I am so new to reloading that my handle of my single stage press isn't even shiny yet! I need to double check my thinking on this - so any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I have a brand new Kimber 84 in .308. I have measured the shoulder on a fired case with a RCBS Precision Mic and it measures .007" over ANSI min. My new winchester cases are .003 under ANSI min. It seems to me that working the shoulder back and forth that much would shorten case life a bunch. Since the rifle is new I need to break in the tube I am running all new cases through using starting loads to get the shoulders up to 1.637 and then size them down by .002-.003 before I start working up any serious loads for accuracy. Am I on the right track? Thanks to all who chime in on this one!
Help with head spacing on my new .308?
- Thread starter muleman
- Start date
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,848
- 6,364
Am no expert, but I strongly suspect that firing them once in the new chamber will size them properly for that chamber. After that, I'd just neck size the cases anyway. The shoulder will be properly set. I've had no trouble with neck-sized cases, even with repeated max-level loads.
FWIW, Guy
FWIW, Guy
Desert Fox
Handloader
- Aug 14, 2006
- 1,965
- 3
ANSI? You mean SAAMI. Don't worry, 308 brass are cheap! unless you use the European brand. The chamber on your Kimber is probably a bit oversize. That's normal for a Factory rifle. They want to make sure that you have no problem chambering all brands of store bought ammo on it. Some handloader only neck sized their cases while others full lenght sized them. Either way, sooner or later you're going to work hardened the brass and that would require annealing. Just load and shoot and don't worry about the little things. You're doing just fine! :wink:
rick smith
Handloader
- Apr 6, 2005
- 1,249
- 0
muleman, the first firing of a case will not bring your case to full chamber size. Aftedr my first firing, I neck size until the case gets tight in the chamber and then set my FL die to set the shoulder back 1-2 thousants.
I don't remember the precision mic measuring to a set number. Seems like it is used for a comparision between cases.
Get a seperate neck sizing die, despite what you read or hear, you cannot size just the neck with a FL die. The body of the case will start sizing before the neck reaches its sizing area.Rick.
I don't remember the precision mic measuring to a set number. Seems like it is used for a comparision between cases.
Get a seperate neck sizing die, despite what you read or hear, you cannot size just the neck with a FL die. The body of the case will start sizing before the neck reaches its sizing area.Rick.
Ridge_Runner
Handloader
- Sep 29, 2006
- 1,392
- 753
well I've loaded a few rounds over the last 30'couple years, and I don't even own a neck sizer other than a type "S" bushing die for a 338 lapua mag, which I use to neck 338 LM's down to .284.
I have never had an issue with short case life unless I've gotten stupid running them hard, and I seldom ever have to trim.
Here is what I do, take a 308 case and punch a 32 cal. expander ball through the neck, start resizing,make sure the case is well lubed, start with the die up off the shellholder by 1/8-1/4", screw the die down a bit at a time, when it gets close start trying it in the chamber, when the bolt goes down with just a bit of resistance, turn it 1/16th turn and lock it down.
My 22-250 dies are marked 22 varminter and I've loosened up the lock ring twice, just because I'm on my third different 22-250.
RR
I have never had an issue with short case life unless I've gotten stupid running them hard, and I seldom ever have to trim.
Here is what I do, take a 308 case and punch a 32 cal. expander ball through the neck, start resizing,make sure the case is well lubed, start with the die up off the shellholder by 1/8-1/4", screw the die down a bit at a time, when it gets close start trying it in the chamber, when the bolt goes down with just a bit of resistance, turn it 1/16th turn and lock it down.
My 22-250 dies are marked 22 varminter and I've loosened up the lock ring twice, just because I'm on my third different 22-250.
RR
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,512
- 9,471
muleman,
Welcome to the forum, glad you joined in!
As already mentioned, fire form your cases to your chamber and then neck size or partial full size your cases. When the bolt starts to get stiff on close, you will need to bump the shoulder back .002-.003".
JD338
Welcome to the forum, glad you joined in!
As already mentioned, fire form your cases to your chamber and then neck size or partial full size your cases. When the bolt starts to get stiff on close, you will need to bump the shoulder back .002-.003".
JD338
RiverRider
Handloader
- Dec 9, 2008
- 1,454
- 107
rick smith":2g0opamc said:
Rick is spot on. When you run the partial full-length process, the body gets squeezed down as the case travels up into the die, causing the shoulders to flow forward slightly. This necessitates [ever so slightly] bumping the shoulder back at the top of the stroke in order to get a good fit to the chamber.
I've used partial FL for years and it has always worked great in terms of accuracy and case life. True neck sizing may be better in some respects, but I think you'll have to size the case body at some point(s) in time during the case's lifetime.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thank you all! Book learning is all well and good but there is no substitute for the decades of experience found here in this forum. Like I mentioned before I'm new to reloading and not having any family or friends who are serious loaders/shooters I rely on my reloading manuals and what I read here! Thanks again!
