Full Length Size vs Neck Size

[Mulyhuntr]

Toss your neck sizer in the trash.

 

[wyosam]

Depends on the use. For anything I hunt with & my 6 dasher- full length and anneal every time. My 223ai, I’ll typically size with Lee collet die 2x, then FL the 3rd. If I push to the 4th, bolt close gets stiff. Anneal when I FL size those. Same regimen for the batch of 7-08ai brass that I use for low velocity cast bullet plinking loads.

Both of those cartridges get pretty high volume when I’m shooting them. Worst down side is occasional stuff close on the bolt. I’ve never felt a difference on extraction, but both are loaded to modest pressures. I’ve never had one that would have stopped a follow-up shot.


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[packer58]

I thought I had read some where that Lee had changed their collet die design and now slightly "bells" the case mouth .......any truth to this ??

 

[punklife505]

I've reloaded for a few rifles in the past but am still probably a novice. I only neck sized previously, usually with Lee collet dies, and hadn't had any issues.

However I'm gearing up to start loading again, this time for a 223 Tikka. Assuming I'm only using brass that was fired in this rifle, and I'm only going to fire the ammo in this same rifle, is there any advantage to full length sizing or maybe bumping the shoulder? Or should I just keep on neck sizing?

Thanks

I listen to the professionals. Eric has a video where he walks down the shooting line at a PRS event and asks how the shooters load, to a man they Full Size reload.

 

[punklife505]

View attachment 672462

LOL. I posted one of Eric's videos in this thread as a comment of why I only FL size.

 

[punklife505]

I listen to the professionals. Eric has a video where he walks down the shooting line at a PRS event and asks how the shooters load, to a man they Full Size reload.

 

[JGRaider]

Pretty passionate on the subject, huh punklife?

 

[Mtns2hunt]

Been following the Neck size versus full length resize debate for awhile on both this and other forums. I neck size and have been for decades. When I was first learning reloading I was taught to neck size.

My rifles all shoot very well when neck sized although there are a few other variables involved they shoot sub moa. I just run them through the rifle and full length resize if tight.

I did watch Cortina's video but was not convinced. I feel if what you are doing works well there is no sense in chasing another method that may or may not work. Of course, I am no expert just a hunter that would rather spend time hunting or shooting.

 

[Square Grouper]

I full length size, 0.002 shoulder bump, and anneal. Hoping to get max reloads out of my brass.

 

[Castle Rock]

I hunt a lot and shoot competition weekly, also I mostly only neck size and don’t have issues, some people seem to have difficulty doing the simplest of things

 

[6MT]

I full length size, 0.002 shoulder bump, and anneal. Hoping to get max reloads out of my brass.

For the most part, this is what I do. When the case gets hard to chamber, I will run it through the F.L. die and bump the shoulder .0005” to .001”. Although, most cases only go a couple of firings before they get difficult to chamber. I also anneal.

And as far as Cortina goes… My Mother told me that if I didn’t have anything good to say about someone, to keep it to myself. There’s really no black and white answer. No “do it this way, or you’re doing it wrong” scenario. Experience has taught me to size the brass to the chamber. With the bolt just showing slight resistance. And… I check every case.

 

[buffybr]

I bought my first centerfire rifle, a .30-06, in 1967, and immediately started reloading for it. I had a friend that reloaded, and between him and my first reloading manual, I set my size die for Full Length sizing and went from there.

I like to shoot and I think that I shoot more than any of my shooting friends, I've never shot any formal rifle shooting competitions, but I now reload and shoot about 1,000 rifle shells a year. I regularily practice shooting out to 430 yds (the furthest berm at our range) usually most of my rifles will shoot 3 shots moa out to that range, but I limit my hunting shots at big game animals to 350 yds.

I'm currently reloading and shooting 9 different bottleneck rifle cartridges from .223 up through .375 RUM.

Some years after I started reloading I read about the benefits of only neck sizing cases, so I put a 0.023" washer under my size die, and I still do that "partial" FL sizing on much of my resizing today.

Along the way I have bought a few neck sizing dies for several of the cartridges that I reload, and a few years ago I bought Lee collet neck sizing dies for 5 of the cartridges that I reload (.223, .22-250, .308, 7 mm RM, and .300 Wby).

I shoot and reload .223 and .308 Win the most, and reload them on my Dillon progressive loader, so not having to lubricate the cases makes their sizing and reloading quicker and easier.

But, I then started seeing that my .308 cartridges were harder to chamber, and inspecting the loaded cartridges saw a slight bulge in the case shoulders. Any backing off of the collet would not size the case neck necks. So I'm back to lubing and partial neck sizing my .308 cases.

Collet neck sizing works fine for my .223 cases, and I have not tried collet neck sizing with any of my other cartridges.

 

[SDHNTR]

On belted mags, I will neck size first few loadings until brass has been fully formed. Usually 3x times. Then I FL size. On other cartridges, FL size every time with .002” bumpage.

 

[Andouille]

Inefficiency aside, what about FL sizing in a bushing die without bushings or expander, then neck sizing with a collet die? This would give the benefit of FL sizing and the concentricity and low stress on the necks of the collet die. The collet and internal mandrel of a Lee collet die should to address both internal and external concentricity in the neck, plus it doesn't pull or push on the case, and works the brass minimally just like a neck bushing.

 

[seand]

Inefficiency aside, what about FL sizing in a bushing die without bushings or expander, then neck sizing with a collet die? This would give the benefit of FL sizing and the concentricity and low stress on the necks of the collet die. The collet and internal mandrel of a Lee collet die should to address both internal and external concentricity in the neck, plus it doesn't pull or push on the case, and works the brass minimally just like a neck bushing.

That’s a very good method. A FL bushing die without bushings is effectively a body die. Body die/lee collet has been a favorite of many for years.

 

[wyosam]

Inefficiency aside, what about FL sizing in a bushing die without bushings or expander, then neck sizing with a collet die? This would give the benefit of FL sizing and the concentricity and low stress on the necks of the collet die. The collet and internal mandrel of a Lee collet die should to address both internal and external concentricity in the neck, plus it doesn't pull or push on the case, and works the brass minimally just like a neck bushing.

Lee collet die and Redding body die is a great combo.


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[prairieboy]

I watched the long podcat/video between Speedy and Eric on the no neck sizing thing. I thing the reason why they stopped neck sizing only escapes most people.

It was what everyone did in there competition once upon a time. Full length sizing properly(2 thou) didnt seem to be a thing back then. It was either neck or die fully bottomed out on the shell holder. Neck sizing only will eventually cause a stiff bolt lift and close. This stiff bolt lift and close rounded the corners of the bags they were shooting on making the guns tippy and thats where the fliers came from. Speedy started making the bushing dies redding currently makes for himself only, keeping what he did a secret for 1 season. sizing the case just barely enough to get no resistance on bolt closing. this kept his bags square and gun stable, which apparently made a big difference on the score sheet.

If your bolt closes slightly stiff on your coyote rifle i doubt it will cost you fur. I neck size most of my varmint, and lr rounds with a lee collet die cause there is no lube and no clean up required. However any resistance they get put through a properly set full length die. Check for resistance before sizing and decide which die to use.

 

[Castle Rock]

There is a huge difference between what Cortina and Speedy are using and the gear that we use
Their dies are matched exactly to their chambers whereas factory dies are generally undersized and factory chambers are over spec so the brass is getting worked hugely more

 

[SDHNTR]

I watched the long podcat/video between Speedy and Eric on the no neck sizing thing. I thing the reason why they stopped neck sizing only escapes most people.

It was what everyone did in there competition once upon a time. Full length sizing properly(2 thou) didnt seem to be a thing back then. It was either neck or die fully bottomed out on the shell holder. Neck sizing only will eventually cause a stiff bolt lift and close. This stiff bolt lift and close rounded the corners of the bags they were shooting on making the guns tippy and thats where the fliers came from. Speedy started making the bushing dies redding currently makes for himself only, keeping what he did a secret for 1 season. sizing the case just barely enough to get no resistance on bolt closing. this kept his bags square and gun stable, which apparently made a big difference on the score sheet.

If your bolt closes slightly stiff on your coyote rifle i doubt it will cost you fur. I neck size most of my varmint, and lr rounds with a lee collet die cause there is no lube and no clean up required. However any resistance they get put through a properly set full length die. Check for resistance before sizing and decide which die to use.

How do you round the corner of a bag?

 

[SDHNTR]

There is a huge difference between what Cortina and Speedy are using and the gear that we use
Their dies are matched exactly to their chambers whereas factory dies are generally undersized and factory chambers are over spec so the brass is getting worked hugely more

Amen. The more I listen to guys who just shoot silly target games and not hunt, the more I shake my head. I just don’t get it. People purposely practice, and practice, and practice, to the point of expert level competency, and then they never even step onto the field. Baffling to me.