Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Sizing question for hunting rifles

How often are you guys full-length sizing your brass for your bolt action hunting rifles?

Only when a case in a batch gets a bit sticky.

It would be a different matter if I was hunting something that might eat me.

If you're thinking about going all Redding then just get the Master Hunter set with the regular FL die and the Competition seating die. Add the carbide expander ball if it's available in the size you need. Set the FL die to size and bump the shoulder back about .002" which will preserve the brass and assure smooth chambering.

I PFL size everything all the time. Hunting to match grade competition ammo, makes no difference. You want 100% reliable ammo. That goes for bullet seating as well. Always .020"+ off the lands for reliability..

Forster seems to be a little harder to come by right now, so Redding was my thought. Trying to get what I can, while I can and to be honest, aside from 270 brass, I've got a darn good start.

I FL size my hunting brass every time. I didn't for the 350 mag I had but I had the Redding 3 die set if I needed to FL size the brass.

My process - starting with new brass.

1. Fireforming and initial load development. Straighten up necks as necessary before seating bullets.

2. Neck size and fine tune hunting load for speed and accuracy

3. Full length size for hunting rounds (in reality this is Redding body die + Lee collet neck sizer) Adjust FL/body die for no bolt resistance. I don't use a Stoney Point or any other guage to determine the exact amount of shoulder setback, but I'm starting with the die backed out and adjusting it incrementally until I get to no bolt resistance. Run each sized case (or every other one at a minimum) thru the chamber to ensure this. After bullets are seated (0.020" + off the lands) I run a few to make sure they still chamber to my satisfaction.

Yep; depends upon the rifle, the load, and the brass.

I do it every time.

Why take a chance.

I always full length size hunting ammo, and always check it all for feeding with full magazine. For rifles I use to hunt, all ammo for them gets full length sizing (I have many times used my off the shelf loads for a hunt that I didn’t plan for).

I usually just neck size with a collet die, when clambering starts to get tight I anneal and push the shoulder back with a body die and trim. Its maybe every 4-6 firings. I do the same for hunting ammo, but will test each round for easy clambering before taking it hunting.

Almost never

I'm not a believer in full-length sizing, unless I am using brass shot in another rifle. I keep my brass sorted by rifle.

Yep

I’ve tried Lee Collet dies in three calibers and in each case the rounds got sticky after three loadings. Resizing with a full length resizing die (Redding in each case) does no good. The fl resized case is still sticky.....bolt closing on a loaded round is tough. What am I doing wrong?

Do you know if you've really moved the shoulder back a couple of thousandths?

Mostly load for multiple rifles in same chambering, I full length size every time.

Me too.

Every time, all the time. No problems with chamber fit or accuracy. If you have an accuracy problem, something else is wrong.

I only FL size but to only bump the shoulder 0.002”. Fireforming new brass moves the shoulder 0.0065”. Setting your FL sizer to bump only 0.002” is a bit tedious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htvk1UYOXm8

1. Fireform
2. FL size with 0.002” shoulder bump with expander ball removed
3. Run through a Sinclair expander mandrel die to set neck tension to 0.001”

Of course this isn’t necessary for “just hunting ammo” but I find this works my brass as minimally as possible and helps keep low ES/SD values. I trim my brass using the Little Crow WFT which index’s off the shoulder of FL sized brass.