Case life for .303 British Neck Sizing Only

[Skofnung]

Greetings.

I am about to order an RCBS Rockchucker reloading setup from either Cabelas or Midway. I wil be setting up to reload .303 British for starters. .300 Savage, .38 Special and .45 ACP will follow shortly thereafter.

Anyway, I've read that case life for .303 is short if you full length resize. By neck sizing, you can prolong the lives of your cases, or so I have heard.

The question is, how many reloads can I get by neck sizing instead of full length? .303 British is not cheap anymore, and I have two hungry chambers to feed. I do know that by neck sizing, I must restrict rounds fired in one rifle to that rifle from then on out.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Wildalaska]

As an aside, 6..5 x55 necksized and fired in my M41B will also chamber in my M38....

Military chambers are pretty generous

WilsstretchedbrassAlaska

 

[Zeke Menuar]

The rules for 303 also apply to the 300 Savage fired from a M99 Savage. The M99 also has rear bolt lock-up and will stretch cases.

I am planning to load for both my 303 and 308 Enfields. I think I can make cases last a little longer by not loading full power loads. With my 300 Savage I backed off about 2gr and that seems to help case life some. No need to shoot full power loads unless it is a deer or something similarly important.


ZM

 

[rbernie]

I don't have an answer right now, but I'm fixing to find out same as you. I just got my Lee Collet dies for the 303R and should start using them this weekend.

 

[JackM]

I figure 3 reloads at full snort with full length resizing, and 4 with neck sizing. Actually, the only thing I use the full length die for now is for making dummy rounds that have to chamber in any Lee-Enfield. My die is an RCBS made in `65, and I've had it for most of that time.

Your mileage may vary, as there's quite a different in individual Lee-Enfield chambers.

Bye
Jack

 

[cheygriz]

In both of my Enfields, 1 or 2 reloadings, factory duplication power, when full length sizing. 5 or 6 when neck sizing only. YMMV