Modified Handloading Techniques: Case Resizing.

This may be old hat to some pro’s out there, but it is a new discovery for me.

Finally learning that there are certain dies for neck sizing that are better than others, that was followed by learning that some of the best neck sizing dies can be a full length die that is adjusted just right. Those Lee RGB ( Really Great Buy) die sets for about $10.00 are great for an additional set to necksize and as back up…

However, I had a problem with some 243 cases that were used, and I don’t what kind of chamber they had been sized in, but they had no desire to be sized in a regular 243 die.. regardless on how lubed. They also wouldn’t chamber in the 243 I was loading them for.

So I went and did something else, that allowed me to think and assess the situation, and finally figure a way to take care of this problem…… without lighting my fuse or ending up having something getting broken.

What I came up with was to try and size the case, without disturbing the neck by using a 7/08 die, with the decapping pin installed. Not only did the 7/08 set the shoulder back on the 243 die, but it also did no action to the neck. However NOW the cases chambered into the Model 70 243 that I was going to be loading them for.

Now to get the neck back into the correct neck tension, I decided to just use a regular Lee Neck Sizer in 243. It did that just fine.

So problem solved. It also did so without working the brass anywhere near as much as the first case had been when I just sized it with the regular 243 RCBS die.

However, another benefit I noticed when loading this brass, is on how slick it went together. I mean like a knife thru butter.

I decided then to try this same technique on some 260 brass I was going to load up.
There were 20 rounds I was going to reload, that needed full length resizing.. and these were on their 7th reloading this time. I took 10 of the batch and resized them with the regular full length 260 RCBS die set. I then assembled the loads noting how much resistance I had when I loaded them.

The second group of 10 were full length resized with a 308 die, without the decapping unit installed, just to set the shoulder back. Next I necked sized them with a Hornady 6.5 mm neck sizing die, to set the neck back to shape.

Once again the batch done this way went together as smooth as butter compared to the first ten done the regular way.

I tried another batch of 243 again, 10 with the regular full length die set, and then 10 that I resized the body with the 260 Rem die, without the decapping pin installed and then deprimed them and set the neck with the Lee Neck Sizing Die.

Again the group that went together using the 2 step way, assembled light a knife thru butter.. much more smoother than the group done with the regular way with a full length sizing die.

Testing 20 shots out at the range. In groups of 5 shots each, the groups which had been done the 2 step way, had what I consider much noticeably tighter groups, when compared to the 10 rounds that had been sized with the regular full length die in one step.

The loads were 22 grains of Blue Dot with a 75 grain Hornady HP, shot at 100 meters.
Rifle was a Model 70 Varmint, chambered in 243. Primers were Rem Large rifle, and cases were Winchester.. for the guys who want to know all that stuff..

Just passing on the initial finding of this.. I am sure someone will post it is an old benchrest shooters trick or something.

For me it was a problem that cause me to have to thing outside the box.

However it was backed up with also doing this to some 30/06 cases shot with hot loads in an older M1 Garand. They couldn’t be resized in a regular 30/06 full length die set. So I sued a 338/06 die instead, without the decapping pin and expander ball on it. Then I used a neck sizing die to complete bringing the neck back into specs. The standard load in the Garand was shot and compared to the 8 rounds that had been resized this way. Once again the groups were tighter. Can’t tell you why. Load was the same… 50 grains of 4064, with a 155 grain Palma match from Nosler.


Cheers
Seafire
July 7, 2008

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:

However, another benefit I noticed when loading this brass, is on how slick it went together.



Once again the batch done this way went together as smooth as butter compared to the first ten done the regular way.



Again the group that went together using the 2 step way, assembled light (sic) a knife thru butter.. much more smoother than the group done with the regular way with a full length sizing die.

For fear of being scolded, I just have to ask...what "went together?" The bullet into the case neck? The loaded round into the chamber? I'm confused by your terminology.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:

However, another benefit I noticed when loading this brass, is on how slick it went together.



Once again the batch done this way went together as smooth as butter compared to the first ten done the regular way.



Again the group that went together using the 2 step way, assembled light (sic) a knife thru butter.. much more smoother than the group done with the regular way with a full length sizing die.

For fear of being scolded, I just have to ask...what "went together?" The bullet into the case neck? The loaded round into the chamber? I'm confused by your terminology.

Honest question... both actually...

Seafire,

all you were doing was the seperation of the deforming process into two steps and thereby reducing the amount of force needed per step.

For the .243 in the 7/08 dies should be ok. But bumping the shoulder of a .260 Rem. with a .308 Win. die will create a headspace issue, because the distance from the bootom of the shell to the bottom part of the shoulder is with .0027" shorter on the .308.

Sometimes it is best to get some clearance around and behind the cartridge, so that the firing pin can push the cartridge forward .001" and center with the shoulder fit.

If the bullet is jammed into the lands, and the cartridge shoulder centered in the chamber shoulder, then the bullet may enter the bore concentric and straight.

The only thing left is squaring the bolt face, so when the case comes back, it does not tilt.

This should make for more accuracy.

Hey seafire

You say it was the regular Lee Neck Sizing die, they make 2 kinds. I assume the regular one would be the one with the expander ball, not the Lee Collet, right?

quote:

Originally posted by McFox:
Seafire,

all you were doing was the seperation of the deforming process into two steps and thereby reducing the amount of force needed per step.

But hes talking about seating the bullet and chambering the round. Although what you said makes sence for the sizeing step.