Re: Long range AR reloading die set questions.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Creature</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not to hijack but: I use a Lee neck sizing die and a Redding micrometer seating die. Am I losing anything by using the Lee for neck sizing? </div></div>
I'll continue the hijack, but I think this little side discussion is proper for this thread, where we are talking about LR handloading for an AR.
I have nothing against Lee dies, I'm sure they are fine; what I have an issue with is neck sizing in general and especially neck sizing for an AR-15. I realise that a lot of people think neck sizing is the greatest thing for brass longevity and for optimum accuracy, I just happen to think they are wrong. Neck sizing has its place, but not in any rifle that is used at the hide.
When you start with new brass, it has a certain internal volume, after the first firing the internal volume is different and if you do not resize it it will not be the same as the load prior to it. The next time you load this brass and shoot it, it will have yet another internal volume. At soe point, you decide that it is now too thight and you use a body of FL sizing die and you try to squeeze the die back to its original size. This means the next load after the body size will ben in a case that has a very different volume compared to the last load befor the body die application. Then the brass grows again. As you can see, there is no consistency with neck sizing. If you never used a body die and got 20-30 loads out of it, then I would say, you are using dies with a consistent volume after the first 3-4 firings, but that does not happen except for benchresters.
On the other hand using a FL die, especialy a bushing die, you can be surgically accurate in putting the brass back to the same dimension every time and carefully pushing back the shoulder just a few thousands. The internal volume will remain far more consistent that way and the brass gets worked vey little every time, instead of one big crank with a body every few loads. The use of the bushing with the appropriate size for the brass you are using ensures that you do not overwork the neck by crunching it down too much and then expanding it back (and stretching it) with an expander ball.
My Match AR has an extremely tight chamber and I have taken to using a Redding small base bushing die to resize the brass; the effort required at resizing is minimal. For my other ARs, I use a regular Redding bushing die.
So, that's my story; I use busing dies without expander balls and when the necksplits or the primers won't stay in, I toss the brass. I do not get case seperation and I believe I get better load to load consistency FL sizing as opposed to neck sizing and a body die every few loads.
If you neck size and you have to use a body or Fl die, ever, you are not getting the load-to-load consistency that you think you are.