Unsized brass for CB rifle loads

[4296]

Have been shooting a Mosin, Lee Enfield, and 8mm Mauser with cast bullets with pretty good results. As I size the Lee and Mosin bullets to .314 and the 8mm to .325 I know that my dies are resizing the necks of my brass excessively for my bullets. Has anyone seated bullets into unsized case necks?

Also can custom size expander balls be obtained for rifle dies?

[nicholst55]

Normally, you can only get away with not sizing your brass with black powder loads, and then only in non-repeating rifles.

Depending on what type of dies you're using, there are a few possibilities. You can take a larger diameter expander, say an 8mm expander, and turn it down to the desired diameter for your various 7.62mm rifles (Lee Enfield and Mosin), and a .338 for your 8mm. You could also buy a Lyman 'M' die and the expander plugs that you need.

Another option is to modify your dies to accommodate the larger diameter bullets. There's a thread about that here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=90241&highlight=modify+dies

[DIRT Farmer]

I have shot with unsized brass where the casting had enough friction to hold it in place. They will move in the case when feeding from the magazine though. Simgle shot and filler in an unsized case is the way I have been shooting paper patch with the throat controlling the overall length.

[jonk]

I've done it but you need to size your bullets so it is the same diameter as the fired brass inside neck diameter. As said, a filler is needed.

Can't say it has been great or bad. Just is. Usually I just size and expand as needed.

I do use this method for my single shot BP rounds though to save tear on expensive brass.

[Von Gruff]

I have the Wilson neck dies and have set of sizing bushes to take the minimal neck sizing to the exact size for 1 thou grip on my cast boolits. Have different groups of brass so can be exact with the least working of the brass.

Von Gruff.

[Larry Gibson]

I use shortened Redding Bushing dies and different sized bushings to size the necks inside diameter to .002" under the bullet diameter. Since doing that I have not lost a case to a split neck from over sizing. For 7.62x54R I use a shortened .284 Winchester die and for the .303, 7.65 Argie, 7.7 Jap, 7x57, 6.5x55, 6.5-280, the '06, 8x57 and probably several more I use either a .308W die or a shortened '06 die. It works very well.

Larry Gibson

[HangFireW8]

Also can custom size expander balls be obtained for rifle dies?

All the major die manufacturers can make you a custom expander for your die. Even Lee. The best bet is to call the manufacturer of your die and tell them your need. They may even have a few in stock, it is a common request. Of course, it will cost a few bucks, but shouldn't be too much.

-HF