Neck Sizing Vs. Full Length Sizing and Neck Tension

[Pauleye]

Full length size especially for hunting. I tried to sight in a rifle yesterday and the neck sized rounds wouldn't chamber. Body sized them and chambered every round. No problem after that

 

[Chas1]

I FL all new brass, after that I neck size only and get 4-5 firings. After that I dispose of the brass. I hear alot of hunter FL size to ensure chambering and I'm curious why not neck size and test each reloaded round by chambering it before the hunt?

 

[C-130 Dude]

A link to all the videos mentioned would be nice. Is that allowed on this forum?

Yup

 

[C-130 Dude]

It came up as trending thread. My bad.

It's all good!

 

[SSG Graybush]

I FL all new brass, after that I neck size only and get 4-5 firings. After that I dispose of the brass. I hear alot of hunter FL size to ensure chambering and I'm curious why not neck size and test each reloaded round by chambering it before the hunt?

Your wasting good brass for the sake of only NK sizing. There's no reason to only neck size when it's been proven that proper FL sizing is just as accurate, ensures reliable feeding, and gives good brass longevity. As I stated before, I get 15+ reloads from belted mags.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

It came up as trending thread. My bad.

As a new re loader I have read the thread & found it very useful.

 

[SSG Graybush]

As a new re loader I have read the thread & found it very useful.

My advice to a new reloader, is buy a set of bullet and headspace comparators and learn how to use them, and why. And research Satterly and OCW load development, and develop a method that works for you. And don't only neck size! Period.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I full length resize everything using reading competition shell holders. Bumping only 002 at a time until brass will chamber in my rifle. I then use Lee crimp die and put a 1/8 turn crimp on the load. I anneal every firing.

 

[VinceMule]

I FL all new brass, after that I neck size only and get 4-5 firings. After that I dispose of the brass. I hear alot of hunter FL size to ensure chambering and I'm curious why not neck size and test each reloaded round by chambering it before the hunt?

This is ill-informed. ALL of the top-end 1000 yd match shooters, most if not all the F-class shooters, and MOST benchrest shooters do at least a partial full-length sizing on EVERY firing. It is important to uniform the necks of new brass by sizing but care must be taken to not push back the shoulders on new brass unless you have a short chambered barrel.

Just neck sizing is very old technology, and many have not caught on to the latest findings. You can do a search on YouTube and get an ear full. I found that accuracy really improved on my big game rifles with full-length sizing where I was tuning loads to 1/3" and below groups.

IN precision rifles, if you are using various amounts of pressure to close the bolt, you are getting flyers, you can count on that very issue. When shooting for group, when chambering the rounds, the bolt closes easily, then there is one takes increased effort to close the bolt, you are in effect changing the harmonics on the barrel vibration for that shot. We have seen this over and over again in 6 PPC's, 6 BRs, 6 BRX, 6 Dashers, and 6 XC. My 7 Rem Mags are particularly sensitive in this issue of bolt closing pressure, neck sizing just does not produce the tiny groups you want to see.

Forster STANDARD neck sizers can actually bump shoulders back, few know this. No other brand of Standard Neck sizes bump shoulders that I am aware of, custom dies with shoulder bump bushings are not always necessary. My last Rem 700 in 25/06 using Winchester brass with a hot load of IMR 4350 with 87g Sierra and Speers, I got 11 firings on the brass just Neck sizing with the Forster die and bumping back the shoulders with the bolt never failing to close easily.

IN precision rifles, if you are using various amounts of pressure to close the bolt, you are getting flyers, you can count on that very issue. The flyers may be .050-.200+ out of the group, but there is really no way of knowing, just pay attention. A Redding body sizer can size loaded ammo, but they tell you not to do it due to dimensional issues.

 

[ncwg2boatguy]

Well, I must say bumping the shoulder back a little to make the belt seat better so there is not excess head space left over after the cartridge elongates after firing makes some sense to me. I am sure willing to try that. It's just a step further than I have gotten in my reloading. Are there specific dies anyone recommends that are easy to set up for FL sizing with a shoulder bump that works well?
I'm not sure that my standard RCBS dies will set up to do a shoulder bump unless its just a matter of experimenting with the distance the cartridge gets pushed up into them? Let me know what you recommend to do this. I plan to try it. I can also see that annealing with this working the shoulder is gonna be more important. Thanks for your help.

Redding makes shells holders that will do it for you in .002 increments. Come in sets or buy them individually. They work great If you don't have a comparator or gauges to read the shoulder length of the sized case.

 

[Jim’s Hunt]

Redding full length sizing with bushing neck sizing die. Best of both world along with their competition shell holder set

 

[FLShooter293]

I bump everything .002-003" at the shoulder with no issues and pockets wearing out first most of the time. Anneal every other firing and run .003" neck tension on everything. Works great for me and I am able to maintain low teens to single digit es/sd.
Tried the neck only thing was a pain to FL size every 4 or 5 firings wasnt getting any better results that I could tell. I try and keep things simple as possible. I used to be real particular about loading and all the "peace of mind things" but nowadays if i cant truly notice if it helps I dont do it.

The same as AZ-SHOOTER except I anneal every time.

 

[Luc Voyer]

Fully agree.
I use Lee crimp dies for my 6&6.5 creedmoor, 270Win and 223win. I've done extensive testing with cannelure pills, non-cannelure and monos with and without crimp. Most of the time I get similar or better results with a crimp. I think this is because I'm generally getting more consistent neck tension. Likely because my dies size with a elliptical ball mandrel.
In my opinion any magazine loaded magnum cartridge for hunting should have a minimum of .003"-.004" of tension and be crimped, especially if it's a cannelured projectile.
Just my 2c.

"Fail to Plan-Plan to Fail"

Also OP FWIW I do a lot of bench rest shooting (single feed 95% of the time). My loads are all neck sized with.001" of neck tension. Different techniques for different situations. I'd suspect some hunt this way too. Not my style but if it works then who am I to say.

You still have to body size every 3-4 firing I guess.
For me, it mean that every 3-4 firing the reloading method is not the same which will leads to inconsistencies.

 

[FullCurl8]

Full length size especially for hunting. I tried to sight in a rifle yesterday and the neck sized rounds wouldn't chamber. Body sized them and chambered every round. No problem after that

We're those cases fired from another rifle prior?