fire form vs. full resize

[coaltrain]

ok i have a 300 win mag. i have heard guys talking about neck sizing rather then full length even on the belted mag cartrage. what are the down falls if any to just neck sizing the mags?

 

[Huntbear]

If you are shooting a bolt gun or even a BLR and you are the only one shooting your reloads, then you can neck size. It saves a lot of wear and tear on your brass. Less stretching, etc... less lube by a long shot.

I neck size for all of my me only calibers...

 

[Elkman]

As bear already stated lots of positives. Occasionally you may have to run them through a full length die, just to set them back to specs. Magnum cases last forever

 

[DrMike]

Just set the shoulder back to a minimum; this need be done only every few times. Neck sizing avoids work hardening your brass as quickly.

 

[rick smith]

Belted cases very seldom need to be FL sized unless you have a short chamber. You need to measure to the datum line on the shoulder to see how much stretch your case has on initial firing. Neck size until the cases get snug to bolt closure then PFL until the bolt again closes easily. Measure to the datum line on that case so you will know how much shoulder set back tou need for that rifle. You want the cases to headspace on the shoulder as well as the belt. If you FL to original specs on each firing, you will probably get to learn about case head seperation.Rick.

 

[PJGunner]

I have mixed feelings about neck sizing any more. In theory, when the expander plug is pulled out, sometimes it can cause runout in the neck, at least according to one gun writer. What he said and how he said it made sense to me. The only cartridge I still neck size if for my Ruger #1 in .375 H&H. I have 20 rounds that get neck sized for four loadings after which I anneal the necks and do a full length resize with the die set up to make the case headspace on he shoulder. The cartridges are loaded with 49.0 gr. of either 4895 and a 270 gr. gas check cast bullet. It's a neat load recoiling similar to a heavy loaded 30-06, is reasonably accurate from the bench at 1.5" and is used primarily for a practice rapid reload round.
I do have neck sizing dies for several cartridges but most do not seem to suport the case walls when using them which is probably the source of the runout. Just a little something you might want to look out for. I haven't tried them myself, but I've heard that is not a problem will those collet neck sizing dies.
Paul B.

 

[rick smith]

I only use expander balls if I can't get a bushing die. If no bushing die is available, I will tune a standard neck die to minimize or eliminate any runout. Polish the expander ball to a mirror finish and use a dry lube will rid you of most of the problems.Rick.

 

[coaltrain]

thanks for the insight guys i think i will start neck sizing. before i was under the impresstion you always wanted to fl size mags. but i think i would prefer only fl sizing when nessacery. again thanks.

 

[longguner]

Just set the shoulder back to a minimum; this need be done only every few times. Neck sizing avoids work hardening your brass as quickly.

+1

You're relying on this rifle for a possible quick second shot for hunting situations...? Maybe.. maybe not.

IMHO easy chambering and extraction is more important than accuracy. Unless your just shooting varmint or targets.

 

[SJB358]

Just set the shoulder back to a minimum; this need be done only every few times. Neck sizing avoids work hardening your brass as quickly.

+1

You're relying on this rifle for a possible quick second shot for hunting situations...? Maybe.. maybe not.

IMHO easy chambering and extraction is more important than accuracy. Unless your just shooting varmint or targets.

That is a false statement LG. If you are doing it correctly, there is 0 reason for anykind of malfunction to occur. If you can measure to the case shoulder and size it back to the proper dimension's, you will not have any issues, ever. Plus, your just wearing cases out FL resizing to min specs everytime.

 

[longguner]

Just set the shoulder back to a minimum; this need be done only every few times. Neck sizing avoids work hardening your brass as quickly.

+1

You're relying on this rifle for a possible quick second shot for hunting situations...? Maybe.. maybe not.

IMHO easy chambering and extraction is more important than accuracy. Unless your just shooting varmint or targets.

That is a false statement LG. If you are doing it correctly, there is 0 reason for anykind of malfunction to occur. If you can measure to the case shoulder and size it back to the proper dimension's, you will not have any issues, ever. Plus, your just wearing cases out FL resizing to min specs everytime.

It is not a false statement.

set back shoulder to minimum HS.... partial FL sizing isn't gonna wear out the brass.

It's easy to loose track of the brass needing FL sizing, sometimes when just neck sizing....besides if the brass is only used to hunt with it not gonna need to be sized that often to worry about.

 

[SJB358]

It's easy to loose track of the brass needing FL sizing, sometimes when just neck sizing....besides if the brass is only used to hunt with it not gonna need to be sized that often to worry about.

Yep, I agree, if you loose track of your cases, it can be be bad. I tend to mark my stuff to track firings. No worries, different trains of thought on it.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have been running 7mm Rem Mag, .300 H&H, .300WSM, .338 Win Mag and .340 WM through neck sizing dies for many years. About every 4-5 cycles, I will FL resize these case shoulders back to chamber -.001/.002 just to keeping the cases feeding well. Usually, most cases last until I throw then away after the 10th reloading. The only issue that I had was with the .300 WSM but it was mostly a sizing die set-up issue which was resolved with Forster sizing dies.

 

[FOTIS]

In every single rifle I own I either neck or partial resize. I never had a problem