Neck sizing only

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FreeTacos
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Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2022 11:42 pm

Neck sizing only

Post by FreeTacos »

New to the forum and somewhat new to reloading. I started reloading 300BLK for an AR15 several months ago. Everything going well there, where I use a full size sizing die.

My question is about neck sizing only so the cases remain formed to my chamber in a bolt action rifle. I've never done neck only and I'm having an issue. I use a hornady case gauge to check my brass after sizing. When I do neck only the case will not fit the gauge.

I'm sure that's due the the case being formed to my rifle chamber and is now out of spec and using a gauge for neck only sizing is useless. So is this just a situation of load it up without a case gauge and let her ride as long as it fits the rifle? My only hesitancy of not using a case gauge is, I like to make sure the shoulder angle, etc is in spec. I'm sure I'm over thinking this and pretty sure sizing for a bolt actions rifle isn't as important as a semi-auto. But doing due diligence and wanted to ask.

Thanks for the help
BJK
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Re: Neck sizing only

Post by BJK »

The "gauge" for your bolt action IS the chamber. Just don't mix the brass or ammo from your AR and bolt gun and you should be good. For a gun with camming action I like to have the bolt use slight pressure to close fully. That might mean bumping the shoulder (or not). Mix the ammo for the bolt gun with the AR ammo and the AR bolt might not close.

Taken to an extreme, a firearm can be out of spec' as far as headspace and as long as you just neck size and don't mix up the brass using it in that one gun won't give problems. Basically you'd have a wildcat cartridge. It's how some brass for wildcat cartridges gets made. It's like blowing up a balloon.

I make .375/06 JDJ out of .30/06 and that's precisely how I make brass. I load a cartridge in .30/06 brass with an expanded neck, fire it in my gun and it takes the shape of the chamber. On the 2nd firing it has a sharp shoulder and looks perfect. Neck and case is "stolen" and blown out and a new shoulder with a new angle is blown out to give me more powder capacity. There's another way too, but it's getting off topic. But there's no case gauge for the .375/06 JDJ. The chamber IS the case gauge.
Smurky
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Re: Neck sizing only

Post by Smurky »

Sounds like your chamber is larger than the gauge. You may want to reconsider neck sizing only. For info additional info on the topic do a search on Accurate Shooter for Eric Cortina’s opinion on the issue. Hope this is OK, here’s the link https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/20 ... is-better/

That said semi autos require more of a shoulder setback than bolt guns so the brass for each rifle has to be kept separate.
FreeTacos
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Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2022 11:42 pm

Re: Neck sizing only

Post by FreeTacos »

BJK wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:18 am The "gauge" for your bolt action IS the chamber. Just don't mix the brass or ammo from your AR and bolt gun and you should be good. For a gun with camming action I like to have the bolt use slight pressure to close fully. That might mean bumping the shoulder (or not). Mix the ammo for the bolt gun with the AR ammo and the AR bolt might not close.

Taken to an extreme, a firearm can be out of spec' as far as headspace and as long as you just neck size and don't mix up the brass using it in that one gun won't give problems. Basically you'd have a wildcat cartridge. It's how some brass for wildcat cartridges gets made. It's like blowing up a balloon.

I make .375/06 JDJ out of .30/06 and that's precisely how I make brass. I load a cartridge in .30/06 brass with an expanded neck, fire it in my gun and it takes the shape of the chamber. On the 2nd firing it has a sharp shoulder and looks perfect. Neck and case is "stolen" and blown out and a new shoulder with a new angle is blown out to give me more powder capacity. There's another way too, but it's getting off topic. But there's no case gauge for the .375/06 JDJ. The chamber IS the case gauge.
Perfect...this is what I was thinking, thanks for verifying. I'm going to load up 10 with neck sized only and 10 fully sized and take it to the range this weekend.
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