Neck sizing dies...educate me!

[3006guns]

I have standard dies for all of my milsurp calibers, 30-06, 8x57, 7.7 Jap, etc. but full length resizing is just a bit brutal if I'm shooting cast lead...not necessary or even desireable. What's available these days in neck sizing dies? Any bargains out there, considering I'll need several?

As a side note, I'm thinking of setting up my Dillon 550 for initial loading at home then using a Lyman 310 tong tool in the field.

[Jim]

'06,
Setting up standard F/L dies to neck size only is simple and easy. Install and set your die as you normally would for F/L sizing and back out one full turn. Lock the die and you're ready. You may encounter some resistance on the stroke if the cases are grossly oversized by a large chamber. If you find that to be the case, keep in mind the resizing done with the suggested method will be minimal. After withdrawing the sized case from the die, you will see that the neck was sized down about 90 % or so. There will be more than enough tension to hold the boolit and you shouldn't have any problems.
I did this for years before Lee came out with a neck size only die.

[3006guns]

Thanks guys.......I'd forgotten about partial resizing. I think I'll find (or machine) a spacer to use so I can leave my die setting normal for FL and install the spacer for neck sizing. Should work well!

[winelover]

Neck sizing is fine if you only have one firearm in that particular caliber and don't load for friends. My preference is for the RCBS X dies that full length size yet keep the brass from growing during the sizing operation. I use them in 338W, 308W and 243W and they seem to do what they are designed for. YMMV

Winelover

[Jim]

'06,
I have a copy of A Square's "Any Shot You Want" Rifle Reloading Manual. In it, Arthur Alphin explains how to do this. HERE ARE THE DIRECTIONS. (http://fgsp.wordpress.com/2011/01/06/neck-sizing-with-full-length-dies/)

[3006guns]

Thanks again everyone, and Jim thanks for the link! I should have mentioned that, while I have a number of milsurp rifles in each caliber, I only use one of each as a shooter. I also keep my brass/ammo segregated and labled as to full length or neck resized to prevent any confusion.

Here's another question though.......since the Mauser "family" parent cartridges all use the same base (or very close), would it be feasible to use ONE Dillon shell plate for several calibers? That is, say a .45 acp shell plate which should also work for 30-06, 7 & 8mm Mauser, etc.? I realize the powder funnel would have to be appropriate for the cartridge, but if a guy could save a little on buying shell plates........:)

[Von Gruff]

3006 the only problem with using the FLS die for PFLS is that the dies are set for j words and not only over size down but dont open up enough for the larger neck ID preferable for cast boolit shooting. I have the Wilson neck sizing dies and have numerous bushes for my cast and j word needs and can size differently for the cast than I need to for the j words. A single die with different bushes will do for all the x57 cases and another of the 06 derivitives. An upside is that accuracy will increase.

Von Gruff.

[3006guns]

Thanks Von Gruff.....my thought was to partial resize using the standard expander ball, then run the case through my Lyman M die to expand to correct diameter. Now, I realize this is working the case mouth a bit, so an anneal might be neccessary too but I just want to try it before justifying the expense of purchasing new dies. Like most old school reloaders.........I'm cheap!

[3006guns]

I may try that first. It's a lot easier to draw the ball out of an undersized case mouth than to shove an expander into it.

I'm going to check into the bushing dies however......the more I read about them the more I like what I see. Less working of the brass is a tremendous advantage.

[canyon-ghost]

Not saying you'd want to do this but, RCBS has neck sizing sets for about any caliber. I use one in 22 Hornet.

[mike in co]

ok if you want to make a spacer..the dies are 14 tpi.....1/14=0.0714....shim thickness.......now one turn is only gonna miss the last .071 of neck sizing....so why not just go with a common thickness..a pc of 1/8" stock with a hole in it will work fine...there is nothing special about the ONE TURN rule.....heck go but the spacers sold for 38/357...they are 0.1 i believe.

mike in co

[Von Gruff]

If you have a lathe or a friend with one you can turn out the neck portion of standard Lyman type dies to fit the neck bushes in and with a spacer above it, the standard expander stem top nut will hold it all in place, retaining a quick change capacity. Then you can still have a bush for the j words and bushes for your cast. I had a standard die opened up in the neck so it only sized down the minimum amount to hold a j word with an M die expander stem for cast. The case working is minimised for extended life. That was for my 404 Jeffery where getting neck bushing dies was not cost effective, but have opened up the neck in other dies as well to again minimise excessive brass working.

Von Gruff.

[3006guns]

Von Gruff, that's probably the best idea yet. I have a lathe and will start looking into the bushings. I was always under the impression that dies bodies were made of some glass hard steel, but it I can easily bore one to fit the bushings I'll have my own set of neck dies. Sounds like a great weekend project!