So I bought new lapua 308 brass. Trimmed to 2.005" and neck sized. Fired them and then body sized them with a redding body die and then neck sized. The brass is .003" shorter than it used to be after sizing. I have my body die set up to bump the shoulder back far enough that it is between the max and min on an LE Wilson gauge. I noticed that the shoulder is a slightly different shape than the original lapua brass. Is this normal?
- Thread starter parsky1
- Start date
Can you post a pic? Some other questions:
1.any reason why you trimmed and neck sized the new lapua?
2. Any reason you neck sized after fls?
3. Is the hs .003 shorter or the case length?
You might consider bumping based on your actual chamber vs the Wilson
The lapua brass was all 2.005" or longer brand new. I trimmed to what the book recommended. I'm loading for a semiauto and so I use a redding body die to get the shoulder back to spec and then a lee collet die to neck size (better neck tension this way). Case length is .003" shorter on average than before.
View attachment 44492
Here is a picture. Virgin lapua on left, trimmed and neck size lapua in middle, and fired once, sized with body die and then neck sized.
Here is a picture. Virgin lapua on left, trimmed and neck size lapua in middle, and fired once, sized with body die and then neck sized.
Neck size first, then size the body. It has been proven to yield better runout this way. As far as the shoulder goes, it is likely that you are not bumping the shoulder back. If the die is set high, the brass will squeeze to fill the die, pushing the shoulder forward. I know that you are using a gauge, but this is the only explanation I know of that would cause the shoulder to move forward.
Shoot 'em again, and they'll be a'growing.
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