Fire formed .223 FL sizing questions - ANSWERED

[Bullseye]

OK, so I have cleaned my brass after a day at the range.
Using my Hornady headspace comaparator, I get a measurement of 1.465 on all of my brass that I am going to neck size only.

A. Do I need to bump these down or should they be fine to load now that they are fire formed?
B. I know that the case OAL should be 1.750 (I will check this after neck sizing and trim if necessary.)
C. I do not need to lube my cases in if I am only neck sizing with a neck sizing die .... correct?

 

[Scooter22]

If your shooting a bolt action they should be fine as is. If a AR I don't know. All you need is to lube the inside and wipe a little lube on the necks with your fingers. Some do some don't. Don't get a lot. you don't want dents in the shoulder. If you don't lube the inside the exspander can stretch the necks unevenly.

 

[Bullseye]

I'll use a dip of graphite on the necks every so often. This is for an AR that handles both .223 and 5.56. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Blue68f100]

Like said if fired in an AR, FL sizing is required. If fired in a bolt gun they should be able to chamber with no sizing once fired formed. You may have some bolt resistance which is normal. For neck sizing I use the Imperial Neck Sizing Dry Lube. It's graphite mixed in with beads. All you do is dump the neck in and turn. Puts a very light thin coating of graphite inside and out.

You should bump the shoulder back 0.002"-0.003" for an AR. This is where a case gauge is nice to check things out.

 

[Bullseye]

odd ... I have been lubing these cases which have been reloaded at least twice, trimmed some and I don't have a FL sizing die for .223.
I just got to thinking if I was only neck sizing, the lubing might be unnecessary.
I'm into doing that now and I'm getting it done nicely.
I do not doubt that perhaps AR handloads need full length sizing, but I have been getting away without doing it so far.
Probably sheer luck.
The more reloading I do, it seems the more thinking I do. I am gonna make sure these chamber before I do them all with the neck sizer. I have to clean up the rifle in a bit anyway.

 

[Nature Boy]

Cases fired in a bolt action don't need to be resized if reloading for that rifle? That would be new info to me, or am I misundersatanding?

 

[Glockula]

Not full length sized. Some people prefer to neck size only if they are going to use the brass in the same bolt action rifle it has been fired from. I wouldn't try it in my AR but I am sure It's possible.

 

[Bullseye]

I just read on AR dot com that after a couple times of neck sizing brass, in an AR, I may have a case that will get stuck and not eject.
So I may have used up all my luck.
I am going to try and hunt down a full length sizing die.

I have my Handi Rifle .223 and can dedicate the neck sizing die to that.

 

[Reloadron]

This is a short and concise read on neck sizing verse full length sizing. The thinking overall is cartridges fired in a bolt action rifle can be neck sized only, however, the caveat is eventually even those cases will require full length sizing so it is not a matter of if but when full length sizing dies will be needed.

Then we also have this:
Cartridge Reloading Accuracy Comparison: Case Neck vs. Full Length Resizing.

The discussions of Neck Sizing versus Full Length Sizing are just about endless. I shoot both .223 Remington and .308 Winchester in both bolt guns and semi-automatic guns. I full length resize and knock or bump my shoulders back a few thousands maximum. When I lose track of which cases go with which rifle I just full length resize back to original SAAMI specifications. Years ago I was into the neck size only and just got away from it. While I am not a bench rest type I shoot at a bench rest range so their habits migrate to me. Do whatever works for you!

Ron

 

[Bullseye]

Thank you Reloadron and others for your time and comments.

I will read that but I also posted in the BST section looking for a FL sizing die that someone might have.

 

[Reloadron]

I use a variety of dies but for the most part RCBS including their Competition dies. I also have but have not needed SB (Small Base) dies. My opinion is you only need standard dies. Will SB dies hurt? No, so whatever comes along will work fine. Hopefully someone has some extra or some they want to part with.

Ron

 

[Bullseye]

Well, I trimmed these off and chamferred and deburred. They look nice so all I have to do is set up a FL die now to these dimensions and bump down .002 and I have a dandy bunch of reloads.
I am not going to load any until I get the die.
No sense in having issues with these down the pike.
Do it right - or not at all.
I read the first link so far, hit return and bookmarked that resource.

 

[Rule3]

I just read on AR dot com that after a couple times of neck sizing brass, in an AR, I may have a case that will get stuck and not eject.
So I may have used up all my luck.
I am going to try and hunt down a full length sizing die.

I have my Handi Rifle .223 and can dedicate the neck sizing die to that.

You have answered you own question

Yes you should FL size for the AR, you did get away with it for a while.

You can neck size only for bolt rifles and really do not need any lube but a tiny bit will not hurt case mouth. Eventually after several reloads they will also need a FL size and trim.

 

[bikerdoc]

Asked, answered to OP satisfaction, and closed at his request.