FL vs NS Resizing

[hugo121175]

Up until now I have only FL sized by brass. It seemed simpler to me. Now I am firing some big money brass, and would like to start neck sizing.

Does anyone use this set, Redding Type S Bushing 3-Die Neck Sizer Set? I'll be using it to reload .338 Lapua Mag.

Thanks,
Hugo

 

[cdopson]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I'm with you. Fl is easy. I just started neck sizing with the die set you mentioned and have run into some minor issues like bumping the shoulder back. Had to take a little off my shell holder. I can see now where the benefits on brass life will show.

 

[18Echo]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I use the match bushing set. I've never had a problem with it bumping the shoulder, but I only size about 3/4 of the neck. when I use the micrometer seater I seat the first bullet very long, measure it, and then adjust the micrometer to where I want it and run the shell through again. The rest don't require adjustment and I usually measure every 5th round just to double check.

 

[mdesign]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I've tried both and have mostly returned to FL sizing. My experience is that I have less runout with FL and there is no difference in case life.

Another plus for me was smoother feeding of FL rounds. It seems that the chamber on my main rifle is close enough to minimum spec that the web area of the case will stick just a little if I don't FL size it. FWIW, FL sizing reduces that portion of the case by .0005.

NS is more messing around than it was gain for me.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I use mostly Redding "S" full length sizing dies for the bolt action rifles in my life. You just need to adjust the die to your chamber so that it doesn't bump the shoulders back more than .002"

Over sizing is the part that sometimes gives F/L sizing a bad name. And it's mainly because people don't know how to set up the sizing die correctly.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Over sizing is the part that sometimes gives F/L sizing a bad name. And it's mainly because people don't know how to set up the sizing die correctly. </div></div>

And they either lack a tool to measure it, or don't bother.

 

[308sako]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

Deleted in protest!

 

[Chiller]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I just want to make sure I do it right....

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hugo121175</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Up until now I have only FL sized by brass. It seemed simpler to me. Now I am firing some big money brass, and would like to start neck sizing.

Does anyone use this set, Redding Type S Bushing 3-Die Neck Sizer Set? I'll be using it to reload .338 Lapua Mag.

Thanks,
Hugo

</div></div>

I've reloaded about a thousand rounds of 338LM and at one point, had just about every freakin' die made for this caliber.

I use the Redding body die now and their S bushing neck sizing die with the .365" TiNi bushing. I also have their .364" TiNi bushing for a tad more neck tension.

I've also got the FL S bushing die to cover my bases in a single pass. For seating, I mostly used the Hornady InLine seating die with their micro-seating stem using a 40 tpi bolt. This has worked well, but on this last batch, I installed my Forster sleeved micro seater and it works fine.

I run Norma and Lapua (20/80) brass and have 6 and 10 cycles respectively on an initial batch of hundred. I mucked one up last session and a Norma's neck split after only two cycles.

I can go two or three cycles only neck sizing and then I do a shoulder bump. It's no fun getting out there and not being able to close your bolt.

Chris

 

[jwoolf]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I got a weird way of doing it.... I decap the brass.... then, I FL size it without a neck bushing... then, I use a collet die on the necks and then use a redding comp seating die.

It may not be what everyone does but, I have to admit, I like the collet neck die.... I don't really feel like turning the necks.... runout and seating tension is identical from round to round and the redding comp seating die does it's job too.

Admittedly, I'm pretty new at the precision reloading for rifle BUT, I've been shooting .25" groups with mine so, it's hard to argue too much.

Seems to me to be an easy way to turn out quality ammo without fussing more than I have to to keep myself shooting and not screwing around in the garage and wondering why my rifle won't group rounds.

If I can consistently shoot sub .3" groups all day long, that's going to be fine with me. This process will do that for me and my own rifle.

 

[mdmp5]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I just got back into the neck die, but I use it in the following fashion. I throw in a .341 TiN bushing with the expander ball. The expander ball doesn't stretch the hell out of the mouth with a large diameter bushing, so I don't worry about the beaten to death belief that expander balls are cancer. I run the brass through the neck sizer first, then step down to a .338 or whatever bushing the brass calls for, but most of the time it is a .338 or .337. I do this step down in the full length die without the expander ball, and only bump the shoulder back about .001".

 

[ggmanning]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I have neck sized only for the last 10 years. I use Redding NS dies adjusted to size to the divergence of the shoulder on once fireformed cases.

 

[spersky]

Re: FL vs NS Resizing

I found this study on FL vs neck sizing.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/neck_vs_full_resizing.htm