F/L vs. neck sizing???

toad67

Here's the age old question about neck versus F/L sizing. There is so much on the web about it it's mind boggling. It's hard to separate fact from opinion, and just plain old bs..I'm not a bench rest shooter, but want to get pretty decent accuracy out of my guns. Anyone have any actual facts about one way or the other that's best? Thanks..

charliemeyer007

IMHO it's the chamber that makes the determination. I don't keep firearms that require FL sizing. Out of 100's of guns only one shot better with factory ammo.

navc130

I could not tell any difference in my 7.7mm Jap sporter between factory ammo, full length sized reloads and neck sized reloads. They all shot about 1 1/2 inch at 100 yards. In theory, using a neck sizing die you are working the brass less and getting more loads out of a case. If you use a regular sizing die (as I did) to neck size only you are actually sizing the case some but not as much as full length sizing.
This applies to bolt action rifles. All other action types usually do not have the leverage to fully close on a tight fitting case. Again, in theory, a neck sized case is fully formed concentric to the chamber and bore resulting in a greater degree of accuracy.

62fuelie

Most semi-auto rifles and, at least, the Remington pump rifles require full length sizing and case length monitoring. The Remingtons I have loaded for have needed small base sizing dies.

243winxb

Only way to know is do you own testing.

With 2 factory rifles in 243 win, i find FL sizing is more accurate using standard dies.

A FL sizing bushing die is ever better, with less split neck. Currently up to 19 loadings.

If you have an old military rifle with a sloppy chamber (303) neck sizing may be the only way to go??

Okie743

quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
IMHO it's the chamber that makes the determination. I don't keep firearms that require FL sizing. Out of 100's of guns only one shot better with factory ammo.


Right and if the gun chamber allows (and most bolt actions do allow) I neck size [blue]mainly so as I can re-load the brass more times without having to trim stretched brass, but I keep count of the TIMES THAT I HAVE TO TRIM THE BRASS. When brass has been stretched to the max 3 times, usually it's time to discard because it is getting thinned or only use it for reduced loads. I'm talking about bolt action type guns. I have some still good and useable 30:06 neck sized brass that has been reloaded 15 times by neck sizing only. I mainly neck size to get more useable life out of the brass, not for better accuracy.

After making up neck sized re-loads for my hunting rifles, I label the re-loads just for that gun ONLY and I also chamber test each round to make sure that each one chambers properly.

AND
I do not re-load for anyone other than myself. (my own guns)