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Should I neck size new Win brass?

targaflorio

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 5, 2010
602
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Alexandria, Virginia
I have 50 new Win brass cases for my new 300 Win Mag. Should I run the necks through the sizer die just enough to catch the necks with the size button? I am using Redding type S neck sizer/body die kit.
Also, for those who anneal, do you anneal the cases when brand new?
Lastly, once I load up some 208 amax, can I measure the neck and order the bushings, about 2 thousandths smaller?
Thanks!
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I don't anneal, so I can't answer that. On the sizing, I full size all new brass just to make sure everything is where it should be. The only issues with new brass that I've had consistently are the neck's being out of shape. I don't think you would need to anneal new brass though, for what it's worth. Somebody else, who knows, will probably tell ya soon enough
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

Annealing new brass is like wiping your ass before you shit if you ask me. As far as sizing new brass goes I usually only neck size them as the necks are usually all bent up. To be safe you could FL. I don't use the bushings so no advice there.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I always FL size new brass, just to make sure, and like said before, no need to anneal...
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

My necks are all bent up, so I am neck sizing. They look right now.
The outside diameter is running right around SAAMI spec.
Thanks!
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

Just got 500 pieces of new Win brass as well and some of the necks are out of spec from shipping. They are all however gauging well.
Im sure this is a really dumb question but... When people talk about using a full length size die to "just size the necks", does this mean adjusting the die to just allow the expander ball to go through the neck and no farther?
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

Hell yes fl resize. Then if you have to,trim. My experience with win brass is great , just have to put the extra effort in on case prep. I say this bc 75% of the time the case mouths are not near the diameters the should be. Therefore, you will be getting all kinds of metal shards going threw your tube. Don't forget to chamfer and deburr case mouths. Wouldn't worry too much about primer pockets until after you have fire formed the new cases. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dog Doc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just got 500 pieces of new Win brass as well and some of the necks are out of spec from shipping. They are all however gauging well.
Im sure this is a really dumb question but... When people talk about using a full length size die to "just size the necks", does this mean adjusting the die to just allow the expander ball to go through the neck and no farther? </div></div>

Yes you can just run the expander ball through to make the necks concentric. Depending on the type of die you have you shouldn't even need to adjust. Just set up as if to FL size and pop the ball in and out. No need to anneal new brass.

Whenever I've measured new brass its always been way undersized so full length sizing new brass for me is a waste of time. Just run the expander ball through and deburr.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jagged77</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dog Doc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just got 500 pieces of new Win brass as well and some of the necks are out of spec from shipping. They are all however gauging well.
Im sure this is a really dumb question but... When people talk about using a full length size die to "just size the necks", does this mean adjusting the die to just allow the expander ball to go through the neck and no farther? </div></div>

Yes you can just run the expander ball through to make the necks concentric. Depending on the type of die you have you shouldn't even need to adjust. Just set up as if to FL size and pop the ball in and out. No need to anneal new brass.

Whenever I've measured new brass its always been way undersized so full length sizing new brass for me is a waste of time. Just run the expander ball through and deburr. </div></div>

Thanks for the info! My dies are Dillon and I will try just running the expander ball in and out of the neck.

So would a Dillon full length size die do anything to the outside of the neck if the die is not turned all the way to the shell plate? I assume the only contact will be expander ball but cant understand the concept of using this die to resize the neck. Isn't the die just uniforming the inner diameter of the neck?
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dog Doc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Jagged77 said:
Dog Doc said:
So would a Dillon full length size die do anything to the outside of the neck if the die is not turned all the way to the shell plate? I assume the only contact will be expander ball but cant understand the concept of using this die to resize the neck. Isn't the die just uniforming the inner diameter of the neck? </div></div>

No it shouldn't resize the outside of the neck providing you don't go to far up into the die. If you want to resize the neck you run the case part way into the die (but not as far as to start bumping the shoulder back) then back out through the expander ball.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I Neck Size new brass. No sense work hardening and wasting case life unless the UPS truck ran them over.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

Agree. I also realized moving into 300 wm from 308 I need a bunch of misc tools and gauges. Even with the same caliber pills. happy turkey day!
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I think you will find that the bag the new brass came in says to full-length size and trim before loading.

But they annealed it in the forming process so annealing should not be necessary for 2-3 firings at least.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

Your eye can see .001". If the necks aren't bent load them, if they are size them.
Full length sizing new brass is nothing more than a check to make sure it'll chamber. Dropping the cases in a chamber gauge will do the same job and a lot
quicker. It will also tell you if they need a trim. Never saw a new case that did, but
the quality of brass seems to slip by the year.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I only have experience with new Lake City, Winchester and Lapua brass. When I get them I run them through either a neck sizer or fl die just to make sure the necks are good. Unless your chamber is under standard headspace, you should be able to run the fl die at your current setting without altering the new brass dimensions at all since the new brass usually come at minimum spec. Trimming should not be necessary until after the first firing. I measure the loaded round and go .001 under for my desired neck tension unless using an auto loader and then might go up to .003 under. This is the way I do it and it works for me, but what do I know.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I neck size to true up the necks. Many of them are out of round even if you can't see it with the naked eye. It's also a good idea to run them through your trimmer, assuming your trimmer can be adjusted. They typically won't need to be shortened because they are under the max length already, but just enough to touch the tip will square up the tops of the necks. I use a Gracey so they also get chamferred in the same process, which is something they also need before seating.

The cases are about as soft as they're ever going to be when new, so that's the time to do any other cutting - like uniforming primer pockets, etc.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: colt933</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think you will find that the bag the new brass came in says to full-length size and trim before loading.</div></div>

I haven't seen that on any of the many bags of Winchester brass that I have gone through. What bag or brand of brass says that?
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Varmint Slayer</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: colt933</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think you will find that the bag the new brass came in says to full-length size and trim before loading.</div></div>

I haven't seen that on any of the many bags of Winchester brass that I have gone through. What bag or brand of brass says that? </div></div>

Last time I bought WW brand .300WM brass - a couple of years ago, the bags clearly stated this on them - full length size and trim before loading.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: colt933</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Varmint Slayer</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: colt933</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think you will find that the bag the new brass came in says to full-length size and trim before loading.</div></div>

I haven't seen that on any of the many bags of Winchester brass that I have gone through. What bag or brand of brass says that? </div></div>

Last time I bought WW brand .300WM brass - a couple of years ago, the bags clearly stated this on them - full length size and trim before loading.</div></div>

By WW do you mean the Winchester brass that is stamped WW super and not WIN or some other brand I am unaware of. I have new bags of 22-250, 243, 300 WM, and 308 Winchester brass at the house that don't say anything about trimming. Not try to be confrontational or call your bluff, just curious.
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

I think a lot depends on how consistent and correctly dimensioned the cases are to begin with.

I am about to start loading new Lapua 308 cases that I ordered a short time ago. I measured on a sampling of 12 of them their OD above base, OD just below shoulder, neck OD, wall thickness, OAL, and headspace, and in every single case, they were both consistent enough and small enough that running them through a sizer die would have been completely useless.

So, I plan to simply clean up the primer pockets and flash holes, chamfer, load powder, and seat bullets.

Jim G
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

The mouth of the new Win brass has a slight rim around it. I can just feel it with my finger nail. I used the Wilson deburring tool but they don't go away completely. I have some factory ammo that I can feel the same ridge on. Is it cause enough to trim even if the length is in spec already?
 
Re: Should I neck size new Win brass?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JimGnitecki</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So, I plan to simply clean up the primer pockets and flash holes, chamfer, load powder, and seat bullets.Jim G</div></div>

I would just skip to the load powder and seat bullets step. You pay top dollar for Lapua brass so that you don't have to do any of that out of the box as it is already done and most of the case prep is done and done well. Unless you are a bechrest guy or just really anal, I would just load and shoot. YMMV