra hour of overtime...
 
I largely disagree with canuckgunny.

If you want to neck size with a FL die, simply place a dime on your shellholder and raise the ram all the way. Then screw your die in until it contacts the dime sitting on the shellholder, and lock the die in that position.

Now when you size a case, it will size the neck, but it won't bump the shoulder back.

This is not true neck-sizing in the sense that you still have to lube the case because the side walls may be pressed in a little bit, but it does maintain the headspace established by the fired case, and it doesn't give the body that last bit of squeeze that you would get if you ran the brass all the way into the die.

I would still call a case resized in this way to be "neck-sized".
 
John Y Cannuck said:
P17 is right,but, what he is describing is termed partial full length sizing. It's almost as good as neck sizing for saving brass, and the rounds are easier to chamber in some guns.
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Yup, common practice, especially withh the belted mags.
A single collet neck die from Lee is not very expoensive howeber.
You can buy them at Higginson's in Ontario....
Cat
 
The Collar...

In fact, you may run into something called the "collar" after a few firings: there might be a slight "shoulder" forming just above the junction of the neck and shoulder.
This can grow and necessitate a full-length sizing after a while. But it can also act as a secondary shoulder and give you zero headspace on your rounds (not good in semi-autos), which may help you get the full shape of your chamber.
Some do this on purpose by using a larger expander on first forming and decapping followed by another partial sizing with the standard expander, setting the die to form a secondary shoulder barely allowing chambering.
At the next firing, brass will have no option other than full chamber forming and neck sizing can be used ever after.:)
PP.
 
If you are going to set your die up for partial full length sizing it helps to use a washer to set the height above the shell holder--helps to keep the die centered when you tighten down the lock ring.

44Bore
 
p-17 said:
I largely disagree with canuckgunny.
.....This is not true neck-sizing in the sense that you still have to lube the case because the side walls may be pressed in a little bit".
Click to expand...

And this is why I largely disagree with p-17.... :p

Neck Sizing is Neck Sizing, Full Length half-assed sizing is Not Neck Sizing, even if your sizing the neck. Full length sizing sizes the neck too, but we don't call it N-S for a reason. So to get back to the original question for our friend, you can replicate N-S-ing with a F-L die, but it is really two different tools... with albeit slightly similar/different outcomes.

I'm sure glad discussion and discourse is still allowed here... Oh wait, the Liebrals are always right in this country... someone get them on the phone....
 
cases with a fair bit of taper in the body, like the 6.5x55 or a 303 Brit, can be neck sized in a FL die with hardly any working of the body. you can size almost all of the neck before the body starts getting resized.

cases with very little or no taper, like a 300 WSM or a 243/308, will not work as well, and the body will contact the sizing die almost immediately upon entering.
 
Thanks for the replies fellas. I will try giving my cases a partial full length sizing as P-17 has suggested.

Okay, here's my second brain-buster question. I intend to reload some
S & B cases. Are the flash holes smaller than North American made cartridges? I know that Igman cases are.

Thanks again guys.
 
rgv said:
cases with a fair bit of taper in the body, like the 6.5x55 or a 303 Brit, can be neck sized in a FL die with hardly any working of the body. you can size almost all of the neck before the body starts getting resized.

cases with very little or no taper, like a 300 WSM or a 243/308, will not work as well, and the body will contact the sizing die almost immediately upon entering.
Click to expand...

Actually it's much more dependent on the way the chamber is cut that determines how much of the body will be sized when neck-sizing with a F/L die. Many milsurps have VERY generous chambers, 303 Brit being a good example. I have a Berthier in (8x50R Lebel) that starts to size the body when the cartridge is only half-way in the die. In that case, a completely different (and fatter) die with the same neck diameter will work nicely. I've used the 325 WSM F/L die extensively with the 8mm family, and Lee sells a 6.5 WSM that works nicely for the 6.5mm's - saves on buying a pile of neck-sizers.
 
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This partial neck sizing with a full length sizing die is, can I say crap.
I have tried this with my 243, if you set the die with a dime or washer as suggested and partially size the case the shoulder gets pushed fwd by as much as .005. My 257 R does the same thing but the shoulder moves fwd a max of .003 as does my 270. You have to set the die so it will move the shoulder back where it would allow the cartridge to chamber and this is actually full length resizing. Save all the problems and buy a set of dies including a neck die and do the job right. I would also recommend a Lyman M die and a set of Redding competition shell holders. They both work great. When you use the Redding shell holders you will be amazed.
I have found that RCBS dies need the .010 shell holder to properly resize cases for proper headspace That's why "I" think they are junk! I have Lee and Lyman dies that require the .002 or just a regular shell holder to properly size a case.
The M die lets you expand the neck by pushing the case up on the stem rather than pulling the case back over the expander and possibly stretching the case.
That's my opinion. I hope that I have not upset anybody.
257 Roberts
 
rgv said:
cases with a fair bit of taper in the body, like the 6.5x55 or a 303 Brit, can be neck sized in a FL die with hardly any working of the body. you can size almost all of the neck before the body starts getting resized.

cases with very little or no taper, like a 300 WSM or a 243/308, will not work as well, and the body will contact the sizing die almost immediately upon entering.
Click to expand...

X2
bigbull
 
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