what are the disadavantages to using a smaller expander ball on bottle neck rifle cases, iam getting a lot of drag on the up stroke i have also ripped off case necks,i have always had a problem with the neck sizer and full length sizer for this gun only-284win bolt action.

A standard sizing die is set up to size down the neck a whole bunch, and then expanding it again by mangling the expander through to achieve a decent level of neck tension. If you try a smaller expander (polish down the one currently in the die?), you'll simply get more neck tension. How far you can successfully take that depends - as usual - on the gun and load in question. Beware, though if you let the bullet essentially do the work of the expander. You run the risk of damaging the bullet at the heel, and that is the WORST place to damage it.

To try to smooth the passage of your expander through the necks, the best I have found was Hornady 1-Shot lube sprayed directly into the case, and then left for the solvent to evaporate. I hate expanders, though - tend to pull necks crooked.

Better to use a die without an expander all together. Forster will modify one of their FL sizing dies for about $10 plus postage (plus $20-30 for the die) to size to a specified outside neck diameter, and will remove the expander for you if you request it. This a great setup. Alternatives include use of a Lee Collet Die or Redding Bushing die plus a Redding Body Die (if you need FL sizing). All the latter dies are only available in limited calibers, though.

- mike

I'm not a big Lee fan but there collett dies really work.

I have polished the expander balls + bought a few undersize ones I use to use the Hornady one shot but the Dillon is better, cheaper, and goes 10 times farther.

I use Redding dies . I scrub the inside of my case necks alittle with a regular brass bore brush to remove resdue. before running through die. I just roll the case on a standard rcbs pad with rcbs case lube then rub the neck rim down on the pad kinda like you would put salt on a margareta glass rim.

Works pretty good for me. Then wipe lube off case and swap inside the neck with a dry bore mop

.002" will give as much neck tension as possible.
That is becuase the elastic limit of the brass is reached and it goes to plastic deformation, but alway keeps the last ~.002" of elastic memory.

Any more that .002" is just working the brass.

Try dipping your case necks in powdered mica before sizing. There is no need to remove the residue as it is not petroleum based and can't hurt powder or primer. Unfortunately, Lee doesn't make collet dies in .284 (maybe on special order?), but any decent conventional neck sizing die will work the brass a minimum amount and require less effort in the neck expansion operation. Also available are expanders with more gradual tapers, and ones with carbide buttons, even in combination with conventional neck sizers. If it were me, first I would carefully polish my expander button and use the mica. That's the least expensive place to start.

pull out the expander and run a case into the die & see if the die is oversizing the neck. I've run into that before