Hey guys, I'm new to the site and its good to be here.

I started reloading about a week ago and I started off by fully sizing my cases. After some browsing on this forum I realizing neck-sizing was the way to go. So here come the questions: Can I use my regular sizer die or would it be a good choice to just buy a neck sizer? Also, when I neck size with my full sizer die the bolt on my rifle is really tight, does this mean the case is a good fit to my rifle or has something gone wrong. 300 WSM, Kimber 8400, RCBS Equipment.

quote:

Originally posted by David Antonucci:
... After some browsing on this forum I realizing neck-sizing was the way to go.

No, that would be an exaggeration. Some people prefer to neck size (e.g. because it cuts down on the amount of case stretch they get from each firing), some people prefer FL sizing. It is a "Ford vs. Chevy" argument.

There is no guarantee that your rifle will like cases, which fit really tight. I have rifles that do, and I have rifles that prefer new (i.e. loosely fitted) cases. Only experiment will tell.

If I were you, I would use the search function on this site to learn how to set up your FL die for "partial full length" sizing. This is the system I personally prefer. It makes cases easy and smooth to chamber, does not overwork the brass, and commonly produces good accuracy.

- mike

P.S. If you do decide to neck size, the Lee Collet die is a cheap NS die, which produces very straight ammo.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690185

If you neck size cases fired in you rifle, you can use FL dies by backing them out until you see about half the neck being sized. You will have to screw the decapping pin deeper to knock out the old primer. Ammo loaded in this manner should easily chamber in YOUR rifle. After a couple of firings you will have to full length size the cases, though.

If using conventional dies, I would recommend at least "partial full length" sizing. If you do not screw the die far enough into the press to at least contact the body of the case at the shoulder (not necessarily push the shoulder back), then the case may not align well and neck sizing could result in an out-of-concentric neck.

If you want to neck size-only (which is normally a good practice with most fixed breech rifles), then you need a dedicated neck-sizing die like the Lee Collet die or an S-die or bushing die.

If your reloads do not re-enter the chamber readily, there can be several potential problems (bullet seated out to engage the lands, untrimmed case, bulged case during seating, etc.). However, it is most likely that your rifle requires bumping the shoulder of the fired cases back just a tad. If this is the case, simply screw your die down incrementally and test how the case reenters the chamber until you have the die set deep enough that the case is resized sufficiently to easily chamber. With some combinations of dies, chambers, and shellholders, this could require screwing the die all the way down to bump the shellholder.

Thankyou men, I'll try screwing my die down a bit, that makes a lot of sense.

Hey David

More than likely you caused the crush fit by having the full length die in the zone where it is sizing the case body and not contacting the shoulder. When the die squeezes the case body in it pushes the shoulder forward and creates the crush fit you describe.

There are 2 ways not to create a crush fit:

1. Adjust the die so that it does not size the case body and only sizes part of the neck. Adjust your die down until it touches the shell holder, lower the ram and then back the die back out about 3/4 of a turn. The exact point will vary according to the die, press, case and chamber of your gun so I would recommend backing the die out a full turn and then adjusting in until it starts to contact the case body. You can keep track of when the case body is starting to be sized and the shoulder pushed forward by either a gauge or chambering in your gun after each adjustment. This is the way you neck size with a FL die and you can size about 3/4 of the neck.

2. Partial Full Length Resizing which is sizing the entire neck, case body and pushing the shoulder back a minimal amount to relieve the crush fit. To adjust the die to this point you thread the die in until it hits the shell holder, lower the ram and then adjust the die in about 1/4 more. You need to go slow cause at this point a very small adjustment of the die will make a big difference in the shoulder placement.

Do a search and there is lots of information on all this here on the forum.

Welcome David,
if you have cases fired in your rifle, is preferable to resize only the neck, this is true. Your brass will work better and longer. Use LEE neck-size dies, this works very good.

Faina

You also need to consider reliability. This sounds like a hunting rig that could see "adverse conditions". Full length resized cases are more likely to chamber in a dirty rifle.

See how full length resized cases work before you try neck sizing only. Brass is cheap, once in a lifetime shots are not.

so true