Reloading 25-06 AI with a neck sizer die

bandcollector

I'm having a custom rifle built in 25-06 Ackley Improved, and I was wondering if I could use my standard 25-06 neck sizer die and bullet seater to load for it? I'm not trying to be a cheapskate I just fail to see how the shoulder angle will affect a neck sizer die, and don't want to throw $150 on a set of dies I don't have to have. At the same time I also don't want to get a new rifle and find out that my dies don't work and have to order them and wait for special dies to arrive.
Thanks in advance for any advise or experiences.

charliemeyer007

It can work and is well worth the try. I have loaded 30 Gibbs and an improved 8mm-06 with the wrong dies, with outstanding results.

MIKE WISKEY

this will be a 'try is and see' thing. some dies may work others will size the shoulder area too much.

Ambrose

I don't think so. While neck sizing and seating dies are larger in the body than full length sizing dies so that they do not touch the body of the case, they are not that much larger. The AI chamber does not only have a sharper shoulder angle; the case taper is also straightened, making the case diameter larger at the shoulder. I think you'll find that your neck sizer and/or seating dies will reduce that shoulder diameter back toward standard .25/06 specs.

EDIT: FWIW: While I don't have a .25/06 AI, I have a part box of AI cartridges that somebody gave me. I just tried sliding one into my .25/06 RCBS seating die and, as I suspected, it stuck out of the die a full inch when the shoulder stopped it. My neck sizing die is a Lee collet type and I believe that would work on an AI case.

Cheechako

What Ambrose said. They won't work unless the sizing die is the bushing type. Even then they may not work.

And, eventually you'll need a body and shoulder bump die. You might as well get them now and save yourself future aggravation when your fired cases start sticking in the chamber.