What am I doing wrong? I've tried these in two different .308s, my FL sized cases chamber smoothly and when I try neck sizing the bolt doesn't want to close easily, regardless of case length (2.005"). Is there a secret to this?
Trying neck sizing, bolt closes hard.
- Thread starter yidava25
- Start date
My inquiry on this subject had replies that suggest some resistance to bolt closing will be felt on neck sized ammo. If that's the case, the question then comes down to how much resistance are you feeling? On full length sized cases, my bolt closes with just a touch of feel that something is different than with an empty chamber. With the neck sized, it feels like it takes a pound (as in 16 oz) or two on the bolt handle. If there isn't much clearance and a primer isn't flush, you will be seating the primer with your bolt.
Maybe your chamber is a little deep, and when you fire a FL sized round the shoulder is moving up a little during the fire forming process....and neck sizing isn't bumping the shoulder back enough.....really just guessing here. There are no special tricks to neck sizing. Have you double checked your bullet seating depth?....maybe your jamming in the lands?
This I can understand and my bolt feels the same way you describe with empty chamber vs FL sized cartridge. However, while some of my neck-sized cartridges feel tolerably ok, others are way too tough to close the bolt on and if theres nothing else that can be done about it I'll just not do it.
cbh560, yes my depths are ok, I seat my 168s at 2.770" and with FL sized cases they are buttery smooth to chamber.
Thanks for the quick replies guys
"...two different .308s..." You can't neck size only for any rifle other than the rifle the cases were originally fired in. Neck sizing is for bolt actions only as well. No semi-auto, levers or pump actions. These rifles require FL resizing every time.
None of this means you can't use the same cases out of two rifles though. It just means that you have to FL resize when loading for one rifle or the other.
If you're using the same rifle you fired 'em out of and the bolt is hard to close, adjust the sizer die down a tick. Moves the shoulder back a wee bit more.
None of this means you can't use the same cases out of two rifles though. It just means that you have to FL resize when loading for one rifle or the other.
If you're using the same rifle you fired 'em out of and the bolt is hard to close, adjust the sizer die down a tick. Moves the shoulder back a wee bit more.
Yidava I think I hear you saying you have neck sized some cases and tried them in two different 308 rifles and the bolt does not close easily. You have not mentioned anything about what rifle these cases were originally fired in?? There can be considerable differences in the chamber sizes of different rifles chambered for the sme round. In my experience you should only neck size cases that have been originally fired in a particular rifle and then reload them to be fired in that rifle again. That means you can't mix up cases fired in different rifles neck size them and intend to fire them in different rifles . You have to segragate cases to the rifle they were fired in.
Yes I am aware of that, I keep my brass from one rifle separated from that of a different one. And sunray, I thought the whole point of neck sizing was that it affected only the neck. Does a neck sizer die ever push the shoulder down? I have tried screwing the die in until I don't want the press to cam over any harder.
SavageLapua
CGN Regular
- Location
- Mining brass near Red Deer
It's not the case length. It's the headspace. You will have stiff bolt close/open when neck sizing because the die does not make contact with the shoulder. You should have a body die to bump the shoulder back 0.001"-0.002". To measure this you will need a Hornady Headspace gauge or equal. I've gone through this exact same thing with my .338LM and 6.5x55 Swede.
SL
SL
SavageLapua
CGN Regular
- Location
- Mining brass near Red Deer
No problem! I took a quick look over at RCBS for a body die, didn't find one. I did find the body die made by Redding. Part Number:75155 $43USD
SL
SL
I just bought a set of Lee Deluxe dies for my 30-06 cuz I was having similar problems with cases from that gun. I had been using a neck only sizing die and was getting about 1 in 10 that woudn't close properly. Now that I've used the Lee FL sizing die, every single case fits like butter 
personal_aviator
Regular
- Location
- Onterrible
I could be wrong but i dont think a body die is any different than a FL die with the guts taken out. I would definatly say that your shoulders need to be bumped back though. If you pick up a bullet comparater and get a shoulder guage for it then measure the cases that close easily versus the cases that dont, I'm willing to bet that you will see that you need to bump the shoulder back on those. For my 338LM I run all my fired cases through the rifle and seperate them by how easily the bolt closes. One pile for cases that need to be resized and one pile for those that dont. Make sure the cases are all trimed accordingly also. That could also be an issue but if they are all trimed the same legnth and still you find that some cases will let the bolt close easily while some wont then the shoulder definatly needs a bump.
As far as how often to bump? I'd say it varies. 3 firings is probably a decent average, but it's not absolute.
As far as how often to bump? I'd say it varies. 3 firings is probably a decent average, but it's not absolute.
I would guess that annealing would help as well, once brass starts to get work hardened it doesn't spring back as much making it slightly larger than brass that has been annealed or hasn't been work hardened yet.
If the neck of the case is not lubed properly in a neck sizing die the expander button can pull hard enough to pull the shoulder up and make the case hard to chamber. A Lee collet die would not do this and many use them.
A body die sizes the body and the shoulder but does not touch the neck, normally a body die is used with a neck bushing die.
For simplicity sometimes your better off using a full length sizing die and only partially resizing.
A body die sizes the body and the shoulder but does not touch the neck, normally a body die is used with a neck bushing die.
For simplicity sometimes your better off using a full length sizing die and only partially resizing.
Love the Lee Collet die for neck sizing. No run out and for three cals I reload for, I have never experienced tight chambering.
Do you notice any added resistance to chambering the Lee Collet sized brass? I'm trying to establish what is the norm and what is outside the norm for use with that system.
