Which expander mandrel are you using?

[padom]

Caliber Specific Expander Mandrel Kits

Our caliber specific expander mandrels are available in .0005” increments in calibers 22 to 338 and will range from .001” above bullet diameter to at least .003” below bullet diameter depending on caliber. This will allow the reloader to find proper neck tension to fine-tune their loads. The...

21stcenturyinnovation.com

Exactly like I said, designed for setting desired amount of neck tension....

 

[MarinePMI]

Expander mandrels are not what overworks the brass...The die itself, in this case a FL sizing die is what overworks the brass (squeezes it down)... The mandrel opens it back up after its already been excessively squeezed down.. Different size mandrels are so you can pick your desired final neck tension.. .001, .002, .003, etc...

Overworking of the brass happens when its excessively squeezed down way more than necessary, thats got nothing to do with a mandrel...

Oh I get what you're saying, I guess I should have been more succinct.

I anneal every firing, so even if the die sizes/squeezes the neck down "too much", my point is, what does it matter? If the case is annealed, then sized without an expanding button, then run over an expansion mandrel (to set neck tension), I don't really see an issue with it being "overworked".

IDK, maybe we're all just arguing the little stuff...but using my method above, I've never really seen adverse effects (or benefits) from having "honed" dies (or otherwise) overworking the necks on properly annealed brass.

I suppose it's just differences in expectations and process, by different reloaders.

 

[padom]

Oh I get what you're saying, I guess I should have been more succinct.

I anneal every firing, so even if the die sizes/squeezes the neck down "too much", my point is, what does it matter? If the case is annealed, then sized without an expanding button, then run over an expansion mandrel (to set neck tension), I don't really see an issue with it being "overworked".

IDK, maybe we're all just arguing the little stuff...but using my method above, I've never really seen adverse effects (or benefits) from having "honed" dies (or otherwise) overworking the necks on properly annealed brass.

I suppose it's just differences in expectations and process, by different reloaders.

I think we may be splitting hairs here but I don't annealing every firing...I annealing after 3 firings and have found my best accuracy and lowest SD's the 2nd and 3rd firing after annealing....

Whatever works for you. More than 1 way to do it. As long as you're getting good results that's all that matters

 

[6.5SH]

Here are some actual numbers I just took from a factory Forster .223rem Full Length sizing die showing what Im talking about (not honed).

LC 5.56 Fired Case Neck Diameter - 0.252"
LC 5.56 Case Neck Sized in Forster (no expander button/rod) - 0.239"
LC 5.56 Case Neck run in 21st Century Mandrel after above Forster Sizing - 0.244"
LC Loaded Case Neck Diameter with a 73 ELD - 0.246"


So, this FL sizing die is squeezing this neck done 0.013"
Then the button or mandrel is opening it back up 0.005"

My honed dies and FL Bushing dies are setup to only squeeze that neck down 0.004" under loaded and only open it back up .002 to give me .002 neck tension. So its working the brass half as much. How much this matters and how much more brass life does it give? I dont know. What I do know is my primer pockets go before anything else. Ive never seen a split neck or any issues like that....

Just some numbers to digest and better understand what Im talking about. This example is on the better side. Ive seen a lot of dies squeeze necks down even much farther.... Also, this is just with 1 manufacturer of .223/5.56 brass... If I grab a different type of .223rem or 5.56 brass, these numbers are going to change, this is where you loose control.... But if you had a FL bushing die, you can just swap bushings to keep the same amount of neck sizing between different brands of brass (varying neck thicknesses)...

I have a Hornady full length .223 die with a neck diameter of 0.227", Hornady support tried to claim this is normal.
Other dies I have are 0.242-.243 range. Insanity.