Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Full Length vs Neck Sizing

if you watch the video and still feel neck sizing is a better way to reload your ammo > you need to re-watch and listen to this video again. there can be a pressure problem when you just neck size your brass and why would anyone wanna get hurt or ruin his rifle by getting extreme pressure from neck sizing ?

You can't be serious......there's this new contraption called a chronograph........

Something has to be misunderstood here. I can't watch the video now to see just what however.

😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

Surely you jest.



Most definitely.

Can someone explain why this thread has any value ?
Does anyone own a good reloading book ?
The solution to all sizing questions is there.
Just buy Redding or Forster dies.

If you don't own this book, buy it.

Here is the answer. I get almost 0 run out using these.Link below
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010979613?pid=481804

If we're dealing with feelings here, I suggest sacrificing a couple chickens to whatever god of shooting you can make up, and then go from there. That's the best way to avoid "pressure problems" from neck-sized brass.

Simply buying Brand XXX dies is not a cure all.

Ahh but bushing dies can have their own possible issues, such as not sizing 20 thou of the necks and allowing donuts to form. Whether or not it’s an issue for you, it’s one that can happen.

Says the guy who can't even figure out how to dyna bore coat his own rifles..........yeah, let's listen to your advice.

Whether it's a hunting gun, an accuracy rig or anything in between.....seeing improvements with neck sizing (over full length sizing) is really pointing out issues with the full length die itself, press issues, die adjustment issues, shell holder issues, expander issues, etc.

You really can't say for sure unless you look at each step in the full length sizing operation. 90% of the problems I see are with die adjustment and expanders. It's pretty rare to actually have a 'bad die' issue if the die is from a quality manufacturer.

There's a few Lee dies here. Best paper weights ever.

Good shootin' -Al

Bushing dies also aren't the best if there's a lot of sizing to do. One example from my experience is sizing thin WW 308 brass fired in factory chambers. The die needs to take the necks down from something like .344" to .331" and in a bushing die that's not good for runout. A Lee collet die or a regular FL die w/o ball works much better.

I see it from the opposite perspective, Al. The Lee collet dies are a simple answer to a very complex set of difficulties. Are there "better" solutions? Yes, but how much better, and how much money and time do you have to throw at it to solve those difficulties otherwise?

Ya know I am a firm believer in Murphy’s law, “ If something can go wrong, it will.” Now if you’ve never had a run in with Murphy it’s only 2 options.
You have never ever done anything.
You have had your azz blessed by God and deemed the second coming of JC.

I am certain it’s option 1.

Very true. Likewise if the case necks show much wall variation.

Bushing dies are designed for use with necks that are within .001-.0015 variation. If the necks very much more than that, the bushing can induce about double the run out of the neck wall variation. By design, most generally available bushing dies don't size the entire length of the case neck...leaving the bottom 1/16" or so unsized to allow the case to better center itself in the chamber. Sometimes this helps, sometimes not.

My preference in hunting style stuff is a standard Redding full length die with a carbide expander ball fitted. At times, I've refitted them with an expander stem that puts the expander higher up so the case is better supported when the neck goes through the expander.

Addressing the expander, adding a rubber flat washer between the die lock ring and the top of the press, actually measuring how much the shoulder is being pushed back and using a quality shell holder (Redding) solves most issues. Each die set here has it's own shell holder in it and it stays with that die set.

Just got a half dozen Hornady shell holders and they are truly awful for straightness and consistent thickness.


Good shootin'. -Al

Did you notice the dies I recommended can be set to bump the shoulder?I use these dies for loading for AR-10`s and AR -15`s using Lake City brass no problem.Collet dies work fine till the case is needs to be FLR.I also use these dies for my 6MM CM and 6MM BR.As they work good for me. I just thought I would pass this info on.

And there is where we all have gotten into the weeds. There is a huge difference in the answer to which is "best" depending on the type of firearm you are loading for (bolt action, semi auto, single shot) and what the application is (BR, LR, hunting).
As someone said earlier, there is more than one way to skin that cat.

Yes.

However, I'm not sure how that aspect relates to my comment about bushing dies and reducing neck diameters significant amounts.

The Short Action Custom bushings have worked great in my Redding bushing dies in my .308. I am sizing from .344 to .335 in one step with .001 max TIR. That is the worst ones. The Redding bushings would not do that for me.

I did fine bushing sizing Lapua brass to .336", but still not as straight as my honed out Forster FL die does it.