Neck sizing cases with FL die?

[jimdvan]

Will I get decent results neck-sizing my 45-60 and 38-55 with the full length die or should I buy the neck die? Each caliber is used in only one gun and I like working my brass as little as possible.

My experimentation seems to show I can but I may not be getting the same neck tension. Most of the time I will be loading BP so the bullet slipping back into the case is not an issue.

[docone31]

If you have the full length dies, and you do not crimp, you should be ok.
As long as the cartridges are only used in each firearm, they are already chamber sized.

[jimdvan]

I plan on crimping, even if lightly.

[Larry Gibson]

Both those cartridges have considerable taper so you can probably get by by backing the FL die out and just partial sizing. I did that for a number of years with the 45-70. With mild loads for the TDs it was quite successful however with higher pressured Marlin+ loads for the Siamese Mauser it did not work that well as the case body was still being sized when the neck was sized enough. Alot depends on the loads you'll use and the how your FL dies sizes. Some FL sizer for such cases us a straight taper. Others taper to about where the base of the bullet is and then size the case "neck" as a straight case. Those are the ones that work the best for partial sizing. Just back the die off until the body is no longer sized. In the long run a neck size die is the way to go. I got the Lyman NS die made for the BPCR loads and am quite pleased with it.

BTW; the crimping is done with the seating die, not the sizing die so you'll be ok there.

Larry Gibson