Neck Die and Body Die Combo

[USSR]

So procedural question: Neck Size then Body Die or vice versa?

Have always wondered if it made any difference, although I always body size and then neck size. My thinking is, if straight necks are what I want (and they are), then it will be my last operation.

Don

 

[FROGO207]

FWIW I use spare center spindles for the Lee collet die that are turned down for whatever sized diameter I desire. Just put in the spindle I want and go to town. I just turn down the spindle like I do with the expander button in the regular lee dies when needed. A great low cost mod for your die. If you require oversized order one from lee.

 

[capreppy]

FWIW I use spare center spindles for the Lee collet die that are turned down for whatever sized diameter I desire. Just put in the spindle I want and go to town. I just turn down the spindle like I do with the expander button in the regular lee dies when needed. A great low cost mod for your die. If you require oversized order one from lee.

I was wondering about that. Obviously a very cost effective way of getting the same resolution as the bushings.

 

[hentown]

SS.

I hate progressives.
______

What progressives have you used and not liked? I can't imagine going back to one-at-a-time reloading!

 

[BillB204]

FWIW I use spare center spindles for the Lee collet die that are turned down for whatever sized diameter I desire. Just put in the spindle I want and go to town. I just turn down the spindle like I do with the expander button in the regular lee dies when needed. A great low cost mod for your die. If you require oversized order one from lee.

Fortunately, the expander buttons in my neck dies do little to no expanding. So I don't have the same problem you're having. But if I did, this would be the way I'd go. On all my fire formed cases, all I do is a partial neck size. No change in the case length of my trimmed cases.

And you may already be aware of this, but FWIW when you neck size, you should not re-size the entire neck. Most competition shooters only re-size the top 1/16" of the neck. The reason for this is that after a round is fired, the neck contracts consistently to slightly smaller than the bullet diameter. This natural resizing is sufficient to provide enough neck tension to hold the next bullet seated without creating too much neck tension. And the contraction is surprisingly consistent in relation to bullet diameter. Re-sizing the entire neck creates too much and inconsistent neck tension that creates more likelihood of inconsistent case pressure and therefore inconsistent muzzle velocities and higher standard deviations. These inconsistent muzzle velocities and higher standard deviations won't matter at under 100 yards. But at 400 yards plus, they will show up as inconsistent elevation POI. The reason for neck sizing the top 1/16" is to give the neck just a bit of added tension to more securely hold the bullet with only slight neck tension altering - a slight crimp if you will. Here's a video explaining the theory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btUODO2RLVw&list=PLB91BA239DE4D1845&index=52&feature=plpp_video.

 

[Innovative]

Several resizing methods will work ....

BillB204 .....

I watched the video at the link you provided. The resizing theory described by that shooter appears to deliver very good accuracy. However, I've never met any "competitive" benchrest shooter that uses his technique for resizing. (Most of us have tried it at one time or another.)

I prefer to use a FL die, and adjust the die height to bump the shoulder -.001" in one single operation (while the case is fully supported). My case run-out is never over a thousandth of an inch, bullet tension is tight (and just as uniform), and my groups are just as good as those shown on the video.

The FL die (when accurately set) avoids the "delicate handloads" problem that was described in the video, and I never need to bump the a second time - just to make them chamber.

 

[USSR]

When I was shooting in 1,000 yard F Class competition, myself and several other of the guys I shot with, would necksize perhaps 2/3 of the neck and keep neck tension very low (about .001"). Only necksizing .040" makes for a VERY delicate round with so little of the bullet supported by the neck. IMHO, it simply is not necessary to create accurate ammo.

Don