So I'm looking at getting a new sheep gun, and I'm thinking about a .270 WSM. I am a firm believer in neck sizing, and use Lee neck sizing dies. I was talking to a buddy that said he had problems neck sizing short mags because they headspace off the casing shoulder and they get a little bit longer when fire formed, so it's difficult to close the bolt. Anybody out there had experience neck sizing short mags? I don't want to buy the gun and then find out I have to full length size or shoot tailor mades.
WSM neck sizing
- Thread starter Cush
- Start date
Bluedevil25
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saskatoon, Sask.
I just started reloading .300 WSM. I tried neck sizing Winchester factory ammo fire formed in my Tikka T3, can't get the bolt closed (didn't want to force anything). Once fired and neck sized Nosler brass seems to chamber a lot better but not as smooth when I originally loaded it from a 25 round box. I'm neck sizing with a Forster neck sizing die.
My experience is the same as mentioned above. Inside necks need to be lubed real well, as well as whole case if full length sizing with good lube such as Lee or imperial. Also die needs to be screwed down a little more to bump shoulder a we bit to ensure bolt will close. I am not sure neck sizing will even work as the cases seem to really expand at factory pressures. I found .300WSM to be the only caliber to not be able to use spray lube when full length sizing as it will pretty much guarantee a stuck case
The late Jim Hull of Sierra ballistic test lab coined the phrase "The cartridge should fit the chamber like a rat turd in a violin case" meaning full length resizing was superior to neck sizing. Both Kevin Thomas and Germán Salazar knew Jim Hull and shot with him competitively.
Below Kevin Thomas of Team Lapua USA
The Rifleman's Journal
Reloading: Partial Neck Sizing
by Germán A. Salazar
http://riflemansjournal.########.com/2010/06/reloading-partial-neck-sizing.html
"a full-length sized case in which the neck is also fully sized. There is clearance at the neck and in the body of the case, the closest fit anywhere is the bullet in the throat. If the neck to bullet concentricity is good (although it needn't be perfect), then the bullet will find good alignment in the throat and the case body and neck will have minimal influence. Let's not forget that the base of the case is supported by the bolt face or the extractor to a certain degree as well; this is yet another influence on alignment. As you can see, there are several points from base to bullet that can have an effect. My procedure is to minimize the influence of those that I can control, namely the case body and neck, and let the alignment be dictated by the fit of the bullet in the throat and to some extent by the bolt's support of the base. Barring a seriously out of square case head, I don't think the bolt can have a negative effect on alignment, only a slightly positive effect from minimizing "case droop" in the chamber. Given that a resized case will usually have a maximum of 0.001" diametrical clearance at the web, this isn't much of a factor anyway.
In conclusion, I believe that allowing the bullet to find a relatively stress-free alignment in the throat by full length sizing (including the neck) and turning necks to enhance concentricity gives the bullet the best probability of a well-aligned start into the rifling"
Below Kevin Thomas of Team Lapua USA
The Rifleman's Journal
Reloading: Partial Neck Sizing
by Germán A. Salazar
http://riflemansjournal.########.com/2010/06/reloading-partial-neck-sizing.html
"a full-length sized case in which the neck is also fully sized. There is clearance at the neck and in the body of the case, the closest fit anywhere is the bullet in the throat. If the neck to bullet concentricity is good (although it needn't be perfect), then the bullet will find good alignment in the throat and the case body and neck will have minimal influence. Let's not forget that the base of the case is supported by the bolt face or the extractor to a certain degree as well; this is yet another influence on alignment. As you can see, there are several points from base to bullet that can have an effect. My procedure is to minimize the influence of those that I can control, namely the case body and neck, and let the alignment be dictated by the fit of the bullet in the throat and to some extent by the bolt's support of the base. Barring a seriously out of square case head, I don't think the bolt can have a negative effect on alignment, only a slightly positive effect from minimizing "case droop" in the chamber. Given that a resized case will usually have a maximum of 0.001" diametrical clearance at the web, this isn't much of a factor anyway.
In conclusion, I believe that allowing the bullet to find a relatively stress-free alignment in the throat by full length sizing (including the neck) and turning necks to enhance concentricity gives the bullet the best probability of a well-aligned start into the rifling"
