# Neck Sizing



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

What are the pros/cons of neck sizing vs. full length resizing. Is it worth the cost of an extra die?


----------



## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

What kind of rifle and what kind of accuracy will you be happy with? If it's a hunting rifle I doubt you will notice an improvement in accuracy with neck sized brass. I never have, not even in my custom rifles. Full length sized brass chambers better and I can use them in a different gun if in a pinch. But it's fun and easy to try it both ways, and you don't have to have a special die to do it, and that's the only sure way to know, but in my experience unless your rifle is capable of sub 1/2 moa groups there won't be a noticeable difference.


----------



## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

It's supposed to make the brass last longer as well. I cannot confirm this though as I just started neck only sizing in the last year.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

neck sizing is the way to go, It doesn't work harden your necks quite as bad and you only size as much as you need. So instead of doing a full-length die that sizes everything from the neck, shoulder and walls, it just does the part of the neck that you want. You'll see it in your groups if your gun is up to it and you'll see it in your brass.

I would suggest getting a body die which is pretty much the same as a full-length die without the decaping pin and sizing button.

The sizing button is what is really working the brass. brass gets squeezed down on the down stroke then on the up stroke it is being stretched back out to the right diameter. Just getting rid of that will make brass last longer.

Are you going to be shooting long ranges? 600yds + If so i'd go with the neck bushing dies but if it's just a hunting rifle .75 to 1 MOA, just stick with the regular dies.

xdeano


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I like using the neck seizer my self. What I do on the cals I do not have one for is just move the locking ring down. This way it works part of the neck and some of the walls will get touched in some brass. I did this for my M1. The first time I shot the brass I loaded the bullets so long they engaged the rifling. This made sure the casing was as far back as possible. This fire formed it to my chamber for the most part and I was able to neck size the stuff for two more firings. Then I ran the die down to bump the shoulder back a little bit. I got about 5 firings from those casings. Most books say three is about it. I had a new tube put on it and I get about 8 shoots from each brass.

I have a 308 that I neck size only and they have over 15 shots threw them. That gun has a very tight neck.


----------



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Well, I went out and bought a neck sizer die for each of the 3 calibers I reload. Now, exactly how close do you have to get the thing to the shoulder of the case? I got hornady neck sizers and the instructions say to get it all the way down to where the case starts to flare out from the neck. I can't seem to get an exact fit, and I don't want to crush the shoulder. Will it be a problem if it doesn't size exactly down to the flare?


----------



## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

No. I use full length die (for neck sizing) on some of mine and neck sizers on others. On a full length die, I just back it off so that I only get about 1/2 of the neck. It works just fine. I'm sure that will be the case with your neck die. If don't size the whole neck, it won't be a problem. In fact, I think it will be better due to less stretching and squeezing.


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

For my neck sizing I only do about half the neck. I know they say to do it all but why? It is not needed to do so much.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I also only do half the neck.

You only have to do enough to center the bullet and keep it centered and the other part is neck tension. to little of the neck resized and you'll have an unstable seat, making the bullet off center, creating less chamber pressure. To much neck resized and you'll have to much neck tension and that'll cause a lot higher chamber pressure.

You just need enough neck tension to hold the bullet in it's place without being able to push it in or pull it out.

They say .002 smaller for non-moly bullets and .003 smaller for moly bullets.

xdeano


----------



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks every one for the information! I will reset my dies.


----------

