[Detritus]

reacently i decided to get into shooting High Power. and of course for that type of competition handloading is of an advantagous nature. and i HAVE reloaded before, only thing is it's been 4 or 5 years now..... and i don't remember some of the technical (non-safety related) details.

i DO know that back during the peak of my time handloading that for the savage Bolt action i had that the best accuracy was gained through use of "neck-sized only" brass. what i never can remember is if fireformed then necksized brass will feed in say an AR-15 (i know the LEE load manual has a passing negative comment on the use of pumps or autolaoders with brass sized in a collet die)......


and if it IS used in an autoloader what is thew down side?? (the instructions and background in the LEE load manual never specifies WHY they are of a negative oppinion toward it)

can anyone enlighten me?

[trapshooter]

I think that neck-sized only brass won't feed reliably in semi-autos, even though fired in that rifle before neck-sizing.

Every manual I've seen recs full-length sizing of brass for semi-auto use, for this reason.

Obviously, bolt guns are a different animal, as the shooter can force a slightly recalcitrant cartridge on into the chamber with more force than a semi's recoil spring can develop.

[Steve Smith]

The downside is that you could (will) have a cartridge (or all cartridges) fail to completely cycle when on the line. You only get one alibi per string. ;)


EVERYONE shooting Service Rifle full length sizes, and we have great accuracy. There is really no "other way" here.

[Big_R]

I agree with Trapshooter and Mr. Smith. IMHO, neck sizing is preferable only when used in manually operated actions, fired from the bench. When hunting or competing, reliability is top priority. Just my .02.

Ryan