Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles neck diameter ?

Recently, I found that the Redding full length sizer (not a bushing die) I have been using creates very little bullet grip.

Winchester brass measures .332-.333 after sizing, loaded rounds measure maybe .0005 more.

I am using a .307 carbide expander ball which does not even touch the inside of the neck when sizing. I can hand seat boat tail bullets by firmly pushing.

I called Redding and asked if a neck diameter of .333 was "in spec" for their dies and wasn't really given a straight answer but was told "it should be fine."

It does not seem fine, and I would be interested in knowing what others find their neck diameter to be after full length resizing in a standard die.

The brass is once fired Winchester brass, neck diameter after firing is .338-.339. I am not turning the necks.

Thank you.

If it doesn't seem fine, polish it with a little emery paper until it does.

It sounds like his expander ball is already to small, and it's carbide. Hard to hone carbide with emery paper.

It's creating "very little bullet grip".

That's a sign of the expander ball being too large, not too small.

Think about it. A smaller, tighter hole will grip the shaft more firmly.

He said the expander isn't touching the neck.

Can't create more grip with a bigger expander.

He needs either brass with thicker necks, or a die with a tighter neck.

Exactly my point - I think the die's neck is too generous. Can anyone tell me what the neck diameter is in their full length 30 06 sizing die?

thank you

tcp ol buddy. I ran into the same problem with a 300 win mag die. I used it for the longest time, thinking it was because the neck was so short. I also heard this was a somewhat common problem with the 300wm. I sent the die set back to RCBS and they said it was out of spec. and they gave me a new one. The problem was solved, but by that time I had a bad taste in my mouth over the short necked 300wm. I've never had any issues with a 30-06 die, but will get the measurements you desire. I'm thinking it's a die problem. You should be able to send it back and have redding check it out for you and replace it if necessary....

Ok, I measured 2 of my RCBS die sets. Both of these are FL sizing dies.

1998 manufacture: .327"

1981 manufacture: .3272"

Pretty damn close to the same measurement. Hope this helps and hope you have an accurate way to measure your die set... Like I said in my earlier post, my die sets work perfectly. Neck tension is excellent/just right...

Thank you BSA- I appreciate the info. FWIW, Widden dies are made with .328 necks.

This Redding Die seems to have too large a diameter neck, and frankly may be why I've never had much luck getting ANY 30'06 I've owned to shoot as well as other calibers. Been using the same die for the last 23 years. Hate to think of the components I have gone thru trying to work up loads.

I remember hearing you say that before and thought man, what's he doing wrong??? May be time to get a new die set.

I had the same problem with a Forster die many years ago. They educated me. Reamers they use for cutting the die wear out and get smaller with use and sharpening. I was told then that after 50 passes they were toast. A new reamer starts out larger to allow for wear. That's probably why your die had the larger neck. And that's why I went to mostly bushing dies in order to get better matches with your chamber neck.

Do you mean better matches with the brass neck thickness? I don't see how the chamber neck affects the size the brass neck needs to be to properly hold a bullet.

Agree with you completely. I don't pay much attention to neck thickness other than in the initial sorting of brass. I don't believe it has ANY effect on accuracy. I mean the matching of your case to your chamber, excepting the neck which only needs enough clearance to release the bullet. "Too much" clearance doesn't seem to have much effect if the bullet is concentric. I meant concentricity.

Years ago while seeking knowledge I made a batch of cases out of '06 cases for a 22-250. My own 'tight neck' chamber! I heard about the neck thing somewhere. Fitted those cases to my chamber. Had no effect on accuracy of that gun and haven't paid attention to neck clearance (other than too tight,) since.