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Posted: 10/24/2013 10:02:40 AM EDT
| If I take commercial ammo and shoot it once through my rifle then use the cases to reload, should I full length resize the cases? Wouldn't the cases be optimally sized for my rifle? Then I could just maybe resize the neck and trim for OAL? |
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Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. I agree, but I would check the cases after you neck size to make sure they fit before reloading. I shoot a Thompson pro hunter (300WM) and after a few reloads I have to set the shoulder back some before they'll properly chamber. It's a belted cartridge so it may behave differently, but I suspect you could still have this problem with non-belted cases. |
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I agree, but I would check the cases after you neck size to make sure they fit before reloading. I shoot a Thompson pro hunter (300WM) and after a few reloads I have to set the shoulder back some before they'll properly chamber. It's a belted cartridge so it may behave differently, but I suspect you could still have this problem with non-belted cases. Quoted:
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Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. I agree, but I would check the cases after you neck size to make sure they fit before reloading. I shoot a Thompson pro hunter (300WM) and after a few reloads I have to set the shoulder back some before they'll properly chamber. It's a belted cartridge so it may behave differently, but I suspect you could still have this problem with non-belted cases. This, after a few firings you would still need to either full length resize or at least bump the shoulder back. |
| The difference is a gas gun like M1 or M14 may fire when the action is not fully closed. You would not know it till you pulled the trigger. Look up the term "slam fire". A bolt action you can feel if the round is hard to chamber. General rule-FL resize for autos, lever, break open actions. There is some caming action on closing a bolt action , that may size the case a little on chambering. |
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Quoted: Why the difference? Quoted: Quoted: Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. Why the difference? Autoloaders extract the case while there is still slight pressure in the chamber. This allows the shoulder of the case to expand slightly over chamber dimensions. In a bolt gun, internal pressure is down to ambient pressure long before you can even reach for the handle. This means the spent case conforms perfectly to the dimensions of the chamber. The only sizing that is completely necessary for a bolt gun round is to shrink down the neck so that it will hold the next bullet. From what I've read, some shooters only neck size to stretch brass life since you're not stretching and shrinking the metal. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. |
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The difference is a gas gun like M1 or M14 may fire when the action is not fully closed. You would not know it till you pulled the trigger. Look up the term "slam fire". A bolt action you can feel if the round is hard to chamber. General rule-FL resize for autos, lever, break open actions. There is some caming action on closing a bolt action , that may size the case a little on chambering. Quoted:
The difference is a gas gun like M1 or M14 may fire when the action is not fully closed. You would not know it till you pulled the trigger. Look up the term "slam fire". A bolt action you can feel if the round is hard to chamber. General rule-FL resize for autos, lever, break open actions. There is some caming action on closing a bolt action , that may size the case a little on chambering. Quoted:
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Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. Why the difference? Autoloaders extract the case while there is still slight pressure in the chamber. This allows the shoulder of the case to expand slightly over chamber dimensions. In a bolt gun, internal pressure is down to ambient pressure long before you can even reach for the handle. This means the spent case conforms perfectly to the dimensions of the chamber. The only sizing that is completely necessary for a bolt gun round is to shrink down the neck so that it will hold the next bullet. From what I've read, some shooters only neck size to stretch brass life since you're not stretching and shrinking the metal. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. Thanks guys. I hadn't realized the case may still be expanding while an autoloader is extracting. |
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This does not happen with a 5.56mm M16A1. From what i read, only happens with M1 or maybe M14. Quoted:
I hadn't realized the case may still be expanding while an autoloader is extracting. Yeah it's for reloading for my M14 |
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Yeah it's for reloading for my M14 Quoted:
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I hadn't realized the case may still be expanding while an autoloader is extracting. Yeah it's for reloading for my M14 http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reloadbasics/gasgunreload.cfm |
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I hadn't realized the case may still be expanding while an autoloader is extracting. Yeah it's for reloading for my M14 http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reloadbasics/gasgunreload.cfm Will read these right now, thanks! |
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Wait, one article says pretty much only use small base dies and the other says full length dies  RCBS will tell you to use Small Base Dies in there FAQ section. Lee does not make them, but if dies dont work, they will custom make a FL die. If your going to buy/use brass fired in a different rifle, i would buy RCBS small base. I have used standard RCBS dies in 223 rem to load many different autos with no problems. None had match grade chambers. Custom dies can be made from 3 fired brass from your rifle, but if early extraction stretches the head to datum line, that may not be a good idea?? |
| For bolt guns I only FL when it time to trim. For semiautos It's 4-5 reloads. The AR I sold on here use to run just fine with only neck sizing, given they were first fired in the rifle or FLed then fired. You could also try partial FL resizing if you're worried and trying to improve accuracy. |
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I was always told to FL resize (except for hunting loads in my bolt action).
I was told this was mainly because the xxxxx rounds you load in bulk for your AR may well fit into your specific chamber but if you need to swap guns or barrels your ammo may not chamber correctly making those round useless. |
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Simple solution: take freshly fired case and drop into case head space/length gauge. If it fits correctly, no need to FL size. If it don't, FL sizing needed. Could be wrong, everyone's AR is different, but this works for me. True, but! The loads are not fired out of the gauge, the camber and the may indeed be different. The Gauge stays nice and clean on the bench. The rifle chamber can build up with carbon and other undesirable crap that may affect feeding of a tightly sized case. The gunk, carbon and crap in the chamber is one reason why the Military 5.56 chamber is slightly larger than the civilian 223 chamber. The larger chamber will help accommodate factory ammo in a dirty battle field rifle. Sizing brass to fit a squeaky clean chamber may have issues over extending firing without cleaning. YMMV |
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Disagree Brass life is longer! Quoted:
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fire formed and neck sized is a huge waste of time with little appreciable benefit. Unless you're a precision shooter reaching for 1000yds, forget about it. That's my opinion, I can't back it that statement up. Disagree Brass life is longer! +1 on extending brass life. Gas guns are hard on brass, FL sizing even harder. Simple test: measure length of case before and after sizing (presuming you have expander in your die). |
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Autoloaders extract the case while there is still slight pressure in the chamber. This allows the shoulder of the case to expand slightly over chamber dimensions. In a bolt gun, internal pressure is down to ambient pressure long before you can even reach for the handle. This means the spent case conforms perfectly to the dimensions of the chamber. The only sizing that is completely necessary for a bolt gun round is to shrink down the neck so that it will hold the next bullet. From what I've read, some shooters only neck size to stretch brass life since you're not stretching and shrinking the metal. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. Quoted:
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Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. Why the difference? Autoloaders extract the case while there is still slight pressure in the chamber. This allows the shoulder of the case to expand slightly over chamber dimensions. In a bolt gun, internal pressure is down to ambient pressure long before you can even reach for the handle. This means the spent case conforms perfectly to the dimensions of the chamber. The only sizing that is completely necessary for a bolt gun round is to shrink down the neck so that it will hold the next bullet. From what I've read, some shooters only neck size to stretch brass life since you're not stretching and shrinking the metal. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. For as close to absolute accuracy, the re-loaded round must be re-indexed in the same position that it was when previously fired? |
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For as close to absolute accuracy, the re-loaded round must be re-indexed in the same position that it was when previously fired? Quoted:
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Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. Why the difference? Autoloaders extract the case while there is still slight pressure in the chamber. This allows the shoulder of the case to expand slightly over chamber dimensions. In a bolt gun, internal pressure is down to ambient pressure long before you can even reach for the handle. This means the spent case conforms perfectly to the dimensions of the chamber. The only sizing that is completely necessary for a bolt gun round is to shrink down the neck so that it will hold the next bullet. From what I've read, some shooters only neck size to stretch brass life since you're not stretching and shrinking the metal. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. For as close to absolute accuracy, the re-loaded round must be re-indexed in the same position that it was when previously fired? How do you propose to do this in an AR?? |
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How do you propose to do this in an AR?? Quoted:
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Bolt gun yes, Gas or Lever gun no. Why the difference? Autoloaders extract the case while there is still slight pressure in the chamber. This allows the shoulder of the case to expand slightly over chamber dimensions. In a bolt gun, internal pressure is down to ambient pressure long before you can even reach for the handle. This means the spent case conforms perfectly to the dimensions of the chamber. The only sizing that is completely necessary for a bolt gun round is to shrink down the neck so that it will hold the next bullet. From what I've read, some shooters only neck size to stretch brass life since you're not stretching and shrinking the metal. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. For as close to absolute accuracy, the re-loaded round must be re-indexed in the same position that it was when previously fired? How do you propose to do this in an AR?? It can't be done; there will always be some degree of rotation in a auto loader. |
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