Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles FL resizing new brass?

Is there any reason to full length resize new brass? I've always done it but it seems that neck sizing or using a universal decapping die if you've got one, would be all that's necessary and save some time as the mfg. has already sized the case. Thanks.

I run the cases through without lube 99% of the time to make sure the neck is round. Very few times have I every found new brass that actually needed sizing before the first shot.

Depends on the brass mfg. Usually if using Norma, Nosler, or Lapua, I just load and shoot as they usually have very good uniformity out of the box. But have had some of them that werent(Norma USA) so ran em through a neck die.
If using Rem, WW, or such then I always neck size and depending on case uniformity which with bulk or bag brass can be really iffy. I sometimes run em through a full length die.
Its all individual preference and what you are trying to accomplish.

Swifty

How much time and effort does it save you guys using a neck sizer or a universal decapping over a FL die? It must save days.

Don't know how much time it saves but why get involved in a pointless exercise? If you're gonna F/L the brass, it has to be lubed. Then it has to be cleaned. Both of those things take time.
If you want to take it further, as you inspect each case for flaws, (which I assume everyone does) bump only the ones that seem out of round over the resizing ball.

Exactly.

I usually run new brass over the expander ball to make neck tension uniform, then load it and go shooting. With new brass this doesn't require any lube.

There are two potential downsides to FL resizing new brass. First, in standard dies the neck can be pulled out of round with the case body, and new brass is usually very straight. (Pushing the neck over an expander ball doesn't cause the same problem; it's only when pulling the neck back over an expander ball that problems can occur.)

Second, unless your dies are already adjusted to the headspace if your rifle, they can size new brass too short. This will cause case separations in a few reloadings. This is common when handloaders set FL dies according to the manufacturer's instructions, which usually suggest screwing-in the die until it contacts the shell-holder.

I've lost count of the number of times somebody's complained on the Campfire about case separations with new brass. In every instance they were FL resizing the brass, creating a little xcess headspace.

I do the same as Michigan Scot

I'm with MD and MS, with the caveat that you SHOULD inspect every case in new brass piles. Just a visual for anomalies. I keep a nail set handy and dented necks get a shove to make the opening round and ready for the expander.
Sizing is usually with a neck die, and I pay a lot of attention to the feel over the neck, for "same-same," "tight" and/or "loose." The idea is consistency over the long run without the voodoo of turning necks or other "fun."
Once I've done the necking/rounding, then I will chamfer all the necks before the first seat. You can either just kiss them by hand, or you can set up for a standard trim, which will also help you detect cases that are out of spec.
I suppose there might be times when FL is needed, but only if you run a short test (say 10-15 of the first cases in the batch) and find out your chambering is not as usual. Then the voodoo of finding the right die setting begins, but such is very unusual in this day and age, especially with new unfired brass.

I do it... just to eliminate any problems, which always seem to have my name at the top of the list...

but then again, I am not in a hurry when I hand load...

I sort of like to use handloading as an escape, the same why the wife likes to disappear from reality by watching the damned TV...

I at least neck size each one..., then bump the shoulder back with a body die... frequently...

but then I hard seem to be reloading much new brass in my life..

Definitely resize new brass since brass manufacturers don't know what they're doing.

Also, when you buy a box of cartridges, you should really disassemble them, check to make sure the powder charge is correct, weight the bullets to be sure the weights are right and resize those cases as well.

I FL resize all new bottle-neck cases.
If new straight-wall cases, I'll run them through the expander die and then the FL size.

Grumulkin,

Excellent advice, but you should also replace all the primers, as everybody knows ammunition manufacturers don't know how to make primers either.

This question gets asked more times than I can count and the above answers are usaually the same. The one answer I've yet to see is using a Siclair expanding die. Am I the only one here that has one with a set of mandrals for all calibers? MD, please chime in on such a valuable tool.

I'm sorry. You're right. I forgot that.

You two made my day ! E

You can stop doing that.

You're welcome.


Travis

No I won't - Thank you

Good to know there are people out there who stick to their principles.

Would appreciate hearing why you size 'em.

I reload for about a dozen calibers.

For about 3/4 of those, I neck size only, and/or bump back the shoulders as needed if bottleneck.

For others, I have surprisingly found better accuracy out of fully FL resized brass. This is especially the case in my Semi-auto's. I also have a 17 Fireball that shoots in the 3's but only if I FL resize the brass. My other Fireball like the brass neck sized only. Go figure. My .223 gets FL resized, and my RRA AR15 appreciates that as well.

So in these cases, for consistency's sake, I will Fl resize new brass out of the bag, and they DO resize. I can measure it, and it's clear the brass is being worked.

I have never had a case head separation in my life, by the way.

So for those who say FL resizing out of the bag is a waste, it's not for me.

Ok. Don't forget to clean the primer pockets before they get dirty.

Also, uniform the flash hole after each firing.


Travis