Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Fire forming

I just finished fire forming 40 pieces of 280 ackley brass using factory ammo.

Do you recommend full length sizing after fire forming, or am I okay using a neck sizing die.

I'd prefer just to neck size, but would like to hear your thoughts on the subject. Thanks!

Your rifle may exhibit a preference. I load for a bunch of 308's and some of them do better with brass that has been FL sized for about a .003" shoulder bump. Others show no preference.

What kind of neck size die are you considering? I mostly recommend against the standard type. Lee makes a collet die for 280 Rem., and from what I've read on this site the Lee collet dies for the "regular" versions of the AI ones work fine with the AI brass too. Hopefully someone who has used this particular combination will chime in.

I would chamber a few to see if the are hard to close the bolt on. They should not be, but I would check. If the bolt closes with little to no Resistance, I would just neck size. If you find one that closes hard, measure it, and then you can just measure in the future. I use an empty pistol case, that will go over the neck and hit the shoulder, along with my calipers. I have a Lee collet die for nearly all of my rifle cases, and really like them. Somewhere on here is a step by step on setting them up. miles

I just neck size mine, if that works, that's what I'd do.

Just curious what kind of accuracy you got from them. Did you punch any paper while forming?

Unless you plan to shoot bug holes with that rifle, just a few shots at a time outa the rifle, I`d FLS, and save the money for more brass. I have more than several AI`s in three different cal`s. and find that more brass is lost due to primer pocket expansion than all else.
IF you do neck size only, I would suggest the die is set up to bump the shoulder back too, if needed, and it will be needed in a few fireings, then you will have to FLS. I have two rifles in AL chamberings that will not shoot if the bolt crush fits the brass, neck sizing and not bumping the shoulder, one a 98 the other a 700. Being down the neck sizing road once or twice, I now just FLS.
YMMV..good luck

Factory 280 shot just under 3/4” at 100yds 5 shot grroups. It’s a very lightweight rifle, not sure I can even come close to achieving this kind of accuracy with my handloads. It’s worth a shot. For those interested, it’s a Remington KS platform with a custom barrel inatalled several years back.

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