Can I neck size and FL size with the same die ?

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Riss

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Will be loading some 308 with the Dillon 550 soon and am confused with all the die choices. I know I will most likely only need to neck size, UNLESS of course my brass needs to be full length sized. Is there a die that can do both. Neck size all the time and FL size only if I need it to ? As it appears I will need a bushing neck die, which will limit my choices a little. But do not want to NOT have a FL sizing die if I need it.
 
Neck sizers do not size the body. (wether standard or bushing type) Full length sizers do. You can adjust the full length sizer to size your brass only enough to fit your chamber, and that will increase brass life quite a bit. That is the best option for factory chambers in my opinion. If you neck size eventually you will need to full length size the brass anyway. As it grows and work hardens it will get difficult to chamber. Nothing wrong with neck sizing, but you will end up needing the FL sizer as well unless you are shooting powder puff loads.
 
Riss,

Rule of thumb says full size for autos and levers and if using the load in two different rifles, neck size for bolts and break actions.

If you neck size only for an auto loader sooner or later you will have problems fitting the case in the chamber. This happens quite often if you neck size for autos.

There is a way to use a full length die to size only the neck portion of the case, some loaders do not think this method is correct but many have used it with sucess and safley.
 
I have loaded bottleneck rifle cases for many years now and usually only neck size my cases unless I am shooting them in semi-autos(M-1 & M1A) and those I full length resize each time(and check case length). To answer your original question, yes you can adjust FL sizing dies to neck size only. The proper way to do this is lube your case neck down to the shoulder and screw in your FL die a 1/2 turn at a time until the die just kisses the shoulder and lock it in place. You can see the progress of the die by the changing lube line each time you turn the die. Practice on an old case until you get the hang of it, and you may find it a lot easier to remove the decapping rod while you adjust your die body...less drag.
Good luck! :)
.
 
The proper way to do this is lube your case neck down to the shoulder and screw in your FL die a 1/2 turn at a time until the die just kisses the shoulder and lock it in place.
Click to expand...
Basically what I proposed in my post, but I would recommend bumping the shoulder a hair as well (maybe that is what you mean by "kiss the shoulder") It will however size the body a bit. A nitpicky thing, but it is not the same as neck sizing only. You will still need to use the expander unless it is not squeezing the neck too tight to seat bullets properly. You don't want neck tension overly tight any more than you do too loose.
 
some bottle neck types can be neck sized in a flrs die IF the taper of the body is a lot. 308 win is not one of them. You will need to bump the shoulder with the 308win. The 303 british is one that can. Go look at the drawings of each here and you will see the difference in the body taper of the 2 cases.http://www.stevespages.com/page8d.htm The 308 difference is .016" the 303 is .059" Dillon now recommends that you set up a bottle neck flrs die using a cartridage case gage to get the correct headspacing using a 550b.
 
PFLS, partial full length sizing

That's the term for using a full length die to only size the neck. It's done by backing the FL die out AT LEAST 2 turns from contact with the shell holder. Then mark the neck of the case being sized with something so you can see the amount the neck is being sized. Turn the die down ¼ turn at a time while watching the neck. You want to stop when the neck is sized ¾ of the way to the shoulder. Any more than that will cause the body of the die to start pushing brass forward to where you would need to set the shoulder back, or the case would not chamber.

The difference from this method and the neck only die is the neck die will size the entire neck without touching the body of the case. Bushing neck dies do the same, with the option of selecting mow much you size the neck AND they don't have a decapper/sizer button to possibly stretch the neck.
 
Walkalong:
I suggested removing the decapping rod so that it's not constantly dragging on the inside of the case neck and possibly stretching the case neck. I probably should have explained that at least one pass with the decapping rod to "true" up and and size the case mouth. My bad! :uhoh:
 
I suggested removing the decapping rod so that it's not constantly dragging on the inside of the case neck and possibly stretching the case neck.
Click to expand...
Agh...while he is setting it up...good idea. :)
 
Gun is a tight chambered M1A. It's in the shop now getting a new barrel. Talked to someone local that loads precision for a bolt gun. He said to remove the expander ball and use a neck sizer only and FL resize only if needed. Next question is DO I NEED TO CRIMP. I see the Dillon die set comes with a taper crimp. The Redding, Lyma, RCBS do not. I does not even look like they make. I will be looking at the Redding Comp seater die and bushing neck die and may have the Redding FL sizing body die as a backup.
 
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Depends on your final neck tension and your firearm. Make a few rounds each way and chamber them like they would coming from the magazine (or however they would be introduced into the firearm). Check them after for additional runout or obvious problems.

I use the lee FCD on rifle rounds. Cant hurt anything to have a consistent crimp on ammo I make, that is to be shot out of my factory barreled stuff.

Justin
 
You need to FLRS.
Click to expand...
Yep, that last tidbit of info was key. :)

He could still get a gunsmith to set his FL sizer up to accept bushings if he really wanted to, or better still, get the fellow who reamed the chamber on his new barrel to make a die for him with the same reamers. Roughing reamer to FL size, or finishing reamer to bump the shoulder and size just a hair.

The M1A shooters need to chime in and tell us how they are doing it in match chambered guns.
 
Gun is a tight chambered M1A. It's in the shop now getting a new barrel. Talked to someone local that loads precision for a bolt gun. He said to remove the expander ball and use a neck sizer only and FL resize only if needed.
Click to expand...

What the bolt gun user is telling you is fine for a bolt gun, but DO NOT do what he is suggesting for your M1A. You need to FL resize each and every time.

Don
 
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