Hornady brass - low neck tension after 1st firing?

[lte82]

I loaded up 50 new hornady 6.5 creedmoor brass a couple of weeks ago, and after fl sizing them prior to loading I had a .003 neck tension. After the first firing and subsequent FL sizing, my neck tension is averaging .0005 and I even had two I could pull out with my fingers (no neck tension)

So, I opened up a new box of 50, fl sized, and found that again I had .003 neck tension. After the first firing and next fl sizing my neck tension was again .0005 and again I had one I could pull by hand. Needless to say the neck tension is very low after firing them once.

Could this brass already need annealing? Is this how all hornady brass is? Has anyone else run into this issue?

 

[justinbaker]

What sizer?

 

[joemusso]

The Hornady 6.5 CM brass is annealed for the factory.
I used whidden FL sizer and it works perfectly.
Forgot to mention I anneal after every firing.

 

[lte82]

Im also using a whidden fl sizer and micrometer bullet seater.

Joe, how much neck tension are you seeing?

 

[arnie19]

Either your full length die isn't sizing the neck down far enough or the expander is too big .Remove the expander and see if the neck is measurably smaller in diameter .

 

[lte82]

I removed the expander and the neck is still too large. The expander ball will drop into the cases without much effort.

Do you think its a die issue or a brass issue?

 

[SnkBit]

It's a die issue. Your die isn't sizing the neck enough.

 

[lte82]

Damn. I guess Ill be making a call to them. What neck diameter should I specify on the die? Just whatever it is now minus .002? I just ordered a standard set from them to begin with.

 

[joemusso]

lte82,
this might be a stupid question but did you put a bushing in the FL die?
i have a .289 bushing in mine and i am getting a neck tension of .003 consistently.


joe

 

[lte82]

Its suppoaed to be a non-bushing die... but I better check when I get back from the range to make sure.

 

[lte82]

Its definitely a non-bushing die. Ill give them a call and see if they can make a new one or exchange for a bushing die. Ill be sure and get a .289 bushing if I can exchange this one out.

On another note, which annealer do you use?

 

[joemusso]

i use a bench source annealing machine.

 

[DocB]

lte,

I've ended up annealing every new Hornady case even before the first firing, for several calibers. This issue keeps me from purchasing any more Hornady brass.

HTH,
DocB

 

[SnkBit]

I shoot Hornady brass exclusively in my Creedmoor. I've never had a single issue. I don't anneal either, just reload about ten times then toss.

 

[Rob01]

lte,

I've ended up annealing every new Hornady case even before the first firing, for several calibers. This issue keeps me from purchasing any more Hornady brass.

HTH,
DocB

Why? It's annealed when made.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Sounds like a die issue. Getting a FL bushing die so you can control neck tension.

 

[MarinePMI]

This may well be a die issue, but it has been well documented that Hornady has had issues with annealing in the past. Frontier (Hornady's brass manufacturing part of the company) has screwed the pooch a number of times in recent history...

 

[DocB]

Rob,

Not well. Feels very crunchy when expanding and when neck turning. Splits early and often if not annealed before any sort of processing. .308, 30-06, 338 Lapua, just what I've dealt with.

YMMV,
DocB