Neck sizer modification needed

[tomme boy]

I need to get a neck sizer opened up for the use in a 7.62x54r. The neck sizer I have is a Hornady 308dia. sizer. You screw it up and down for use on any case that uses a .308" bullet.
Anyone here able to open this up for me?

[deltaenterprizes]

How much do you want it opened?

[I'll Make Mine]

How much do you want it opened?

Given it was originally for cases that use .308 bullets, and it's now going to be used for .310-.314 (depending on jacketed or cast, and the actual groove size of the rifle), it's not much to take off -- looks like a job for honing or even lapping, rather than anything we'd usually call machining.

[tomme boy]

I need it opened to be able to use 0.312" boolits. I thought the dies were hardened?? I don't think lapping would work if they are.

[deltaenterprizes]

Lapping will work with the right type of compound.

[Junior1942]

Buy a Lee sizing die in 7.62x54r and buy an extra expander rod in a larger diameter. Chuck the larger expander rod in your drill press. Touch a file to it as it spins and make it whatever diameter you want.

[longbow]

I bought a Lee collet sizer for my .303 because my RCBS die squeezes the brass down to about 0.310" in side the neck and I am sizing 0.315" to suit the 0.314" groove.

As Junior mentions, you can make different sized mandrels to squeeze onto for the Lee so I made one that gives me 0.313" after sizing. I have a small lathe so it was pretty easy.

Also, though I haven't tried it apparently you can use the Lee collet die without the mandrel and just adjust the collet to close the neck down to what you want. That would be easier but I suspect differing brass thickness would then result in different after sizing neck diameters. Maybe not a big deal especially if you anneal regularly but the correct size mandrel does work well.

I was swaging down driving bands on boolits with narrow bands when I used the RCBS sizer. It does a good job but is just too small for the 0.315" boolits I need for the .303 and I didn't want to lap it.

Longbow

[tomme boy]

Well the problem with the LEE die is it sizes the brass too much even for 308 bullets. The last one I had sized the neck down to 0.302" on the inside. The brass work hardened too fast. I have a RCBS die FL die right now with a 0.3095" expander in it.

[wallenba]

Another, but more costly suggestion is the Redding collet neck sizer. You can then change collets as needed.

[Junior1942]

......As Junior mentions, you can make different sized mandrels to squeeze onto for the Lee so I made one that gives me 0.313" after sizing. I have a small lathe so it was pretty easy......I was talking about the EZ expander for a Lee full length sizing die. Too-small picture below. Just get one too big for your needs and chuck it in a drill press and touch a file to it. If memory serves, I took one for an 8mm Mauser .323" and filed it down for a .314" Moisin. I have a zip bag of 303B expanders filed down in various diameters for playing with a 30-30. They were $2 each from Lee. Now they're $3 ea I believe.
https://fsreloading.com/images/P/p-2751.jpg

PS: It makes no difference if the Lee full-length die sizes the neck to .30?" When the expander pulls out of the case, the neck ID becomes whatever the expander OD is. Like with my 30-30, I can increase and decrease the case neck ID at will .001" at a time.

[tomme boy]

Junior, I know I can get the different expanders. The problem is I do not want to work the brass that much. 54R brass can get costly.

[Nobade]

I either neck size my Russian cases with a 32 H&R size die or a Lee collet neck sizer for 308 Win (using a washer on top of the shell holder to activate the collet early due to the longer case) and both work great. But most of the time I don't size the cases at all but rather just hand seat the boolits on top of a full charge of powder.

But if you want to open that size die you might get with Buckshot here on the forum and see if he can fix you up.

[RG1911]

I think the easiest solution is to get a Hornady (or RCBS or ...) neck sizing die that uses bushings. Not only can you resize the neck correctly, but you also can play with the neck tension. For instance, I usually use bushings that size .002 under actual neck diameter (as measured using a loaded round).

Richard