Sizing Question

[dkring]

Hi everyone, I have a question regarding FL and Neck sizing of brass that I'm hoping to get some opinions on.

I'd say I'm an "intermediate" reloader and have done a couple thousand rounds of both .223 and .308 but have recently focused solely on accuracy for my 308.

Here is my question: I'm running Hornady FL and Seating dies and a Lee Collet Neck Sizer. I used to keep the expander ball in the Hornady FL die but I found that it was lengthening my headspace (could be a lube problem on the inside of the neck) and felt that it wasn't nearly as accurate as using the neck sizer (I've read that it can mess with the case concentricity). So, I removed the expander ball from the die and now FL size (bumping shoulder back .002") and then neck size. However, there is a significant amount of force required to expand the neck after the FL die has shrunk it down. I'm able to seat bullets without neck sizing but I've noticed some jackets being slightly peeled away due to the smaller neck size.

So, is there anyone else out here that is A) both FL and neck sizing and B) Are you having to use a fair amount of force to neck size?

I realize that the Redding FL dies have the bushing option which might be the proper solution here but I'm wondering if there is another option without buying new dies. Any other advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[flashhole]

Your only other option is to open/hone the neck on the Hornady die to a larger dimension. Benchrest folks do this once they decide on an exact neck diameter they want but they also neck turn and uniform all their brass. At that point you have a dedicated die to that gun using that brass.

Yes, forcing the neck over the mandrel on the Lee Collet Neck Die will be tight because you are expanding the neck, not reducing the neck with the flutes that press the brass back against the mandrel. I don't think this is a good practice as excess force may cause misalignment of the brass to the mandrel and cause runout.

 

[avidflyer]

Exactly above.....get a redding body die for what you want to do. $25 bucks and done.

 

[SWThomas]

Or buy a Redding Type S FL die and do both things in one step.

 

[buffybuster]

Looks like what you're looking for is a Full-Length Bushing Die. That will resize the case body and setback the shoulder but will not size the neck. The neck sizing is controlled by the neck bushing you select or if you do not want the neck sized, you can run it without the bushing. Redding, Forester and Whidden are the ones I use.

 

[dkring]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. I'll definitely pick up a bushing die.

Some of you recommended skipping the neck sizing die altogether if I get the correct size bushings. Maybe I'm not thinking about this correctly but wouldn't the bushings just size and uniform the outside of the neck while the collet die would uniform the inside (leaving the "slop" on the outside)? It seems from a neck tension perspective that the inside of the neck is the part that counts but I'm wondering if I'd be wasting my time by using the bushing die and then resizing the inside of the neck with the Lee Collet die.

 

[buffybuster]

You're correct in your presumption of pushing the runout either to the inside or outside of the neck. To fully derive the benefits of a bushing die, the necks must of uniforming thickness (neck turning).

I am a firm advocate of properly setup Full-Length sizing. One instance of hard extraction during a match stage will make you a convert. Any accuracy degradation from FL sizing as opposed to neck only sizing is indiscernible to me. Body FL sizing can be accomplished either by a body die or a FL bushing die without the bushing. Of course the bushing die is more costly.

You can use a bushing die, theoretically pushing the run out to the inside of the case or the Lee collet die which theoretically does the reverse. Whether there is a quantifiable difference is debatable. Do whatever you feel is best.

 

[Pinecone]

Redding Body Die sizes the case, WITHOUT touching the neck.

The FL Bushing dies give you the option of sizing the neck or not, depending on your needs. And the bushing allows you set the neck sizing precisely.

I use Whidden FL Bushing dies.