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Full Length Sizing. Tell Me They're Wrong.

OK, I'm going to bite on this thread and ask a simple question at the risk of receiving a boatload of crap. I'm trying get a perspective on this issue. Let me see if I have this straight.

A bunch of talented shooters using custom rifles with custom cut chambers loaded with what would be considered hot loads recommend Full Length Resizing using custom dies machined to nearly match their chambers?
Not sure exactly what the question there was, but No. if you’ve ever seen my posts, I prefer medium pressure and speed loads in order to gain consistency and barrel life. Standard chambers, but yes, custom rifles. Are you positing that factory rifles only need neck sizing and it’s only custom barrels that need full-length resizing? That’s a real good one. 🤣🤣

Thanks for the laugh.

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Not sure exactly what the question there was, but No. if you’ve ever seen my posts, I prefer medium pressure and speed loads in order to gain consistency and barrel life. Standard chambers, but yes, custom rifles. Are you positing that factory rifles only need neck sizing and it’s only custom barrels that need full-length resizing? That’s a real good one. 🤣🤣

Thanks for the laugh.

I appreciate the responses. I’m not a competition shooter and only know a few. Only one anywhere near the level of the guys in the video. I reload for several rifles but predominately 308 with mild loads in a Rem 700. I can't shoot to the precision that these guys do and I have neck sized and FLS and can't detect a difference in accuracy. What I can detect is that my brass OAL will grow about 0.003" with each FLS when setting back the shoulder about .002" with RCBS dies. So for me it’s seems more of a brass life question. I wasn’t implying anything, just trying to understand the “issue”, the basis of those opinions, and how they may or may not apply to my situation.
 
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I appreciate the responses. I’m not a competition shooter and only know a few. Only one anywhere near the level of the guys in the video. I reload for several rifles but predominately 308 with mild loads in a Rem 700. I can't shoot to the precision that these guys do and I have neck sized and FLS and can't detect a difference in accuracy. What I can detect is that my brass OAL will grow about 0.003" with each FLS when setting back the shoulder about .002" with RCBS dies. So for me it’s seems more of a brass life question. I wasn’t implying anything, just trying to understand the “issue”, the basis of those opinions, and how they may or may not apply to my situation.
It’s been eluded to already, but the brass life concern is invalid. An imaginary “issue”.
 
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I have neck sizing die for every rifle caliber i shoot and use them.
But then I do have a Redding body die for each as well and use them as well.
I use neck sizing dies in a couple of situations. My Forster .260 FL sizing die leaves the neck dia. about 0.002” too large, so I neck size afterward to get consistent neck tension. It’s a poors answer to mandrel neck sizing that gives me great numbers and results.
 
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I think an important distinction to make, especially for the newer loaders looking for guidence, is the difference between full length sizing in two steps vs neck sizing only.

I know steelhead neck sizes only for a 2-3 cycles depending on caliber before body sizing too but he also keeps track of his dimensions and firing schedule and knows when to expect chambering issues if he doesnt run it through a body die so he is still acting proactively. But he also doesnt have money or an animal on the line in a hunt or match which he will be the first to tell you. H elikes to save the little bit of time.

Would I do that (anymore), no. I do the same thing every time specifically so I dont have to worry about those issues.
But what he IS NOT doing is just neck sizing blindly and using his bolt as a press and chamber as a die.

So new guys reading this, take note of your case lengths and diameters for your pre and post sizing and firing and see for yourself when you start to encounter issues. Comparing the numbers to when you didnt have issues will show you where the problem is.
Take good notes and you will have less problems no matter what you are doing.
 
I think an important distinction to make, especially for the newer loaders looking for guidence, is the difference between full length sizing in two steps vs neck sizing only.

I know steelhead neck sizes only for a 2-3 cycles depending on caliber before body sizing too but he also keeps track of his dimensions and firing schedule and knows when to expect chambering issues if he doesnt run it through a body die so he is still acting proactively. But he also doesnt have money or an animal on the line in a hunt or match which he will be the first to tell you. H elikes to save the little bit of time.

Would I do that (anymore), no. I do the same thing every time specifically so I dont have to worry about those issues.
But what he IS NOT doing is just neck sizing blindly and using his bolt as a press and chamber as a die.

So new guys reading this, take note of your case lengths and diameters for your pre and post sizing and firing and see for yourself when you start to encounter issues. Comparing the numbers to when you didnt have issues will show you where the problem is.
Take good notes and you will have less problems no matter what you are doing.
Good post. Good clarification.
 
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Take good notes and you will have less problems no matter what you are doing.
This is a key point, notes and organization lead to good results regardless of your method. Blindly reading that a Lee Collet Neck Sizing Die is the shit and not taking notes on settings and results leads to stuck cases/donuts/bullets that wont seat. Pay attention, your life may depend on it.
 
I think an important distinction to make, especially for the newer loaders looking for guidence, is the difference between full length sizing in two steps vs neck sizing only.

I know steelhead neck sizes only for a 2-3 cycles depending on caliber before body sizing too but he also keeps track of his dimensions and firing schedule and knows when to expect chambering issues if he doesnt run it through a body die so he is still acting proactively. But he also doesnt have money or an animal on the line in a hunt or match which he will be the first to tell you. H elikes to save the little bit of time.

Would I do that (anymore), no. I do the same thing every time specifically so I dont have to worry about those issues.
But what he IS NOT doing is just neck sizing blindly and using his bolt as a press and chamber as a die.

So new guys reading this, take note of your case lengths and diameters for your pre and post sizing and firing and see for yourself when you start to encounter issues. Comparing the numbers to when you didnt have issues will show you where the problem is.
Take good notes and you will have less problems no matter what you are doing.
E99858B9-CD52-4FEA-98F1-DE19DE35BA63.gif

I also know about it’s propensity to actually to have a different speed from kinda tight in the chamber to just body sized and that’s why I tend to body size a bit early as well in addition to avoiding a sticky bolt.

I always hit my ELR loads with a body or FL die because at those distances the penalty of that speed change is unacceptable regardless on how fast it can speed up the reloading process.
 
Let me preface my post with the fact that I’m very new to precision rifle shooting and reloading, but I’m also extremely mechanically minded, have strong math skills, and am an aerospace machinist and applications engineer. I have the ability to separate dogma from fact, generally the first time hearing it. If it sounds like it should work mathematically, I’ll try it, and it usually does.
I full length size in a two step process with Redding Comp dies every single time but the first firing of virgin brass. Before I bump the shoulder, I want to be sure that my brass has filled the chamber. It usually has on the first firing though. That’s just a redundant step for me at this point. I have not trimmed the last two batches of brass that I’ve run with this process in 10+ firings each, and not a single case has grown even a thou.
I’m in the process of switching over to Mighty Armory’s sizing and decaping die. I’m told it will yield identical runout results. I won’t know until I verify, and I’m not sure if my brass will begin to grow with this method either, but to eliminate 300 pulls of my single stage press for every 100 cartridges I produce, I’m willing to give it a shot.
I’m extremely consistent in my reloading process and the current 5 die setup including a mandrel die has proven very positive results for me, who’s still learning to shoot in general.
100 yard zero.
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300 yards.
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300 yards.
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The load is so repeatable, that even my wife can do this her second time shooting the gun.
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I listen, and try, and what works, I adopt into my process. Then I can transfer what works for me to her, and so far it’s working for her as well. Except now I need to build her a gun and teach her how to make her own ammo. Fml
 
OK, I'm going to bite on this thread and ask a simple question at the risk of receiving a boatload of crap. I'm trying get a perspective on this issue. Let me see if I have this straight.

A bunch of talented shooters using custom rifles with custom cut chambers loaded with what would be considered hot loads recommend Full Length Resizing using custom dies machined to nearly match their chambers?

I have FL Forster Dies for my .223 and 6.5cm. I had both sent to Forster to have the necks honed out. My 6.5cm resizes the neck to 0.003" under bullet diameter and then my mandrel sets it to 0.002" neck tension. My .223 I have the neck honed to 0.0035 under bullet diameter and I either leave it for bulk shit, or use my mandrel to set neck tension to .002-.0025. I use Pin Gauges to check neck tension ... It costs $24 for have Forster hone the neck of their FL dies.

I set my shoulders back ~0.002" on my 6.5 and my .223.

I'd say I'm working my brass a fairly small amount. I promise you I don't have custom rifles lol....and am far from a competitive shooter.
 
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i like you guys, gals and all etc. but sometimes not so much.....first i purchased a fl sizing die...then i got it custom honed...then i got a neck sizing die because well you know....then i got an expander/mandrel die (because it's more better (i'm learning the lingo)).....now without ever using the brand new in box neck sizing die and 3 bushings, they're relegated to a shelf or drawer never to be seen again?

so now we're back to fl sizing die and expander/mandril die in addition to case length/chamfer/deburr.

am i at least in sync with current thought?
 
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i like you guys, gals and all etc. but sometimes not so much.....first i purchased a fl sizing die...then i got it custom honed...then i got a neck sizing die because well you know....then i got an expander/mandrel die (because it's more better (i'm learning the lingo)).....now without ever using the brand new in box neck sizing die and 3 bushings, they're relegated to a shelf or drawer never to be seen again?

so now we're back to fl sizing die and expander/mandril die in addition to case length/chamfer/deburr.

am i at least in sync with current thought?
The long range rifle shooting thingamajig can sometimes be a pain in the ass. In reality, as we progress down the rabbit hole, there are some different paths that can be taken. Much depends upon what you are trying to accomplish and your expectations. There truly is more than one path to the end. And there is more than one end.

In reloading especially, there are different paths that are adequate for for different uses. What works for a bench rest shooter may not be ideal for an F-Class shooter and the same goes for a PRS shooter and a hunter. Each has different needs and pursuits and sometimes the path to each can be different.

Fact is that there are processes that have been shown to be better, and more control often means better results. The balance you choose between the time spent on reloading and what your expected results are decides which path you choose. If there were only one single answer, there would not be threads like this.
 
The long range rifle shooting thingamajig can sometimes be a pain in the ass. In reality, as we progress down the rabbit hole, there are some different paths that can be taken. Much depends upon what you are trying to accomplish and your expectations. There truly is more than one path to the end. And there is more than one end.

In reloading especially, there are different paths that are adequate for for different uses. What works for a bench rest shooter may not be ideal for an F-Class shooter and the same goes for a PRS shooter and a hunter. Each has different needs and pursuits and sometimes the path to each can be different.

Fact is that there are processes that have been shown to be better, and more control often means better results. The balance you choose between the time spent on reloading and what your expected results are decides which path you choose. If there were only one single answer, there would not be threads like this.
Hmmm :unsure: ........Pretty well said. (y)(y)(y)
 
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i was just having some fun.....i'm very grateful for all of the help and information.

right now this combination of a honed FL sizing without an expander ball followed by a Porter expander die/mandril set seems to be working pretty well for me.

I did just get a call from Benchmark, my new barrel is coming in shortly. They were kind enough to install the new barrel on my Tikka m595, sparing the .308 barrel. It will be interesting to work up a brand new load in this brand new for me caliber of 6.5 Cr. I wanted to move on to a more easily obtained / commercially available caliber.
 
I use regular dies and I use regular barrels. I hit shit I'm shooting at. :) If I can get the die to bump .003" than I'm happy. Reload, shoot, have fun. :) FL size so you know it will fit. Keep it simple. Neck size once if time is a factor for ya. If me getting .75 MOA down range than me happy.
 
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All the way back in 2015 when I started reloading I was using a neck sizer and I thought I was FL sizing and guess what? It sucked, I couldn’t even chamber a 1/3 of my rounds and created pressure issues....never again
 
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