I'll be answering my own questions in a day or two but its been bugging me so I thought I'd see if anyone had any experience and would share their thoughts. I have been neck sizing for my 338 Lapua using Lapua brass and the bolt has been a little tighter to work than I would like so I switched to FL sizing. I've also ultrasonically cleaned my brass and had only tumbled them before. Will these two changes have a drastic effect? I'd imagine that I shouldn't see any difference with FL sizing but I know nothing about the US cleaning so I didn't know if it would change pressure and effect the load. Am I just being OCD?
- Thread starter rum
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Re: Switching from neck sizing to FL
you will only need to bump the shoulder back a little bit.....thats why its giving some resistance when closing the bolt. Over the firings that you have on the case, the shoulder is moving forward a c**t hair and now its gotten to far forward and you need to bump them back just a tad.
you will only need to bump the shoulder back a little bit.....thats why its giving some resistance when closing the bolt. Over the firings that you have on the case, the shoulder is moving forward a c**t hair and now its gotten to far forward and you need to bump them back just a tad.
Re: Switching from neck sizing to FL
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rum</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll be answering my own questions in a day or two but its been bugging me so I thought I'd see if anyone had any experience and would share their thoughts. I have been neck sizing for my 338 Lapua using Lapua brass and the bolt has been a little tighter to work than I would like so I switched to FL sizing. I've also ultrasonically cleaned my brass and had only tumbled them before. Will these two changes have a drastic effect? I'd imagine that I shouldn't see any difference with FL sizing but I know nothing about the US cleaning so I didn't know if it would change pressure and effect the load. Am I just being OCD? </div></div>
I've got a bunch of rounds down a 338LM and I 'mostly' neck size, until I need to FL size them. This is about 3-4 cycles.
If you can close the bolt without having to hammer it down home, then fine, as the cartridge is firmly ensconced in the chamber, so that's a good thing.
Some people shoot match chambers and need to FL size every time, to ensure chambering, other 'target shooters' can neck size and get away with a few cycles before FL sizing is needed.
Chris
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rum</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll be answering my own questions in a day or two but its been bugging me so I thought I'd see if anyone had any experience and would share their thoughts. I have been neck sizing for my 338 Lapua using Lapua brass and the bolt has been a little tighter to work than I would like so I switched to FL sizing. I've also ultrasonically cleaned my brass and had only tumbled them before. Will these two changes have a drastic effect? I'd imagine that I shouldn't see any difference with FL sizing but I know nothing about the US cleaning so I didn't know if it would change pressure and effect the load. Am I just being OCD? </div></div>
I've got a bunch of rounds down a 338LM and I 'mostly' neck size, until I need to FL size them. This is about 3-4 cycles.
If you can close the bolt without having to hammer it down home, then fine, as the cartridge is firmly ensconced in the chamber, so that's a good thing.
Some people shoot match chambers and need to FL size every time, to ensure chambering, other 'target shooters' can neck size and get away with a few cycles before FL sizing is needed.
Chris
Re: Switching from neck sizing to FL
My bolt wasn't terribly hard to close but it was harder than I'd like. The rifle is a surgeon remedy and I use it for hunting so I want it to be fail safe. I worked the die down slowly until I found a spot that the bolt closed easily so I don't think I've gone too far.(touching the shell holder plus about a quarter turn) I'm mostly concerned that switching will change the way the load shoots and/or the US cleaning will have the same effect.
My bolt wasn't terribly hard to close but it was harder than I'd like. The rifle is a surgeon remedy and I use it for hunting so I want it to be fail safe. I worked the die down slowly until I found a spot that the bolt closed easily so I don't think I've gone too far.(touching the shell holder plus about a quarter turn) I'm mostly concerned that switching will change the way the load shoots and/or the US cleaning will have the same effect.
Re: Switching from neck sizing to FL
Went out and shot them tonight and everything was the same out to 976yds so I think I'm good. Thanks for the input guys.
Went out and shot them tonight and everything was the same out to 976yds so I think I'm good. Thanks for the input guys.
Re: Switching from neck sizing to FL
Just take care to not "bump" the shoulders back more than about .002" when you full length size. Pushing it back more than that will cause the brass to thin just ahead of the extractor groove.
Just take care to not "bump" the shoulders back more than about .002" when you full length size. Pushing it back more than that will cause the brass to thin just ahead of the extractor groove.
