Sizing dilemma... advice needed.

mikeystew

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i picked up a lee deluxe die set for .303 brit and 100+ pieces of once fired brass. What i did not know was that the deluxe die set does not contain a FL sizing die... so i now have all this brass and no way to size it below the neck.

I've tried to feed several pieces into my gun and they chamber a little stiff but im able to get them in and close the bolt... although the necks on the spent cases don't look as definedas the ones that normally come out of my gun. so im wondering if i could just neck size them and fireform them as is? honestly i may only fire this brass once or twice anyway as it's history cannot be proven.
 
i picked up a lee deluxe die set for .303 brit and 100+ pieces of once fired brass. What i did not know was that the deluxe die set does not contain a FL sizing die... so i now have all this brass and no way to size it below the neck.

I've tried to feed several pieces into my gun and they chamber a little stiff but im able to get them in and close the bolt... although the necks on the spent cases don't look as definedas the ones that normally come out of my gun. so im wondering if i could just neck size them and fireform them as is? honestly i may only fire this brass once or twice anyway as it's history cannot be proven.

Well I don't have many die SETS from Lee, and no "deluxe" sets but each one I do have has a full-length size die in them! You sure your set is complete?
 
Well it turns out it was misleading advertising, the die set is all there but not the one it was advertised as... anyway can i use this brass without resizing if it chambers or what?
 
There are 2 kinds of deluxe sets one has FL sizer/ bullet seat / crimp and one is FL sizer / Neck sizer / bullet seater. Do you have a 3 die set? Maybe sonmeone did the ol swithcheroo and returned the set.
 
There are 2 kinds of deluxe sets one has FL sizer/ bullet seat / crimp and one is FL sizer / Neck sizer / bullet seater. Do you have a 3 die set? Maybe sonmeone did the ol swithcheroo and returned the set.

I checked it out on the lee website, i got the collet die set that comes with a neck collet and dead length seating die and it had a factory crimper in there also,,, a set which does not exist as i recieved it. so it came with 3 dies but one which i dont believe came with the set
 
I can't see why this would be a problem. You are far better off necksizing with 303 British, anyway. If the bolt closes fully even with a little drag, it will be as secure a lockup as you are going to get.

Many reloaders of 303 make the point that best way to lengthen case life. There is a thread either here or on 303british.com that explains this in detail.

I will look for it and see if I can post it.
 
Mikey, just a suggestion. Make a dummy round, ie: no primer no powder. Neck size a case and seat a bullet. Try this in your rifle. If the bolt will close, even with a bit of resistance, then make a few rounds just neck sized and try them. Sometimes the tolerances at the neck differ from one rifle to another as well as the case shape. I used to load for several 303's and have moved cases from one rifle to the other this way.

I started out with just a FL and a seating die and ended up with what you are using now, works the best. It is good to have that FL though for those occasions when you are trying to use brass that won't fit, and you will need one at some point, perhaps right away.
 
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