I am once again in need of the input and experience of the experts, seeing as Im not one. I need to know how does one set his full length resizing dies so thay partialy size the brass to where the sholder ends and meets the strate aspect of the case. I have been told that to correctly partialy resize a case, I am to only push or set back the sholder a spacific amount measured in thousands, and only work a small amount of the brass past, as I stated above, where the sholder ends and meets the strate aspect of the case. I have Redding FL resizing dies.
Is what I have been told correct, and correct or not how do I go about partialy full length resizing my brass and does the amount of resizing vary with each caliber?
I would think not, but in case it does, I will be partialy resizing .338WM,
7mmSTW, .308, and 6.5x55 Sweed.
Greatest of thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me out on this.

That IS a big Foot!,

It is easiest to set up your dies if you have a vernier cartridge length gauge that works off the datum line in the shoulder. From your question I assume you don't have that $40 gadget.

You should only do this on brass that's been fired in the rifle you arew loading for.

It is worth the $35 for a set of Redding competition shell holders. These are made so as to size cases std, .002, .004,.006, 008 and .010 overlength. These gadgets allow you to "square" the die by screwing it down until the handle over-centers slightly as described with every set of dies I ever bought. They give you very repeatable results, and can be used on every case with a head the same size. (You would need a magnum set and a 308 set to do all your cases.)

I will describe the procedure as if you don't have the holders, but without the holders the sized length will vary a lot more than with them - as the resistance of the brass varies. Being able to bump die on the shell holder overcomes this.

Find an empty case that's been fired in the intended rifle that the bolt will not close on, or that it is tough to close on. (Better still find a couple of them.) Set up your die to touch the (std) shell holder, then back it out two turns. Lube and size the brass as normal. Check to see if it fits. Screw down the die in small increments until the case chambers without resistance. Check a few more cases to see that they work - as the springback and sizing resistance can vary from case to case. (You should work your brass in lots, so that the whole lot has been sized and fired the same number of times with the same load.) Resize the whole batch. This procedure works the brass as little as possible, except that, due to the variation mentioned above, you usually have to set it to bump the shoulder back just a little extra so the longer ones fit.

This setup has to be repeated every time if you don't have the Redding Comp. shell holders. If you have them, just mark down which holder to use for each rifle. As the brass gets work hardened you might have to go down a number for successive loadings. For practice loads I usually just neck size for three loads, bump the shoulder on the fourth load, the anneal on the fifth or sixth load and start over.

Hunting and competition loads get the optimized full length sizing described above, so that I know they will all chamber easily.

Don

Dear Don,
Greatest of thanks for your input. I will invest the $$$ in a set of Redding competition shell holders for all my rifle calibers I reload for. The other tool you spoke of, a vernier cartrage length gauge, which one do you recamend I buy, who sells them, and is it made in .338wm?
Once again, thanks a great deal don.

Big Foot,

I know it is common advice to use FL die to neck size. Hence not many 3 die sets sold anymore. I have also read though that it is not a good idea to neck size with FL die. The reason is the part of the case near the web is still worked by the FL die & hence everything moves forward but doesn't get set back to spec as it should if FL die was set to touch the shellholder.

Makes sense to me so I just buy a Neck sizing die & no problems.

I suppose it just depends on how many times you neck size with a FL die before you full length size. With a neck die you can probably do it more times (depending on how hot you load) before FL sizing.

Regards,
JohnT

BigFoot,

I don't recollect who made the vernier cartridge length gauges. I only have one in 308. I think I got it from Sinclair

Sinclair

They are called "RCBS Precision Micrometer", only available in 308, 30-06, 243, 223, and 22-250 in my latest Sinclair catalog.

Midway has the shell holders. Once you find the right one you are in business.

JohnT,

You are right that using a FL sizing die in this way gives you shorter case life than neck sizing, but for autoloaders, pumps, lever actions and all big game hunting loads (rather than practice loads) this is a good way to do it.

If you have a nice tight chamber the die will hardly touch a 308, 338 or 6.5x55 (not very many tight chambers in the milsurps!) body since the case has significant taper. The 7mm and all AIs have much less taper and get worked harder.

You can always just space the FL sizer die "about a quarter's worth" off the std. shell holder to get a poor man's neck sizer, then bump the shoulder as described every third reload.

Don

Don

You might seriously consider the Stoney Point Chamber All tool. It is universal by using a variety of inserts for various calibers both for bullets and for measuring cases from the datum line on the shoulder to the base. I have all the RCBS Precision Mics, which I presume is what is referred to as a vernier. They are good but cumbersome and specific to only one caliber. You can get a full set of the inserts for both measuring headspace and bullets for about the price of one Precision Mic. You fasten the tool on a dial caliber. It's quick, accurate and convenient and saves guesswork or working by "feel". I wouldn't be without mine and would gladly part with any and all RCBS Precision Mics that I no longer use. Bob T

Redding sells 3-die sets for the .338 magnum. I bought a set from Cabela's. I set the dies according to the following instructions ( I read it in a gun magazine long ago):

Adjusting Neck And Full Size Dies

a. Lube a fired case, and then dip the mouth in powered graphite. Back the die off and run the case into it. Drop the press� ram, and look at the case neck-you should be able to see a line where the neck has entered the sizing portion of the die. Adjust the die down in small increments, and keep on watching the line on the neck of the case each time it is run into the die. When the line just reaches the point where the neck and shoulder meet, adjust the die down one sixteenth of a turn.

b. To lock the die in place, take a small mechanic�s socket and place it between the shell holder and the bottom of the die, and then press the ram and socket against the bottom of the die. Keep the pressure applied, and lock the die in place with the lock ring. This procedure squares the die with the shell holder.

c. To align the expander/decaper assembly, back off the lock ring and run a case up in the die and until it punches out the primer. Now raise the handle until the expander pulls into the neck of the case, and hold it there. With the expander in the neck of the case, tighten the lock ring. This procedure aligns the expander with the neck under tension, minimizing the possibility of pulling the neck out of line on the down stroke of the ram.

[This message has been edited by Ray, Alaska (edited 06-02-2001).]

Just like to say thanks to Ray, John, Bob, and Don for the time you all took to help me out with your posts. I will put your advice to good use, as I have already ordered a set of redding comp. shell holders.

Thanks, Ray, for reminding me how to center the expander ball in the die. I had forgotten that trick. I think I sometimes get distortion in my cases from not having the expander ball centered.