When do you size?

[The Lawn Ranger]

Lately, I have been sizing brass prior to tumbling in stainless media.

I use Redding FS Comp dies with bushing inserts w/ 6.5x 47 Lapua (.289 bushing) and 6.5x284 Lapua (.308 bushing) brass necked up to 284.

I have been experiencing some donuts in the 284 brass lately which some cases can make a round hard to chamber.

I was just curious at what point in the process everyone does their sizing work on brass?

 

[427Cobra]

Re: When do you size?

Brass needs to be clean prior to sizing.

When you neck up part of the shoulder(thicker) becomes neck, I recommend you expand the neck with a expander mandrel, and neck turn to remove the donut.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: When do you size?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m14er</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lately, I have been sizing brass prior to tumbling in stainless media.

I use Redding FS Comp dies with bushing inserts w/ 6.5x 47 Lapua (.289 bushing) and 6.5x284 Lapua (.308 bushing) brass necked up to 284.

I have been experiencing some donuts in the 284 brass lately which some cases can make a round hard to chamber.</div></div>
You should clean your brass prior to sizing.
My question, what size bushing are using in the 6.5x284?

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: When do you size?

I just run all my brass through the press once, using a universal depriming die. Then into the SS media.

When finished in the SS pins I rinse, shake off, anneal (which dries them out real well) then size, trim, and load.

By sizing and trimming after all these other steps I get nice uniform neck tensions, no crap buildup in the die, and any slight peening of the case necks is straightened out in the size/trim process.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: When do you size?

I have a Neil Jones hand decapper that I use to deprime prior to cleaning:
http://www.neiljones.com/html/decapping_tool.html

I think this is why you are choosing to size first. The problem is that all of that carbon gunk and dirt is getting into your die.

My process is:
1) Decap
2) SS Media Clean (about 60 min) and dry
3) Anneal
4) Size in two steps while lubing
5) Remove lube
6) Trim
7) Prime
8) Charge
9) Seat
10) Concentricity Sort

I am moving towards doing most of this on a Dillon 650, in which case I will:
1) Deprime
2) Clean and dry
3) Anneal
4) Trim
5) Lube
6) Dillon 650
Station 1: Neck Size 80%
Station 2: FL Size and Prime
Station 3: Charge
Station 4: Empty or bullet feeder die
Station 5: Seat
7) Clean off lube

Now, I like to size before trimming because it insures that my neck is nice and round for the Giraud trimmer. I als0 noticed that I get my most brass growth after sizing, which allows me to better trim the burr off from the stainless media.

 

[JayCarver]

Re: When do you size?

I use the same process as Carter above, you should clean before sizing to keep the dies clean.

 

[gunnut223]

Re: When do you size?

Sizer after tumbler. I still use pocker primer tools by hand.

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

Re: When do you size?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: milo-2</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m14er</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lately, I have been sizing brass prior to tumbling in stainless media.

I use Redding FS Comp dies with bushing inserts w/ 6.5x 47 Lapua (.289 bushing) and 6.5x284 Lapua (.308 bushing) brass necked up to 284.

I have been experiencing some donuts in the 284 brass lately which some cases can make a round hard to chamber.</div></div>
You should clean your brass prior to sizing.
My question, what size bushing are using in the 6.5x284? </div></div>

Bushing is .308. Brass is necked up to 7mm. The rifle is a 284 Winchester LA

 

[turbo54]

Re: When do you size?

m14er:

Your 284 is a long action - can't you just set your COAL so the bullet's bearing surface is north of the neck shoulder junction (NSJ), thus making the donut a non issue?

Donuts with Lapua 6.5-284 brass necked up to 284 is inevitable without neck turning. I don't bother using Lapua for this very reason. You'll need to neck the brass up with a sinclair expander and then neck turn far enough down the neck so that you begin cutting into the shoulder.

I've read it's actually better to neck up to the next size LARGER, neck turn, then neck back down to desired size...so in this case you'd go from 6.5-->7.62-->Neckturn-->7. I'm not sure how true that is though, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Pointman308]

Re: When do you size?

Are you guys neck sizing and then do a full length resize?

 

[Jered Joplin]

Re: When do you size?

Anytime you size from one caliber to the next you should turn the necks. They will never size 100% uniformly. They only way to somewhat get around it is to resize with a button. If you turn the neck there really isn't an issue to speak of.

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

Re: When do you size?

All very good reco's gentlemen. many thanks....

In my limited 3 years of reloading I have never shot a caliber that required "necking up" (308/6.5 Lapua/300 WM/223)-looks like it is now if I want to keep shooting this amazing caliber with Lapua brass. I have already ordered my Sinclair neck turning gizmo with an extra 7mm mandrel.

This also gives me an excuse to start to use some of that 284 Winchester brass I have been hoarding for the K31 Schmidt and Rubin.

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

Re: When do you size?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pointman10-32</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Are you guys neck sizing and then do a full length resize? </div></div>

I do both in one operation with the Redding Comp dies. They are a thing of beauty.

 

[Pointman308]

Re: When do you size?

I guess I am confused. I only do a full length resize once my brass is getting to tight for the chamber, but until then I only neck size. Maybe there is something I'm not getting.

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

Re: When do you size?

I have done that as well with my .308. You are neck-sizing only, which means you are shooting brass that is fire-formed to your chamber. The only thing you should watch for is bumping the shoulder back when your rounds start to get hard to chamber. You're GTG.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: When do you size?

After tumbling.

I had skipped tumbling a few times and ended up with very hard grit imbedded in the die neck. The scratches eventually resulted in prematurely split necks. Regular die cleaning/polishing could not remove the grit and only a friend's timely intervention and savvy saved me for replacing the dies.

Clean in, clean out. Never abuse your dies.

Greg

 

[Unknown]

Re: When do you size?

I agree with Langelius...I size after tumbling. I don't like the idea of running any grit from the range through my die and scratching it up, or causing cases to stick in the die.

For those who don't already know, you can buy crushed walnut shells by the 50 pound bag at industrial safety supply businesses for around $25 per sack. That makes it cheap enough to toss out when it starts getting dirty, rather than thinking you need to get one more run out of the media.

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

Re: When do you size?

Or go the stainless route once.....