Best Methods To Neck Size Bottleneck Case With FL Sizing Die?

[dangerranger60]

I bought lee neck sizers for a few cartridges. I am not thrilled about how they work, but they will size the neck.
I prefer true neck sizers, where I can also bump the shoulder as I size it.
I have both bushing and fixed diameter neck sizer dies. I really cannot tell the difference between the sized cartridge, and frankly don't mess with tension where I will need a bushing change.
Like @dangerranger60 , I have three different instances of multiple guns in the same cartridge. It's a PITA to track them when using neck sizing, but IMO worth it.

I'm with you that it is worth it for only a couple of varmint rifles. Those it has worked out very well. but for ammo I share with family it was just a headache!

 

[Spitpatch]

Ditto this.

I did the same long ago but saw no advantage for my shooting.

It's not your shooting to which it grants the advantage.

 

[Spitpatch]

I saw a youtube once (which I can't find this morning) of a guy wandering around at a major long range match asking the best shooters if they full length sized or neck sized. Almost all of them said they full length size..

Eric Cortina. Shameless self-promoter who got caught red-handed trying to completely re-define "Full Length Resizing" as some breakthrough technique.

What Mr. Cortina does (when he was pinned down to it) is "Partial Sizing" ('shoulder bumps and all that jazz) and has absolutely no relevance to the common, accepted, and long-time definition of Full Length Resizing (which is and always has been running a fired cartridge fully into an F.L. die, returning it to SAAMI factory dimensions each time such is done). No shoulder bumpin' to a pre-ordained specific measurement.

 

[P7M13]

Eric Cortina. Shameless self-promoter who got caught red-handed trying to completely re-define "Full Length Resizing" as some breakthrough technique.

What Mr. Cortina does (when he was pinned down to it) is "Partial Sizing" ('shoulder bumps and all that jazz) and has absolutely no relevance to the common, accepted, and long-time definition of Full Length Resizing (which is and always has been running a fired cartridge fully into an F.L. die, returning it to SAAMI factory dimensions each time such is done). No shoulder bumpin' to a pre-ordained specific measurement.

I watched his video on that, noted it was a bunch of doublespeak, and haven't watched him since.
The title was something like "Stop neck sizing", but that was basically what he was proposing.

 

[Spitpatch]

I watched his video on that, noted it was a bunch of doublespeak, and haven't watched him since.
The title was something like "Stop neck sizing", but that was basically what he was proposing.

The "danger" I saw in his commandeering and redefining of the term "Full Length Resizing" , is that handloaders of lesser experience think he means what the term has always meant, and may never experiment with any lesser sizing efforts, even for guns they might own that would benefit greatly.

He would argue that in fact he is "sizing the entire length of the case", (with ultra-custom, micro-adjustable, chamber specific dies) and therefore is justified in his sales pitch and glory of "discovery".

 

[P7M13]

The "danger" I saw in his commandeering and redefining of the term "Full Length Resizing" , is that handloaders of lesser experience think he means what the term has always meant, and may never experiment with any lesser sizing efforts, even for guns they might own that would benefit greatly.

He would argue that in fact he is "sizing the entire length of the case", (with ultra-custom, micro-adjustable, chamber specific dies) and therefore is justified in his sales pitch and glory of "discovery".

Your explanation is a much more accurate and eloquent way to describe what his video was about. My knuckle-dragger conclusion was "neck size with shoulder bump." And I didn't see it as any different than what I was doing. It certainly wasn't true FL resizing.
My whole purpose to neck shoulder bumping was to save brass by not working it so much.

 

[Spitpatch]

I use another cartridge's sizing die quite often to do the "Neck and Bump". Fireball works great for .222 and .223, etc.

 

[arakboss]

You're looking at problems with each additional loading if you're only neck sizing. At some point it won't chamber reliably.

I've done neck sizing only and personally, I prefer to full length size but only bump the shoulder back .001"-.003" depending on the platform. This way you're not over working the brass and you're creating an exact with each resize.

How do you measure the amount you are bumping the shoulder back and how should I adjust my die to accomplish this?

 

[arrowshooter]

How do you measure the amount you are bumping the shoulder back and how should I adjust my die to accomplish this?

You will need a Comparator to measure it. Start by measuring a fired case with the primer removed. Setup your sizing die to just off the shell holder. Run brass through the die and measure. Adjust die until you reach desired bump. General rule is .001 - .002 for bolt guns, and .003 - .004 for semi-auto.

Also, I would never run a FL Sizing Die dry. Always lube, or invest in a Stuck Case Remover and some spare die bodies.

 

[arakboss]

You will need a Comparator to measure it. Start by measuring a fired case with the primer removed. Setup your sizing die to just off the shell holder. Run brass through the die and measure. Adjust die until you reach desired bump. General rule is .001 - .002 for bolt guns, and .003 - .004 for semi-auto.

Also, I would never run a FL Sizing Die dry. Always lube, or invest in a Stuck Case Remover and some spare die bodies.

I don't have a comparator so looks like I will stick with partial sizing for now. I need a decent pair of digital calipers too, my FA calipers are junk.

I have to remember to try and keep things simple.

 

[arrowshooter]

I have to remember to try and keep things simple.

Set your die up to touch the shell holder and go. You'll know if you'll need to smidge it down a touch.

Note: Have a designated shell holder for each sizing die. They can vary in height which makes a difference.

 

[Spitpatch]

You will need a Comparator to measure it. Start by measuring a fired case with the primer removed. Setup your sizing die to just off the shell holder. Run brass through the die and measure. Adjust die until you reach desired bump. General rule is .001 - .002 for bolt guns, and .003 - .004 for semi-auto.

Also, I would never run a FL Sizing Die dry. Always lube, or invest in a Stuck Case Remover and some spare die bodies.

No comparator needed to achieve proper "shoulder bump" for any given firearm, unless one likes looking at numbers.

Straight walled FL sizing dies, carbide-lined need no lube.

 

[arrowshooter]

No comparator needed to achieve proper "shoulder bump" for any given firearm, unless one likes looking at numbers.

Correct, but the OP did ask "How do you measure?"

Straight walled FL sizing dies, carbide-lined need no lube.

On paper, but this conversation is about "neck" and "shoulder".

 

[Spitpatch]

Correct, but the OP did ask "How do you measure?"

On paper, but this conversation is about "neck" and "shoulder".

The gun measures it.

The Comparator assigns a number to what's been accomplished.

Your FL die statement was all-encompassing. Clarification was appropriate for a newer reloader.

 

[arrowshooter]

The gun measures it.

The Comparator assigns a number to what's been accomplished.

Your FL die statement was all-encompassing. Clarification was appropriate for a newer reloader.

Agreed

 

[Spitpatch]

Agreed

....and I'm not finding where the OP mentioned measuring anything.

 

[arrowshooter]

How do you measure the amount you are bumping the shoulder back and how should I adjust my die to accomplish this?