Moving from neck sizing to full-length sizing, what a pain!

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Newtosavage

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When I started reloading, I bought a simple Lee Loader (whack a mole) kit for my .308. Learned to use it, then after a dozen or so popped primers, I bought a Lee hand primer and life was good. I could churn out 40 rounds in about 20 minutes and I have been very happy with the improvement in accuracy vs. factory ammo.

Then I got my 7x57, which Lee doesn't make a loader kit for, so I was forced to buy a press. Wanting to keep things simple, I opted for the Lee Collet die set and have been happily neck sizing my 7x57 brass for several hundred rounds.

I have noticed - esp with the 7x57 - that the bolt is a little harder to close on some cases than others and I suspected I needed to investigate full-length sizing. My reluctance was primarily the added chore of lubing the cases, but also the additional expense of more dies.

Yesterday I bit the bullet and bought full length dies for my .308, cleaned and lubed them, lubed a set of cases, and full-length sized my first brass.

All I can say is what a pain in the @ss compared to neck sizing only!

I guess you get used to all the extra steps and supplies, but I'm already missing the days when all I owned was one .308 Lee Loader and a hand primer.

I get the impression that most folks full-length size all their brass, although that may be incorrect. With all the extra steps and expense vs. neck sizing, is it really necessary? Could a fellow just toss the cases that are getting hard to chamber and neck-size only, or is that just not an option.

I've read that the shoulder needs to be set back on cases every so often, but wouldn't that be like every shot since the brass is fire formed each shot?

Feeling a bit confused and overwhelmed at the moment. Advice would be welcome. Trying to keep this hobby from getting out of hand.

Thanks.
 
Nope, you don't have to full length resize every time. You didn't do that with your .308 did you? You only need to "partially full length" resize (just bump the shoulder back a couple of mils when you start to feel resistance when chambering a round.

I use the Lee collet neck sizing die on my .308's 90% of the time. You can get a headspace gauge to check your fired brass to see if it needs a bump
Headspace1_html_macac49f.jpg

...or just chamber the fired cases back in your gun to see if it needs to be bumped back and it won't cost you a penny.

Usually you might only need to bump back a couple of cases out of 20-50 rounds during a reloading session. The rest can be neck sized only. I've had my dies marked to where I needed to bump but now I just full length size those rounds because it's easier to do so.
 
Thank you. That is helpful.

So, what are you using to "bump back" the case? I assume at that point you use the full length die adjusted so it's only sizing the neck and shoulder a bit?

I have so many .308 cases that I don't mind pitching a few every now and then. I'm not gonna run out. But I have fewer 7x57 and very few 7.62x39 cases.

LOL -

Yep, that's us!
Click to expand...

<sigh> That's what I was afraid of. LOL.
 
The advantage to partial neck sizing is the shoulders are not pushed back as far as when full length sized and then when fired the body will stretch less, slowing incipient case head separation. You can set up the dies by removing the decapper and sizing one case a small amount and trying it in your rifle. Then do this repeatedly with the same case until the brass fits the rifle. Then size it with the decapping rod inserted and try it in the rifle. You might have to turn it in more with the decapping rod sizing button installed as the button pulls on the brass when sliding out. Lock your die there and size those that do not chamber. Or the fast way is to do as rsrocket1 does and just full length size the brass. Your call.:scrutiny: This is a bit more than neck sizing but I find it necessary after 3-4 reloads to keep the ammo easy to load into chamber YMMV.
 
When you do this partial size, are you lubing the cases?

One of the most appealing things to me about the old fashioned Lee Loader and the Lee Collet die is that I never had to worry about lubing the cases, and then cleaning them off. It really reduced the number of times I had to handle each case, and the number of things I needed to buy/keep track of.

The main reason I went with the .308 Lee Loader in the first place was so it wouldn't take up my whole workbench. I probably should have just gotten a 6.5x55 and a 2nd Lee Loader in that caliber but the chance to buy that 7x57 was just more than I could pass up.

Reloading paraphernalia is slowing taking over my work space! Help!
 
Yes, you must lube when "partial full length" sizing brass. You are full length sizing it, you are just not pushing the shoulder back any more than .002 to .003.

Get a good measurement on your fired brass, then adjust the sizer so you move the shoulder about .003.

There are various methods to do this. rsrocket1 pictures one made by one of the reloading companies.

You can use a Wilson case gauge as well if the fired brass fits in it. Check before and after sizing.

I use a home made little piece cut to the same angle as the shoulder.

This is mine for .308.
attachment.php
 
Just a note on the expense of additional dies. Lee sells a 2, 3 and 4 die set for less that all the other die manufacturers and Lee includes the shell holder free.

To make sizing easier use a good lube. IMO Imperial Sizing Wax is the best and the small tin lasts a very long time. That lube can be wiped off with a rag and leaves not mess on the brass.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0007607600/Imperial-Sizing-Die-Wax-2-Oz-
 
Thank you for the suggestions. I opened my Hornady 7.62x39 dies yesterday to discover they didn't even bother to include a shell holder. That all but guarantees I will never buy another Hornady reloading product. :( That one is going back where I bought it.

I have only been reloading since last October, but every Lee product I've bought so far has exceeded my expectations for a price that beat anyone else. I'm sure for very serious work, there are better products out there, but for what I'm doing the Lee line makes the most sense.
 
Don't be mad at Hornady, no company other than Lee includes a shell holder with their dies. Yes Lee dies work well and even when used a lot. I do favor RCBS for rifle dies but most of my handgun ammo dies are Lee. I have Lee, RCBS, Lyman, Hornady and Forster dies and they all do what they were made to do.
 
Probably so. But at this point I'm thinking of just going to collet dies for everything. I was really hoping to avoid as much brass handling as possible. By the time I've handled every piece of brass umpteen times, I don't want to shoot the round!
 
I was wondering how may posts it would take before someone said that. :D

Again, there are times now when I long for just that one Lee Loader and hand primer. ;)

I have a lot of interesting hobbies. I really wasn't looking for another one to test my OCD. LOL.
 
:D

The infinite number of possible combinations makes this hobby very, very dangerous for someone who is OCD and likes to control everything with precision.

I went from one .308 Lee loader to now setups for three calibers in like 3 months. I may need an intervention. Hopefully, if I can keep from buying another rifle, I won't need more reloading equipment. But of course, I'm sure that's what everyone says at some point. ha, ha, ha.

Okay, so I just set my dies, "lubed" my cases and reloaded my first 7.62x39 rounds. Spraying with One Shot isn't that bad. I guess. If I must. :D
 
Full length sizing, properly done, has produced the most accurate ammo for decades. Sierra Bullets proved that back in the 1950's. Why the benchrest folks finally move to it from neck only sizing a few years ago is a bit beyond be.

Some have got 50 to 75 reloads per .308 Win case with maximum charge weights and correct die setup. Just bump the fired case shoulder back no more than .002" and the entire case will be sized down from the pressure ring forward. A gauge as shown above is good to have.

Using dies without expander balls do best, such as the bushing dies from Redding and RCBS. Bushings are selected to be .002" smaller than loaded round necks. Or, better yet, one from Forster they've honed the neck out to .002" less than the diameter of a loaded round's neck.
 
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I use Unique case lube, I just rub a finger in the tub every third case or so when sizing. Whenever I pick up the case, I rub my finger on it some, and lightly over the case mouth. Thats all it needs. It doesn't take much at all. It all cleans off when I tumble after re-sizing.

I have wanted to try some of the One Shot case lube spray.
 
From OP's original post-

"...Could a fellow just toss the cases that are getting hard to chamber and neck-size only, or is that just not an option...."

One can always do that depending on disposable income and doing what you want to dispose of it.

Is full length sizing a pain in the rear? Yes. Is it messier that neck sizing? Yes.
Can you bump and redo headspace with neck sizing? Nope.

It is all part of the process of hand loading your rounds and is relative to what you find most annoying. For example, I just got a set of Redding bushing dies with their carbide (or titanium or whatever) bushings. I no longer need to wax or dip when neck sizing. It was a major pain removed from my posterior.
 
I went from one .308 Lee loader to now setups for three calibers in like 3 months. I may need an intervention. Hopefully, if I can keep from buying another rifle, I won't need more reloading equipment. But of course, I'm sure that's what everyone says at some point. ha, ha, ha.
Click to expand...

Just wait until you somehow end up with a die set for a caliber you don't own.... Then you find yourself buying the components for said caliber.... Then you have to buy a firearm chambered in that caliber to justify the components that you've already purchased. Trust me, it can get out of hand very quickly.
 
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Another faithful Lee user here. My only regret was buying the Lee single stage over the Classic Turret press... but VERY Happy w/ my perfect powder measure, hand primer, and die sets. I have some second hand RCBS dies and don't really see the big deal. I may eventually get a set of micro-adjustable Redding small base dies. But not yet... the Lee works. ;)
 
Neck only bushing dies with a shoulder to set shoulders back have been made by Neil Jones for years. They use bushings sized to customer specs for the right neck grip on bullets.
 
Now those would be handy to have.

After loading and testing some 7.62x39 rounds today, I have decided to make my life easier by one caliber, reducing the redundancy in my arsenal by removing the most problematic caliber/gun I have.

Nice thing about having the 7.62x39 in the stable is that if I just want cheap blasting ammo for the range, I can buy it cheaper than I can load it. But if I want more horsepower and accuracy for a hunting load, I can handload for it and get that too.

I think the 7.62x39 and .308 will cover all my bases.

I really appreciate all the helpful replies. I learned quite a bit in this thread.
 
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