Am I doing this right? Re: Bumping shoulder

[TheGerman]

I have both a FL sizing die and a neck sizing die (Redding) with bushing for my 308. I've measured the shoulder on 1once fired brass from this rifle and got a consistent length. Before I do this, I wanted to make sure this was correct as I am confused as to when (or if, to use the neck sizing die after this).

1 - Set my FL die to .003 under the shoulder length I measured. When I get this, size all of the brass this way through the FL die.

2 - Go shoot it.

3 - Here is where I am confused; since I bumped the shoulder back in Step 1 and now the brass has 2 firings, when do I ever use the neck sizing die if I am bumping the shoulder? Will the shoulder stay at the .003 bumped back length if fired again or would the pressure bring it back to its 'full' shoulder length? If it will stay bumped back I can see that I just use the neck sizer until I need to trim/brass grows. If not, when (or why?) do I need the neck sizer?

Thanks

 

[EOD350]

You will need to bump the shoulder each time, at least I do. Use the neck sizer everytime. If the rounds chamber w/o bumping you will be ok, but for ease of chambering I do bump it as I said.

 

[thrusty]

German - You won't be needing a neck sizing die if you plan on full-length sizing and bumping the shoulder back. If you bump the shoulder back with your FL die around 0.002"-0.003" you won't be working the brass much more than what just neck sizing does.

Should you want to just do neck sizing - don't introduce your FL die at all - you'd use the neck die for 3 (or so) firings and then use a bump die to bump the shoulder back (not a FL die).

I personally don't use neck dies anymore for my style of shooting. I found that the FL die is perfect for my needs and I'm content with my groups.

 

[targaflorio]

Is it a bolt gun? You can skip the fl if your fired case chambers easily. The idea being that the brass fire forms to your chamber and springs back slightly. You would need to neck size for neck tension of course... As you can tell, lots of people fl size every time. My next step is to have Forster custom hone a fl sizing die to minimize working the brass and getting a better and consistent fit.

 

[TheGerman]

Is it a bolt gun? You can skip the fl if your fired case chambers easily. The idea being that the brass fire forms to your chamber and springs back slightly. You would need to neck size for neck tension of course... As you can tell, lots of people fl size every time. My next step is to have Forster custom hone a fl sizing die to minimize working the brass and getting a better and consistent fit.

Yes its a bolt. For a semi I simply know to FL everytime.

The bumping shoulder with the FL and then the springback had me confused as to what to do. Makes sense now that I can either just FL each time or FL once, then neck size until it doesnt chamber smoothly and use a body die to bump the shoulder back.

 

[FLIGHT762]

FL once, then neck size until it doesnt chamber smoothly and use a body die to bump the shoulder back.

Here's the problem with the "neck size until it doesn't chamber smoothly" situation. When you find out it doesn't chamber smoothly, you'll likely get a stuck case and will have to beat on your bolt handle to get the round out of the chamber. It's happened to me a few times. If you want to neck size, do it 3 times (keep track of how many N/O sizings) and F/L again after the 3rd firing. I had one case stick after 2 N/O firings, I don't know why, but I was beating on my bolt to get it out of the chamber, pissed me off.

Many shooters just F/L each time while bumping the shoulders minimally, .001"-.003" and don't have any stuck cases. I don't think you're going to get any more case life out of the cases by N/O sizing. Most of my cases die when the primer pocket gives out.

 

[1SMALLJOHNSON]

If you've got the FL sizer set up right, you have no need to ever use the neck sizer. I have sold off or mothballed all my non-bushing dies, and size only with FL dies, set to just bump the shoulder.

 

[Pinecone]

The other trick/secret is to anneal your brass every so often. Keeps the shoulder/neck area soft and it sizes easily and the brass lasts longer.

 

[Supersubes]

What flight762 says! I personally think neck sizing in useless, and I FL resize and anneal regularly. People still say fl sizing reduces brass life, but that is a myth as far as I'm concerned. I.ll go so far as to say a properly fl sized ammo has the accuracy edge over neck sized ammo. That has mostly to do with what flight762 was explaining. All brass does not act the same even if the firing/load conditions are the same.

 

[buffybuster]

A properly setup FL die negates the utility of a neck sizing die.

 

[bribri]

A properly setup FL die negates the utility of a neck sizing die.

How exactly is this accomplished? Sorry for digging up an old thread.

 

[FLIGHT762]

By bumping the shoulders minimally, you will get just as long case life as you would by Neck Only (N/O). Many people N/O size because they believe they will get better case life than F/L sizing. To properly set up a F/L die you NEED to have a way to measure your fired cases shoulder lengths and set the F/L die to bump the shoulders -.001"-.002" (for bolt guns). You use a gauge (several out there) to precisely measure. I like the Hornady headspace gauge kit, but there are others.

Google videos on "shoulder bumping rifle cases". A few videos out there to explain it.

Unless you are shooting Benchrest, which is a different reloading animal than most shooters on this forum reload for, a properly set F/L die will give you great, practical case life with 100% chambering reliability.