Hi, since i have cases that are shot in my own gun Id like to resize and calibrate my cases as little as possible to gain life length. I have RCBS 2-die set and my caliber is .222" and later on .30-06
How am I suppose to determine when the die is installed correct? I guess Ill have to screw the primer pin and expand(knob?) down very far to not let the die size the case shoulder? Thanks for any help!

If you do a search here, you'll find lots of info. You might look at these threads for starters.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...?r=87210516#87210516

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...=893109934#893109934

Do not set your 'primer pin and expander knob' down any further than they already are. If you bottom out the expander on the bottom of the case you will bend the entire spindle.....not good.

To see where your die is set now, with the shell holder in place on the ram, pull your press handle all the way down. This will bring the press ram all the way up. Screw the sizer die down until the sizer die locking ring bottoms out, or, the bottom of the die bottoms out on the shell holder.

Now if, the die bottoms out before the locking ring comes into play, and you can actually screw the die in a little more if the ram/shell holder wasn't in the way.. then the die is set for Full Length sizing.

Now if, the locking ring stops the screwing and you can see some daylight between the shell holder and the bottom of the sizer die, then it is set for partial or neck sizing.

One quick way to see if the die is contacting the shoulder of the case, thereby pushing the shoulder back some, is to lube up the case before inserting into the sizer die..(you should ALWAYS do this right?..) and press some fingerprints on the shoulder so that they are easily seen, and then go ahead and size. IF you can still see the fingerprints, then the die didn't come into contact with the case shoulder any or hardly at all.
Another way is to blacken the case shoulder a little with a candle and do the same thing. IF the black is rubbed off, then the die is coming into contact with the shoulder, pushing it back.

Normally, with most equipment nowadays, a little daylight between the shell holder and die is sufficient sizing to be able to chamber a round, accomplish the neck sizing operation and not push any of the shoulder back. The 'sides' of the case will be sized of course but thats Ok..

If however you find that the sized cases are difficult to chamber, then you will need to adjust the sizing die down a little more, until easy chambering is accomplished.

And, what kraky said, no need to mess with that adjustment.

How about useing a neck sizing die.

muck

Bottom line is that neck sizing has fallen out of favor with alot of people. Even Bench rest guys no longer neck size. I would highly recomend that you set you die to just push the shoulder back enough that the bolt closes without any extra tension. You will get good case life and reliable feeding and extraction. Personally I consider the last two items above to be the most important when in the field.

Hey Nils

For the money you can't beat a Lee Collet Neck Sizer and then you can neck size when you want and use your full length die to push the shoulder back when you need to.

But, since you asked, you can set up your full length die to size about 3/4ths of the neck without sizing the case body or pushing on the shoulder.

If you raise the ram all the way up and screw in the full length die until it hits the shell holder, call that 0 (zero)

Lower the ram and screw the die in an additional 1/4 turn and call that +1/4. That is where the instructions for RCBS say to adjust the die for full length sizing.

But if you back the die back up 3/4 turn (-3/4) then that is approximately the position where you size the neck only (about 3/4ths of it) and do not size the case body.

In between -3/4 and 0 the die body will size the case body and push the shoulder forward and increase crush fit.

So to neck size only with a full length die find the zero point and back the die up 3/4 turn or more and you will size only the neck and it will leave part of the case neck fire formed size

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
If you do a search here, you'll find lots of info.

Sorry about that! Thanks for the links...

quote:

Originally posted by woods:

Thats a great answear! I will do this since fireformed cases just doesnt need to be fullsized in my opinion. Then for practice I mig just size half the neck and for hunting some more to be sure.

You will find that after sizing several times your cases will not fit anymore and need to be fully resized. This is annoying when you have loaded a lot of rounds and you have to take them apart.

For this reason I stopped to necksize my .222 ammo, I used as described here the full size die set back a little (someone needs, by the way, a new RCBS neck die in this caliber I bought in a situation of "gear-itis"?)

Here, once shot .222 RWS brass is so easily obtainable that is just does not make sense, I can still reload them at least 5 to 6 times before the necks start to brake.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
You will find that after sizing several times your cases will not fit anymore and need to be fully resized. This is annoying when you have loaded a lot of rounds and you have to take them apart.

For this reason I stopped to necksize my .222 ammo, I used as described here the full size die set back a little (someone needs, by the way, a new RCBS neck die in this caliber I bought in a situation of "gear-itis"?)

Here, once shot .222 RWS brass is so easily obtainable that is just does not make sense, I can still reload them at least 5 to 6 times before the necks start to brake.

Well I dont wanna bribe but Norma and Lapua is way better! I just recently read about a guy who hade reloaded his normas 40 times and only trimemd their length 2 times. This could not be done using full length sizing. And beside from that, brass isnt very cheap in sweden so I need mine to hold for many reloaings.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
You will find that after sizing several times your cases will not fit anymore and need to be fully resized. This is annoying when you have loaded a lot of rounds and you have to take them apart.

I will measure them.

How much would you guys in Sweden pay for 100 once fired RWS .222 Rem cases?

The funny thing is that even with fully sized brass, the necks always start to break first.

By the way, aren't RWS and Norma under one roof nowadays?

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:
How much would you guys in Sweden pay for 100 once fired RWS .222 Rem cases?

The funny thing is that even with fully sized brass, the necks always start to break first.

By the way, aren't RWS and Norma under one roof nowadays?

They are not very common, and Im pretty new to reloading but maby we would pay one third of norma and lapua prices. That is for thoose who would concider using them. I rather use higher quality since the case is the most important part when concidering the risks of reloading.

quote:

Originally posted by Nils:
Hi, since i have cases that are shot in my own gun Id like to resize and calibrate my cases as little as possible to gain life length. I have RCBS 2-die set and my caliber is .222" and later on .30-06
How am I suppose to determine when the die is installed correct? I guess Ill have to screw the primer pin and expand(knob?) down very far to not let the die size the case shoulder? Thanks for any help!

Nils

To neck size I just use a magic marker and color the case neck down to the shoulder. Stick a case in the shellholder raise it to the end of the stroke and adjust the die in small increments till the coloring disappears. Tighten the die down and your good to go.

Best wishes, Bill

As far I as I can tell neck sizing is alive and well out there . I do think a Lee Collet style neck sizer is a good cheap investment .There are a number of ways to accomplish neck sizing but the collet die is the best I have found .I have been a dedicated Yote hunter since 1991 which is when I first neck sized a 22 Hornet and I also crimp all the ammo I make with a Lee Facttory crimp die . Just my $.02 worth .

I use Imperial sizing wax and I put some on the neck and shoulder and start turning my sizing die down until I see the wax pull off the case at the shoulder. Then I know that the full neck is being sized. The wax will tack up on the shoulder when you just get there.

quote:

Originally posted by woods:
Hey Nils

For the money you can't beat a Lee Collet Neck Sizer and then you can neck size when you want and use your full length die to push the shoulder back when you need to.

But, since you asked, you can set up your full length die to size about 3/4ths of the neck without sizing the case body or pushing on the shoulder.

If you raise the ram all the way up and screw in the full length die until it hits the shell holder, call that 0 (zero)

Lower the ram and screw the die in an additional 1/4 turn and call that +1/4. That is where the instructions for RCBS say to adjust the die for full length sizing.

But if you back the die back up 3/4 turn (-3/4) then that is approximately the position where you size the neck only (about 3/4ths of it) and do not size the case body.

In between -3/4 and 0 the die body will size the case body and push the shoulder forward and increase crush fit.

So to neck size only with a full length die find the zero point and back the die up 3/4 turn or more and you will size only the neck and it will leave part of the case neck fire formed size

you could try sizing even less then 3/4. you could try 1/3 - 1/2 of the neck.