I just recently bought neck sizing dies for my 308. I hunt with a bolt action do any of you forsee any problems with this. Ive checked out 3 differant reloading guides and I am more confused than I was before looking at them. One says not recomended for big game hunting 2 dont really give a straight forword answer. Do any of you hunt with neck sized rounds or is that made for the bench.

It may depend on the cartridge shape for it to be a critical issue. In my 404 Jeffery, brass fired once and necked sized once feeds and extractsjust fine, I can't sense any difference. But you will notice that if you keep neck sizing you will get to a point where lowering the bolt gets a little harder. This of course is not helpful in a hunting situation. I suppose you could get to the point where it won't feed smoothly and lowering the bolt is problematic.

FOr me the critical issue is ease of chambering and extraction...not how it gets there. If your neck sized rounds chamber and extract easily 100% of the time, go fot it. For me, neck sized rounds are usually a bit stiffer to chamber, so I partial full length resize everything now.

One other possible issue is neck tension...if you neck size make sure you have most of the neck resized so the bullets don't shift under recoil. Some neck sizers only size 1/4 to 1/3 of the neck...fine for the bench but not in the field.

I have used my full-length sizers for years to partially size my brass for 7 Mag, .25-06, and .22-250 with great success. I generally size half to two-thirds of the neck length. After a number of reloadings, the brass does get hard to chamber, but then I adjust the die to just bump the shoulder back .002" to .003" (thousandths) and continue on with the partial sizing. Generally I can only do this one time, as during the second series of reloading the necks begin to split. Then all the brass goes into the recycle bucket.

Since I'm only shooting whitetail deer, coyotes, and feral hogs and don't have worries about dangerous game and some vicious critter charging me, perfect feeding isn't a concern.

When I am developing a load or shooting bench, I neck size. When I am hunting, I use F/L sized brass and each round is cycled from the mag into the chamber before I take it hunting with me.

quote:

Originally posted by iwzbeeman:
When I am hunting, I use F/L sized brass and each round is cycled from the mag into the chamber before I take it hunting with me.

I don't cycle all of my hunting rounds though the magazine (as this is unnecessary once it is determined that the load cycles properly. Cycling though the magazine can unnecessarily damage or mar the bullets). I do cycle all hunting ammunition through the chamber in order to assure that there is no chambering difficulty with any individual round. If they chamber fine, it makes no difference how they were sized -- FL, partial FL, neck, bushing, or collet.

I prefer to neck-size all of my ammunition, provided that doing so still allows it to properly chamber.

I mainly use neck sized brass for my .308. The cartriges that will be used for hunting season, I check to see that they will feed and extract easy. Nothing like having a quick follow up shot ruined by a hard to extract shell.

Safety note: It is best to test function of live shells at the range, not the basement.

All my bottle-necked cases are neck-sized only, regardless of intended use.

I have never had a problem...when using the ammunition that was only used in that firearm.

If a case was fired in rifle "A", and then you want to use it in rifle "B", full-length size it.

I've never had a problem with neck sized ammo, (in a bolt action) as they have all got slightly firm to chamber slowly, and allowed at least "one more go" before getting FLSized.
If not, the load is probably too hot.

I partial F/L size most of my calibres, but I come very close to touching the shoulder (to enable me to resize most of the neck). Sized thus, my .375's chamber like warm butter, my .308 gives the slightest resistance as I close the bolt. I believe in cycling every cartridge through the magazine, regardless of whether it's destined for range or field use. Truth is, I only have one load per rifle, so there's no telling whether any cartridge will be fired at the range or at an (expensive) trophy Kudu bull, or something that bites and scratches.

1-in-10,

You asked and you're getting response FWIW.

You asked me too - Neck Sizing for Hunting? Don't even think about it - maybe not tomoroow, maybe not next week, at the range or greasing those rounds through your .308 Win. at the loading bench.

But one day in the near or distant future you'll regret it - F/L Size for hunting.

Thank you for the help I guess trial and error is the only way to really find out, and from now on I will make sure if I am to hunt with these puppies I will make sure do a couple of test runs for each batch befre going in to the field. Also Gerry what is FWIW?

Neck sizing only will work if the guns chamber is tight and the loads are not hot. Factor hot loads and a large chamber in and the cartridges will not chamber well in a hurry.

I FL size everything now. I have too many guns and to keep track of it all is just more complicated than I want to put up with.

I see no problems, IF you do as I do, and make sure ALL rounds I plan to carry hunting will chamber freely BEFORE putting them in the boxes.

With a bolt action, I remove the striker assembly and chamber them. With a single shot, all rounds must freely slide ALL THE WAY into, then back out, of the chamber with the breech block open, muzzle down, then muzzle up.

Rikkie has it right. Neck size with the full length die adjusted to just kiss the shoulder and keep it at the point of just a tiny resistance of bolt closing. There is no need to size any other way unless you are shooting bench rest.

I have been hunting for 30+ years with neck sized brass in my .308. As others have said, you do have to check and make sure that they feed and chamber properly. After a few firings, how many depends upon how hot your loads are, you will have to FL size to set the shoulders back, that's why you have to check them. I suspect that most instances where there are problems come from the loader being too lazy to make sure everything checks out properly first. If you are loading for accuracy before velocity, then you are generally not pushing the pressure envelope and will have no problems with your .308 and neck sized brass.

I think that the reason for the warning is for hunting dangerous game, where you want your rounds to chamber as easily as possible in case you find yourself in a sticky situation. Not that you'd likely be using a .308 when going after big bears anyway.

1-in10,

Please F/L size for hunting loads, I've had some miserable failures while attempting to chamber a round simply because I was searching for that extra small group on an accuracy kick.

Now I get the small groups with F/L sized brass.

O.K. color me stupid!

FWIW = For What It's Worth.

Have fun!