Sizing question on once shot .223 brass ?

[MaryB]

Al brass I get gets FL sized first time out. Loads for the bolt gun then get neck sized. Loads for the AR I will probably FL size each time unless someone thinks I could get away with doing it just once...

[GoodOlBoy]

I am of two minds about it.

Side 1 if it fits the chamber, neck size it and shoot it. Next time it will already be fireformed to your chamber. If it doesn't FL size it and be done with it.

Side 2 is that it probably IS faster to just go ahead and FL size all of it the first time and then not have to worry about it.

I see you went with the FL size on all of it. nothing wrong at all at all with doing that. Congrats on finding somebody who would actually let you have their old brass! Good find IMHO.

GoodOlBoy

[pathdoc]

Yep. FLR all range recovery or unknown history. Neck size thereafter. Good choice. The guy who did most to get me into reloading Flr'd everything always and I think sometimes I see why even if I do not agree.

[MaryB]

After having the headspace on the AR barrel checked I will be full length sizing every time, very tight tolerance.

[SSGOldfart]

OK! Evidently you have already made-up your mind.

KINDA sounds like it so why did you ask?????

[Bayou52]

I FL size all brass everytime. Even brand new brass gets treated like brass with an unknown history - FL size, trim, if necessary, etc., etc

[W.R.Buchanan]

For Auto Rifles FL resizing kind of insures that every round chambers. Some people even use small base sizing dies to make sure their ammo chambers.

The problem with neck sizing is that you are not moving the shoulder back at all and thus the case is sized to perfectly fit you chamber. This is fine for a bolt gun that has a mechanical advantage when seating the round in the chamber but an Autoloader is simply relying on spring pressure and momentum to close the bolt.

Thus if the round is the same size as the inside of the chamber there are a variety of reasons why it won't go back it where it came out.

I Full Length size everything since usually .223 brass only sees one trip thru my possession and I probably won't see the same case again, or even if I do reload the same case again it will get the same treatment.

Point being,, I'm doing the same thing every time.

Randy