Why size?

[jollynator]

Hey guys, I've been thinking about this patch compression stuff and I've got some questions- as if you guys haven't heard that before...

I've been told that the reason one would neck size is to resize the neck of the case to maintain tension on the bullet while the rest of the case is fire formed to that particular chamber. My thinking is why neck size at all if your case is fire formed? And also why would you final size your PPCB if it lightly compresses upon seating into an unsized case?

Seems to me that not only would this lengthen the life of the brass, but also speed up production of the cartridge by eliminating the sizing process after the case has been fireformed to the chamber in which it is to be used.

At this moment, I can only converse on the topic seeing how my new bullet sizing die has not come in from Lee yet.

What say ye? Do I think too much or what?

Jolly

[303Guy]

Oh yes. I like your thinking! In fact, that is exactly what I do. However, it is not always possible. Meaning that the boolit needs to fit the throat first and foremost then if you are luckey, that boolit will fit an unsized neck. I happen to be lucky with two of my rifles by virtue of their throats being so worn in the one and rusted oversize in the other. I do use thicker than normal cases for them though. Otherwise, on that principle, I make sizers to on ly just size the neck enough to hold the patched boolit. (Not meaning to imply that I do this like in large volume! I should be so lucky to have the time and opportunity 'though I am working on it!:mrgreen:)

What I found so far is that the perfect patch rifle is one that will accept a patched boolit with sufficient seating force that the boolit will not move in the magazine (or pocket if a single shot) yet will chamber with a snug fit of the neck and a slight resistance of the patch AND extrat with ease, leaving only the slightest throat impressions over the exposed boolit. Again, that's what those two rifles of mine do! And most of the boolit is exposed.

[pdawg_shooter]

I do NOT size my target loads. The brass is as fired and the bullet seated just enough to hold it. I finishes seating when I chamber the round. That said, I also hunt with PP lead bullets. For them I neck size and set the bullet to a length that will feed from the magazine.