Neck Sizing

oldmikb45 · March 13, 2006, 10:44 PM

Just starting to reload for rifles and wondered about full sizing vs neck
sizing bottleneck cases. Is one better than another

rnovi · March 13, 2006, 10:50 PM

Someone else can come along and correct me if needed here but...

1. Neck sizing is supposed to be a lot less stressful on the case and should allow a case to last longer before splitting.

2. The only time you really need to full length resize a case is if you intend to use the cases in multiple rifles.

Here's my understanding. Starting with brand new brass, the first time you fire the case the shoulder and case stretch to the tolerances of your chamber. Once it's fireformed to your chamber, all you need to do is neck-size the brass, IF and ONLY IF you intend to use that brass in only ONE gun.

Hope that helps.

Smokey Joe · March 13, 2006, 11:03 PM

Rnovi is essentially correct, and I follow the practice he outlines. However (there always seems to be that durn "however") this practice is only for bolt action rifles.

Pumps, leverguns, singles such as the Ruger No. 1, and especially auto-loaders, almost always require the cases to be full-sized every time. Reason for this is that there is enough "give" in these actions to stretch the case, and it must be FL resized to fit back in the chamber reliably after reloading.

rwilson452 · March 13, 2006, 11:47 PM

neck sizing doesn't require lubing the case . I do. I dip the neck in mica about every third or fourth case. it does make it a little easier.

jclaude · March 14, 2006, 08:51 AM

Check out this thread:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...ht=neck+sizing

**Unclenick** · March 14, 2006, 08:55 PM

Full length resizing is required for any action in which you want to be able to feed rounds rapidly. Neck sizing-only is best for single round loading, in which case it can be done even for an autoloader. A bolt gun will usually feed neck-sized only cases from its magazine if you operate the bolt slowly. You don't want to count on doing that when around dangerous animals (whether hunting them or not) nor for defending yourself or going to war (ammo generally supplied). So keep full-length resized rounds for these other occasions and to be aware of how well your gun functions with them.

Neck sizing-only is generally considered to produce the best accuracy because the looser a case is in the chamber, the more opportunity there is for the cartridge to tip slightly, and this has a measurable effect downrange (see Rifle Accuracy Facts, Harold Vaughn, Precision Shooting Publications, 2000).

Nick

MADISON · March 16, 2006, 08:37 AM

I go back to 1970 in reloading.
So far as I am concerned, neck sizing is BULL...
I have several neck sizing dies for bottle neck cases. Every time I use one, I CAN DROP THE BULLET IN BY HAND and it goes all the way down on the powder?

Dave R · March 16, 2006, 07:01 PM

Before the newbies think that neck sizing is some exotic process that requires special dies...

You can neck-size with any full-length resizing die. In fact, I believe the instructions in any of the die boxes recommend neck-sizing when you don't have to full-length size. At least my RCBS and Redding dies do.

Basically, just adjust your die as normal for full-length sizing, and back it out a hair. The instructions in the die will cover it.

You still have to lube cases when doing this (at least I do,) but you get the accuracy and headspace benefits of neck sizing.

**Unclenick** · March 16, 2006, 07:42 PM

Madison,

You got bad dies or dies with oversize expanders on the decapping stem. There's no more reason for a neck sizing die to fail at the neck than for a regular die to do so. Take a look at Redding's S dies. They are neck-size-only dies with interchangeable inserts so you can choose the exact diameter you want to resize to. They also make full-length dies with this feature.

As Dave R points out, you can often do neck sizing on a standard die, though with the caveat that the chamber you fire it in needs to be tight enough. Otherwise the brass may get too large to let you resize the neck as far down as you want before you find yourself sizing more than just the neck. That can get ugly if you didn't lube the case. This also likely will be a problem with small base dies.

Nick

MADISON · March 17, 2006, 06:11 AM

unclenick:
I agree with you on the wrong size expander plub.
See my post below on Speer #8 in "Which dies to use".

March 13, 2006, 10:44 PM	#1
oldmikb45 Junior Member Join Date: March 2, 2006 Location: Dearborn Michigan Posts: 6	Neck Sizing Just starting to reload for rifles and wondered about full sizing vs neck sizing bottleneck cases. Is one better than another

March 13, 2006, 10:50 PM	#2
rnovi Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2005 Location: So. Cal. Posts: 401	Someone else can come along and correct me if needed here but... 1. Neck sizing is supposed to be a lot less stressful on the case and should allow a case to last longer before splitting. 2. The only time you really need to full length resize a case is if you intend to use the cases in multiple rifles. Here's my understanding. Starting with brand new brass, the first time you fire the case the shoulder and case stretch to the tolerances of your chamber. Once it's fireformed to your chamber, all you need to do is neck-size the brass, IF and ONLY IF you intend to use that brass in only ONE gun. Hope that helps. __________________ Robert N. "Remember, Eagles may soar but Weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!"

March 13, 2006, 11:03 PM	#3
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Resizing Rnovi is essentially correct, and I follow the practice he outlines. However (there always seems to be that durn "however") this practice is only for bolt action rifles. Pumps, leverguns, singles such as the Ruger No. 1, and especially auto-loaders, almost always require the cases to be full-sized every time. Reason for this is that there is enough "give" in these actions to stretch the case, and it must be FL resized to fit back in the chamber reliably after reloading. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

March 13, 2006, 11:47 PM	#4
rwilson452 Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2004 Location: Tioga co. PA Posts: 2,647	neck or full neck sizing doesn't require lubing the case . I do. I dip the neck in mica about every third or fourth case. it does make it a little easier.

March 14, 2006, 08:55 PM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Full length resizing is required for any action in which you want to be able to feed rounds rapidly. Neck sizing-only is best for single round loading, in which case it can be done even for an autoloader. A bolt gun will usually feed neck-sized only cases from its magazine if you operate the bolt slowly. You don't want to count on doing that when around dangerous animals (whether hunting them or not) nor for defending yourself or going to war (ammo generally supplied). So keep full-length resized rounds for these other occasions and to be aware of how well your gun functions with them. Neck sizing-only is generally considered to produce the best accuracy because the looser a case is in the chamber, the more opportunity there is for the cartridge to tip slightly, and this has a measurable effect downrange (see Rifle Accuracy Facts, Harold Vaughn, Precision Shooting Publications, 2000). Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 14, 2006, 08:51 AM	#5
jclaude Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Coastal North Carolina Posts: 157	Check out this thread: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...ht=neck+sizing

March 16, 2006, 08:37 AM	#7
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	Neck Sizing? I go back to 1970 in reloading. So far as I am concerned, neck sizing is BULL... I have several neck sizing dies for bottle neck cases. Every time I use one, I CAN DROP THE BULLET IN BY HAND and it goes all the way down on the powder?

March 16, 2006, 07:01 PM	#8
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Before the newbies think that neck sizing is some exotic process that requires special dies... You can neck-size with any full-length resizing die. In fact, I believe the instructions in any of the die boxes recommend neck-sizing when you don't have to full-length size. At least my RCBS and Redding dies do. Basically, just adjust your die as normal for full-length sizing, and back it out a hair. The instructions in the die will cover it. You still have to lube cases when doing this (at least I do,) but you get the accuracy and headspace benefits of neck sizing. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

March 16, 2006, 07:42 PM	#9
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Madison, You got bad dies or dies with oversize expanders on the decapping stem. There's no more reason for a neck sizing die to fail at the neck than for a regular die to do so. Take a look at Redding's S dies. They are neck-size-only dies with interchangeable inserts so you can choose the exact diameter you want to resize to. They also make full-length dies with this feature. As Dave R points out, you can often do neck sizing on a standard die, though with the caveat that the chamber you fire it in needs to be tight enough. Otherwise the brass may get too large to let you resize the neck as far down as you want before you find yourself sizing more than just the neck. That can get ugly if you didn't lube the case. This also likely will be a problem with small base dies. Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 17, 2006, 06:11 AM	#10
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	Neck Sizing unclenick: I agree with you on the wrong size expander plub. See my post below on Speer #8 in "Which dies to use".