Help with resizing

[bfk4lyfe]

I'm new to reloading but I've probably sized 500 cases and never had this happen and it happened to every one of the 100 cases I sized today. I'm referring to the donut in the neck. It's a once fired Hornady 260 resized using a FL Redding type s with a 287 bushing (no expander ball) . I understand the concept of using too much lube can cause problems but im not using any more than i have in the past.

 

[Papamo]

I'm new to reloading but I've probably sized 500 cases and never had this happen and it happened to every one of the 100 cases I sized today. I'm referring to the donut in the neck. It's a once fired Hornady 260 resized using a FL Redding type s with a 287 bushing (no expander ball) . I understand the concept of using too much lube can cause problems but im not using any more than i have in the past.

Seems like your bushing is on the small size. I'm running a .292 bushing on Lapua 260 brass

 

[Sheldon N]

That's not a donut, that's just unsized portion of the neck.

Top of your die come loose with the bushing riding higher than normal?

 

[bfk4lyfe]

i don't think so, maybe I had the top backed off too much though? It was about a quarter turn backed off from tight

 

[Sheldon N]

Quarter turn wouldn't do that much. Total long shot would be that your whole die was backed way off, but I doubt that's the case if you're paying attention to shoulder bump/headspace. If both of those are the same then the height of the bushing on the neck and the unsized portion of brass should be the exact same as before.

This different brass than you normally resize and or different neck thickness? Softer/more recently annealed? Perhaps it's sizing slightly differently than you're used to and the unsized portion is more visually pronounced.

 

[bfk4lyfe]

The shoulder was bumped a consistent.004, measured that with the Hornady case gauge.

This is the first time I've used this particular die and this caliber, and this is the only brass I've tried with it.

My factory rounds measured .2905 so I think my bushing size is right since I'm loading for a gas gun.

I guess the bigger question is does it even matter?

 

[pell1203]

You most likely need to readjust the bushing portion of the die. What brand die are you using?

If Redding, they recommend you screw the top portion (the one that contacts the bushing on the top) all the way down until it contacts the bushing, and then back it off 1/16th of a turn to allow the bushing a few thousands to float freely. Lock it in at this position and try resizing the neck again.

I think your die is not adjusted as far down as it should be and is thus leaving a portion of the neck unsized.

 

[bfk4lyfe]

Its a Redding Type S full length die. I had it about 1/4 turn out I believe, so that may be the problem. Should I go back and resize them or will they be ok?

 

[V-Ref]

Can you post a pic of a fired case next to your sized case focusing in on this neck shoulder junction area?

What is the diameter of the top and bottom of the neck of both a fired and sized case?

 

[bfk4lyfe]

Can you post a pic of a fired case next to your sized case focusing in on this neck shoulder junction area?

What is the diameter of the top and bottom of the neck of both a fired and sized case?

My fired cases are filthy and my iphone couldn't take a pic worth posting.

Fired measures .3, my resized measures .296 at the widest part of the bulge and .288 at the top of the neck.

 

[Sheldon N]

If this is the first time you've used that die and caliber then nothing is wrong. That's normal for the bushing to leave a part of the neck unsized, my 308 Redding bushing dies were the same way. I thought your issue was that it was different results than the die had produced before.

Some people say that it's a benefit to leave a portion of the neck unsized, since it centers the bullet and case in the chamber.

 

[bfk4lyfe]

If this is the first time you've used that die and caliber then nothing is wrong. That's normal for the bushing to leave a part of the neck unsized, my 308 Redding bushing dies were the same way. I thought your issue was that it was different results than the die had produced before.

Some people say that it's a benefit to leave a portion of the neck unsized, since it centers the bullet and case in the chamber.

oh weird, ok thanks for the help

 

[V-Ref]

Everyone's fired cases are filthy ?

The Type S dies don't size the full length of the neck just like Sheldon posted above.

 

[Strykervet]

Looks to definitely be an adjustment issue or maybe wrong bushing.

Another thing I'd do, sort of related to this but it won't fix your problem, is to run brass through a neck "reamer". If you size the neck tight, this tool will open up the brass just enough to seat a bullet with proper neck tension. The actual name escapes me at the moment, but it's a fairly cheap tool that just opens up the brass to a specific size after sizing. Real life saver with Lapua brass.

 

[spife7980]

Looks to definitely be an adjustment issue or maybe wrong bushing.

Another thing I'd do, sort of related to this but it won't fix your problem, is to run brass through a neck "reamer". If you size the neck tight, this tool will open up the brass just enough to seat a bullet with proper neck tension. The actual name escapes me at the moment, but it's a fairly cheap tool that just opens up the brass to a specific size after sizing. Real life saver with Lapua brass.

You’re thinking of a mandrel. I would never use an inside reamer.

It’s only sizing that much of the neck but still giving you .004 of shoulder set back? If that’s the case then I’d send the piece of crap back, I would swear that you couldn’t be setting the shoulder back with only half the neck touched.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

That is precisely what my .260 brass looks like and it's intentional in my own case. I neck down 7-08 brass, and leave the last 1/3-1/2 of the neck length unnecked. It stops any carbon smudging at the juncture, probably reduces neck tension without going too far, and I think it does a better job of centering the cartridge in the chamber neck area.

...And maybe the Moon really is made of Green Cheese....

At least I can usually identify my own brass more easily. I use F/L 2-Die sets with the expander ball, and get as much accuracy as I can handle. Gettin' older now...

These days, I'm working toward simplifying the heck out of my handloading process. I have found that I can get good (enough) accuracy a lot more simply, and with my life expectancy (going on 72 with Cardiopulmonary issues), less time at the loading bench is a tempting prospect.

BTW, the picture also seems to show a mild flare in the case mouth of your brass, as well.

Greg

 

[bfk4lyfe]

FWIW, I emailed Redding and they said its normal and due to the chamfer of the bushing it would be impossible to size anymore than 3/4 of the neck...

 

[pell1203]

Adjust the die per manufacturer’s recommendation (backing off 1/16th of a turn from bottoming on bushing instead of 1/4 turn), resize one of the previously fired cases you took a picture of, and compare results between the two.

Truly simple solution to your question. Only then will you have the facts and information to best decide how to proceed.