Neck Resizing for a Blaser or Not ?

Uncle Norm

Well-Known Member
I will soon be preparing some .243 Federal brass for my pal. He has previously only neck sized for his old Tikka bolt action but now has a Blaser.
The brass will be once fired in his Blaser rifle.
Can a Blaser using member advise re neck/full length sizing ?
 
I'm sure that neck sizing will work if the cases have been fired in the blaser. It will take a few minutes to load the first one up and try it for size - if it chambers and allows bolt lock up you'll be fine.
 
I'm sure that neck sizing will work if the cases have been fired in the blaser. It will take a few minutes to load the first one up and try it for size - if it chambers and allows bolt lock up you'll be fine.
therein lies the issue
from what I can see the majority of the warnings against it are specifically for this reason

if your brass is tired and/or doesn't spring back enough creating what would be a moderately tight bolt close in a bolt gun I am fairly sure you will fail to close the blaser bolt enough to allow it to fire

 
Norm,

From personal experience I've had no issues with neck sizing once fired from its own chamber in a R93
if its new brass then it's full sized. Once fired ....its neck sized and trimmed.
have done this with Salo, Norma , RWS, Lapua and Federal......over 3-4 firings. Will likely anneal and full size at this stage.
No Issues with bolt closure or misfires.
But as in all reloading this is just my experience.......use caution!
 
Uncle Norm,

I've only ever reloaded for my R93. It is a 7-08 and I initially formed 100 Lapua 308 brass in a full length re-sizing die and have only neck sized thereafter. Never a problem in 6 yrs use and 700 rounds with the rifle. Oh and with the original brass as well.


Karl
 
I find that f/l sizing works best, with neck sizing I was getting frequent "Blaser click" problems. The SAKO cases that I use generally last for around 10 - 12 reloads, accuracy wise I can get clover leaf groups with a rested rifle, if I try hard!

Others manage with just neck sizing so best to start off there and move to f/l if the click problem arises.

atb Tim
 
I only neck size for my r93 . I put approx 2000 firings on 100 lapua cases with no problem, some were book Max loads giving great velocity. I've got some newer cases and I didn't even full length size them out of the box but just loaded and fired them. Maybe some cartridges don't cope well with neck sizing and this leads people to think the rifle is the problem as all I can say is my Blaser in 308 has no need at all of a full length die.
 
Thank you very much for the responses gents. I will have a chat with him and see which way he wants to go.
 
I cycle all my cases through the rifle before reloading....... if it chambers and the bolt clicks fully home then I neck-size, if it doesn't or it feels 'tight', it gets a full length size.

cheers

Fizz
:cool:
 
In my R93 in 6.5x55 I have found that F/L rounds shoot more accurately. In the Blaser 22.250 I neck size but have found what the chamber will tolerate and so I shoulder bump the case 2 thou below max. I usually only F/L the 22.250 after annealing.
 
Hi Uncle Norm!

I cannot see anything gained in terms of PRACTICAL hunting accuracy against a possible failure to feed and the fact that if the guy ever acquires a different rifle then what he has already "on hand" loaded may now not work in his other rifle. Plus, of course, the cost of the neck sizing die as well!

My advice would be to neck size using his standard FL sizing die (it is easy done) but set it to also just push the shoulder of the case back by the thickness of a layer of candle soot. Neck izing using a standard FL die for those who don't know how to do it is done thus:

Take a fired case and smoke (soot blacken) the neck and the shoulder using a wax candle. Put the standard FL sizing die into your press but turn it out. Run the case up and note where the soot has been removed from the case neck. Keep lowering the case down and turning the die in until the soot has been removed from ALL the case neck but the shoulder is still matte soot.

You are now neck sizing using a standard FL die.

For the Blaser man, Uncle Norm, I say take it to the next stage and turn the die down until the soot is just pressed down flat and the matte finish becomes one where it is now "shiny" from contact with the shoulder reforming part of the standard FL sizing die.

In practical terms this will be a neck size plus just enough FL size to ensure chambering without any issues.

My advice? There is no benefit in hunting to neck sizing...in a gun with a chamber that is not beset with headspace issues (such as the .303 SMLE)...that overreaches the assured benefit of each case having been fully FL sized.
 
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