After annealing, neck or full size?
- Thread starter Howa
- Start date
Either, depends what I’m loading for. Annealing is just part of my brass prep that happens each time. Personally I prefer to resize with a body die just to bump the case back a couple of thou for good function through the rifle. I don’t like tight cases being cammed in by the bolt. If I can get away with neck sizing in smaller calibres I will though.
This
I have come to the conclusion, that a lot depends on the dies you're using, because I really struggle with neck tension consistency on some cartridges.
I've started switching to neck bushing dies on cartridges where I'm more likely to be shooting further, or shooting smaller targets, such as vermin, and also annealing every time. Cartridges like my 9.3's I won't spend as much time on, as "rifle accuracy" is the least of my problems
This is pretty new for me, so I'll have to keep an eye on shoulder/case length, and bump the shoulder as required.
I've started switching to neck bushing dies on cartridges where I'm more likely to be shooting further, or shooting smaller targets, such as vermin, and also annealing every time. Cartridges like my 9.3's I won't spend as much time on, as "rifle accuracy" is the least of my problems
This is pretty new for me, so I'll have to keep an eye on shoulder/case length, and bump the shoulder as required.
I think that depends on the quality of the brass, the particular cartridge, and if you're annealing.
I had an issue with some cases I accidently over annealed. I found the bullets could be pulled out with my fingers ! Full length resized them a couple of times, and the brass work hardened sufficiently the problem was solved.
Without annealing, the brass will fatigue.
That's not an annealing issue. It's poor die selection that's giving you low neck tension. Pick a die with a tighter neck.
Regards
JCS
Beg to differ, but that's probably where I'm "going wrong"
I anneal every time I reload but only neck size as I'm a lazy sod with limited time on my hands so I use carbide neck dies with no lube. Yes, I periodically have to full size, but frankly with my .243 that's roughly every 10 neck sizes and with the .308 slightly less. I haven't full sized my .270 cases yet and they have been going since pre-COVID.Neck sizing does have its place, for me it’s just not for hunting ammunition (maybe varminting). I want that to function reliably and no camming into the chamber. Agree that the Redding body die and Lee Collet die produces excellent ammo and it’s not particularly onerous.
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For reference, the dies are RCBS full length, and the brass Geco.
If it were as simple as that, why was neck tension never an issue prior to annealing ? Why did work hardening the "Geco" brass solve the issue, and why didn't I have the same issue with Norma brass, even after annealing ?
Maybe a combination of overheating the brass (how much over annealing are we talking about - did you get them glowing?) and poor quality brass. Certainly heating up brass is not going to shrink anything, it might well have caused growth that needed a couple of cycles through the die to bring it back into spec.
if its ok I have a related question.
Am I right in understanding that due to random chamber dimensions of a Lee Enfield I might be better neck sizing ? For my Tiktac I always fully resize.
Am I right in understanding that due to random chamber dimensions of a Lee Enfield I might be better neck sizing ? For my Tiktac I always fully resize.
I think Geco is the economy brand of RWS, but nowhere near as good.
AMP annealer, using the Aztec software, so it should have been fine. That was my earlier point, that resizing absolutely does work harden the cases, and without annealing, if not after every firing, every 2-3, the brass will fatigue, some brands worse than others.
It’s certainly an option. I think that’s what I’ve done in the past and just separated each batch per rifle.
The idea is to aneal before sizing not after ! However Nobody annealed say 20 years back . I question its real worth unless you have a chambering thats real expensive or hard to purchase.
I don’t think the OP was suggesting that, it was more a question of FL vs NS after annealing the way I read it.
I’ve been annealing for 16 or 17 years and it was certainly not a new thing when I started. I’m still using brass (Lapua / RP / Winchester) from back then too. As long as the primer pockets hold and I don’t get any signs of case head separation then good to go. I place value in the process and will continue - I think it leads to more consistent ammo especially for precision and long range.
With the cost of some Lapua brass exceeding £150.00 /100, & 300 Norma Magnum over £250.00 /100, I think annealing is a good investment.
and yet scores have gotten higher and cases have lasted longer. there was a time when even Malcom Cooper shot factory....
ASl sniper.177
Well-Known Member
I use a Foster neck bushing shoulder bump die with expander button. Previously,I used to use a L.E.WILSON full length bushing die. Since using the forster die,I get far more consistent seating depths when using the seating die. Sizing the whole case isn't necessary. The major stess on a rifle case will be stretch from head stamp,to the shoulder. The main problem with just neck sizing is,with a lot of calibres you get a tight feeling if you try and reload a newly reloaded round. That probably won't be because the main body of the case is oversized,but,the shoulder probably needs bumping back one or two thousandths of an Inch. Just my own experience.
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