RCBS neck sizer question

[Peakbagger46]

I want to try an RCBS neck sizer for my .308 bolt gun, but have never used anything but a full length die. Will the neck sizer die still pop out the old primer? Will I have to use case lube?

 

[esheato]

Will the neck sizer die still pop out the old primer?

Yes

Will I have to use case lube?

No

 

[Peakbagger46]

Very good!

 

[243winxb]

Lube the inside of the neck if your die has an expander button.

 

[Offfhand]

Which neck sizing die are you considering: the old style(obsolete) one-piece die or the bushing style? I highly recommend the bushing style, with which you can size the neck to whatever size you wish. And there is no expander button, so no need to lube inside of neck. Carbide bushings are nice, with which there is no real need to lube outside, but more expensive.

 

[ranger335v]

Do we HAVE to lube necks in a neck die? No, the press has plenty of power to easily push them into the die and the case walls are certainly able to drag them back out.

That said, I prefer to lube the necks. Sizing forces the brass to slide over the steel neck walls under significant pressure. Dry contact allows microscopic bits of the softer brass to adhere to the harder steel in a process called "galling." Each successive pass adds more brass to the previous bits, building more each time. It first appears as harmles tiny scratches on the sized necks but can easily get bad enough to actually damage necks. That's not necessary, a little lube will prevent galling.

There is no value in neck sizing below the lowest point of bullet contact on the neck wall.

(Badly galled dies are frequently returned to the makers for repair or they get replaced thinking they are "scratched" to much to use. But, a mechanically apt owner can fairly easily lap the galled metal off the die wall if he wishes.)

 

[Walkalong]

I highly recommend the bushing style,

Agreed. RCBS or Redding


Personally, I would get one of the FL sizers that uses bushing to size the neck, and set it up to barely bump the shoulder.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=152054

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=668734


Of course if you wish to neck size only they make them too.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=152054

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=428412

Either way, I agree with getting a bushing style die.

 

[cfullgraf]

For neck sizing, I do not lube the outside of the case but do prefer some lubrication on the expander ball. Even with carbide expander ball. I just find it takes less effort. I do not lube every case, maybe every fourth one or so. Enough lube remains on the expander ball.

The bushings dies are great particularly if you can avoid the use of the expander ball. I will admit that I do not know how minimal the variation of the thickness of the case mouth wall needs to be to get consistence performance.

 

[redbullitt]

Personally I will take any bushing set up over the ball... Honestly I get just fine performance without turning the necks or anything like that. I do use a couple different bushings depending on what brass I am using, but other than that, nothing too special.

Redding is top notch, but the forster stuff is worth a look as well.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep. Forster dies are outstanding.