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Old May 31, 2002, 10:28 PM   #1
mikeinfwa
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to full size or not to full size?

I normally full length size my new unfired brass with My Lee FL die .308. Is this step really necessary? or is neck sizing only just fine?

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Old May 31, 2002, 11:40 PM   #2
Steve Smith
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What kinda rifle?
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Old May 31, 2002, 11:48 PM   #3
mikeinfwa
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Remington LTR .308
Remington 700P

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Old June 1, 2002, 09:46 AM   #4
Fatelvis
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Neck sizing is the way to go, if you`ll be shooting it in one, bolt action or falling block rifle. Neck sizing fired brass, kind of "custom taylors" the brass, to the chamber (rifle) that it was originally fired in. So if you`re planning on using your ammo in both rifles, full length sizing is a better idea. (Or keep the neck sized ammo seperated, for each rifle) Good luck-
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Old June 1, 2002, 11:04 AM   #5
Gewehr98
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Had a bit of a problem with my 700PSS

when I neck sized my .308 brass, thinking it would chamber in both my M14NM and 700PSS. Guess what? The 700PSS chamber, even though it's long-throated, runs very tight on the dimensional side. Found that out during a rapid-fire stage of a long range rifle event when they wouldn't chamber.

Now I full-length resize my 700PSS rounds, and keep them separate from my M14NM and BM-59 rounds.
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Old June 1, 2002, 11:16 AM   #6
mikeinfwa
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I guess I should be more specific.

I always neck size my once fired brass and keeep the brass seperate for each rifle.

I'm just curious about virgin unfired brass. The Lee manual says to full length virgin brass. But will neck sizing only be sufficient for virgin brass?

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Old June 1, 2002, 04:52 PM   #7
Fatelvis
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Try to close the bolt on a virgin case, if you can, without forcing anything, I would just neck size. Why work the brass, unnecissarily?
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Old June 1, 2002, 04:58 PM   #8
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It's a good rule to full length resize the first firing. May not be necessary unless you have a tight chamber, but there's nothing really to gain from neck-sizing only until the brass is fire formed to the chamber.
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Old June 1, 2002, 06:27 PM   #9
Art Eatman
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All I've ever done with brand-new brass is load it and shoot it. After that, all I do is neck-size. I've yet to see notable differences in group size, between new brass ammo and once-fired brass reloads.

All the new brass I've ever bought must have been made to minimum-chamber spec, which is what one would normally expect.

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Old June 2, 2002, 12:12 AM   #10
Bud Helms
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Actually, I've first-fired without sizing quite a bit, as Art says. Sometimes the expander can help with a crimped neck, but Art has a point.
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Old June 2, 2002, 03:51 AM   #11
labgrade
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Depends on what level "accuracy" you're looking for - it might matter, or might not, & plainly might not be worth the added finickyness.

Virgin brass, I'll full-length resize & do that first fire-form to a specific rifle chamber (& then usually trim to length). After that, I'll neck & "a tad"-size it so the brass chambers to my own satisfaction - & that'll vary depending on if I'm using a field-type hunting rifle or a more "bench-type"/varmit gun.

For a field/hunting rifle & I'll want quite a bit smoother feeding than I'd expect from a varmit-only rig. That'd entail a tad more sizing/pushing the shoulder back just a hair more for better feeding.

I've never broken into the bench rest category, although have still turned in quite a few 1/8" 100 yard groups, but big game hunting loads that'll do anything right at MOA are plenty good enough - only on a couple rifles will I play around enough to squeeze out that extra few for the best groups possible.

If you want to get the utmost out of your rifle, I'd say full length resize, fire-form, trim to length, deburr flash holes, ream primer pockets, weigh every piece of brass, etc. = prep brass to the best you can do to make 'em all exactly uniform.

Then, you'll have to play with powder charges, variances in primers/powders, seating depth & specific bullets & weights.

& all the while, make sure you have a bullet that will perform to what you'll shoot. Paper's "easy," all told - as all you have to do is poke a hole, while when hunting, you have to actually have a performing bullet to humanely harvest the critter.

All depends on how much you want to get anal about the whole thing.

Ain't reloadin' fun?
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