I am shooting 7 mm rm from a bolt action and would like to have your opinion on which one would be better for the life of the brass and for precision?

neck sizing, also saves you time and mess of lubing the brass.

Does this die remove the primer ?

Most neck dies have a decapping assembly installed, and will thus remove spent primers.

You *can* use a neck sizing die, but you have to be aware
- that (in general) you MUST use the sized brass in the gun in which it was fired
- eventually, neck sized brass will become so hard to chamber, that you need to FL size. It is never a question of exclusively being able to NS.

Some NS dies (e.g. the Lee Collet die) allow you to size without lubing cases. But this is not the case with all NS dies, so beware of getting a case stuck because of following advice suggesting no lube is necessary.

I used to NS because it cuts down on case stretching, and consequently on the amount of time spent trimming (I *hate* trimming!). The down side of that game is that not all guns react well to cases that chamber really hard. Some guns seem to shoot well with tight fitting cases, and some don't. Which category your gun falls into, only experiments can establish...

In the end, I got tired of hard chambering cases, and I settled on "Partial Full Length" sizing using a FL die. You can use the search function in here to figure out how to set up your FL die for PFL sizing. In general this method will ensure your cases headspace on the shoulder, and that is what you need for long case life - even in a magnum chamber (often cut oversized by the factory).

Now I enjoy the smoothness of chambering a round rather than the gut wrenching hammering home of a NS case. Your decision, we don't all focus on the same issues...

- mike

I found this info, can you confirm that it is what you are refering to?

http://www.inlandshooters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=99&...2917dcd74ed0a29fd314

quote:

Bobletroutcul - Does this (neck) die remove the primer ?

That question indentifies you as a newbie, not even started to load yet, right?

If so, your first die set should be a conventional two die set. That includes a Full Length Sizer, which you will need anyway, and a seater. Both FL and neck sizers do remove primers.

First thing you need to buy is a reloading manual and, maybe, a newbies guide.

I recommend the "Lyman" loading manual and the "ABCs of Reloading" for getting your feet on the ground even before buying any equipment at all.

Read and understand as much as you can from the books, then ask us questions on what doesn't make sense, as well as equipment suggestions.

quote:

In the end, I got tired of hard chambering cases, and I settled on "Partial Full Length" sizing using a FL die. You can use the search function in here to figure out how to set up your FL die for PFL sizing. In general this method will ensure your cases headspace on the shoulder, and that is what you need for long case life - even in a magnum chamber (often cut oversized by the factory).

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Bobletroutcul:
I found this info, can you confirm that it is what you are refering to?

http://www.inlandshooters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=99&...2917dcd74ed0a29fd314

That link describes the exact method I use to set my dies for PFL sizing. Others do without the headspace gauge, but I like quantifying the amount of shoulder bump my die setting produces.

I aim for a slightly lower amount of shoulder bump than what is cited in the article - I like .001", the article suggests .002". But I'm certainly not going to argue that number. .001" or .002" should give you cases that chamber with the slightest hint of resistance, and provide as long case life as possible.

- mike

I like the Lee collet dies but I re-size the mandrel for .002 grip.

Yeah,I use PFLS defined just by feel. I try to use a tight case for a few goes to allow for any case springing. Sure inside neck lube, out side case lube, get it off again bit of a pain.

But with neck size only I feel the need to run all cases thru the rifle to find the tight ones.
Another pain.

Same with the Lee collet, which as issued doesn't get much neck tension, so then I feel obliged to use that crimp thing.

Still a change is as good as a holiday they reckon.

I quit using neck sizers years ago. Now, I just set my FL die up to PFL resize. I think it just works better. Don't know what manufacturer you have but instructions to set the die to PFLR were in the instructions that came with them mine. Try the PFLR first. Good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks

I recomend the best of both worlds....a lee collet die and a redding body die. Super straight ammo...no lube....but if you have to you can bump the shoulder with the body die.

Just keep in mind that a basic neck sizing die can introduce concentricity issues. Runout can increase because the case isn't fully supported like it would be in a custom neck sizing die.

When I partial full length resize a case to avoid shoulder setback, I blacken the case and adjust the die down until I notice die contact with the shoulder. Then I back off a hair. Neck sizing with a full length resizing die does size the sides of the case slightly, which will push the shoulder forward a bit because the resizing die is smaller than the chamber.