Friends-

The other night I was reading an article written in "Precision Shooting" by Dick Wright that stated that the Benchrest and Accuracy community is/was going back to full length resizing as opposed to Neck sizing. The main reason cited was to minimize chambering problems with cases that have been hardened by multiple firings coupled with what I will call "Shoulder Creep" or the forward advance of the shoulder after multiple firings without the approptiate shoulder set-back provided by full length sizing.

I am not a benchrest shooter but, I do try to load my rounds using benchrest techniques. I have several questions.

When did this change take place?

Is this change in doctrine real or not?

Thanks in advance.

30 caliber. The BR folks shoot extremely hot loads. For several years now they have been using shoulder "bump" dies instead of just neck sizing. All the work is done at the case prep stage, and even though full length sizing, they still use (I believe) an arbor press!
Peter.

I had been neck-sizing only for my 22-250 rounds for a while, but found I was having terrible problems with extraction in my gun. Went back to f-l sizing, and my problem is fixed.

It is true that the majority of benchresters full length size every time. The reason is to not allow cases to become sticky when closing or opening the bolt. This disrupts the gun in the bags.

However, by far, most use a custom sizing die that only sizes .001 or .002", instead of several tho' or more that is found in production dies. The idea with custom dies is to reduce the brass only enough to clear the chamber, no more. Production dies have to deal with many manufacturers of guns/chambers. A custom BR chamber is held to very close tolerances, and a special die can be made.

You can adjust your sizing die to the minimum of sizing to not work the brass too much. Don't follow the directions that came with the die. Keep sizing a fired case, starting with the die a little high in the press. Then size and check by chambering the case. It is best to do this after taking the firing pin out of the bolt, so you feel the brass, nothing else. Keep lowering the die until the bolt closes with just a hint of feel, not dropping closed. This way, you have not pushed the shoulder back too far, only enough to close neatly in your gun. your brass will last longer.

With the slop most factory rifle chambers have you and I are better off FL sizing. It seems like more work but the ammo shoots so well.

The Lee Collet dies are an excellent design. That's the way to neck size.

When using standard RCBS dies, i find the full length sizing die to be more accurate than using the RCBS neck sizing die. Shooting a 243win. Brass life is about the same. I find the neck area is worked the same with both dies. No extended case life from just neck sizing as all cases split in the neck area. Redding type S full length sizing bushing dies are what i use now, with the RCBS FL die used before neck turning the brass.

I neck size only, when I can get away with it. Understand that most factory neck sizing dies don't support the case for this operation, and runout can become an issue. Careful attention to setting up your neck die can abate this problem, but it will eventually get to the point that full length resizing and annealing are necessary. There are neck dies available that practically eliminate runout, but they cost more than standard neck dies. You get what you pay for. If your rifle has a well cut chamber, you can more easily get away with neck sizing only. Compare neck sized loads to full length resized loads over a chronograph and for group size. The difference may be significant enough to justify neck sizing, or it may not be worth it. Your rifle will tell you.

I'm another advocate of the Lee collet neck die. It's cheaper than practically any other neck die and it makes very concentric ammo. Because it's made by Lee, however, it can require a little attention (polishing burrs and tooling marks) before it works its best, but once you get it right, it's hard to beat it.