Frustrating day processing brass...

[jetman624]

So I have finally gotten all my gear together and I decided to go through 20 deprimed, swaged and tumbled pieces of brass on my body and neck sizing dies, just to see how they worked. I have the Redding Body die, and the Lee collet neck sizing die. So I run them through both dies and everything goes fine, though the neck die doesn't "feel" like it is doing much-- but more on that later. So after the two dies I throw the brass in a case gauge and the head of the brass is sticking up just hair-- and I mean like the width of a freakin hair. So I set the body die back up run it up there-- and the freakin thing sticks and the head slips out of the shell holder. I was able to use a spare Lee decapping pin from my universal decapper and knock it out. I spray some more DCL on another piece of brass, run it up in there-- sticks AGAIN. I back the die out a tad bit and dump the remaining brass out on to a towel and re-lube the hell out of it and was finally able to get them bumped down to the proper size without sticking any.

I guess I learned I should be checking the shoulder bump in the case gauge on the FIRST piece of brass. I had set the die up per the instructions, but it looks like it needs an extra 1/8th turn to get the head spacing right. So glad I didn't do more than 20...

What is the collet neck die supposed to "feel" like? It doesn't feel like the shoulder die-- like you can feel when it is up there and makes contact with everything. The neck die just kind of goes up there, but has a spongy feel and I can't really tell what it did? Does anybody else who uses this die notice a spongy feel at the bottom of the press stroke?

[jetman624]

I just checked bullet fitment by hand on the necks of the processed brass. I am not able to push them in by hand, so I am thinking they are ok... right?

[swopjan]

Is swaging the same as sizing?

Sorry I can't help, I'm new...

[prc77]

No it is not the same

[gunboat]

What is a "body" die --
Don't you have a regular sizing die ?
I don't understand using both a "body" die and a neck sizing die --
I generally "neck size" by just backing off the full length sizing die a turn or so.

[shooterbill]

You don't need the neck die after full length sizing. You use the neck die after the cases have been fired in one gun.

[LynnJr]

Be sure to always use the body die first as it will make the necks longer.Once you have the body die set so you are getting the headspace you want lock it down and put a stripe on it right down the middle with a magic marker.This lets you know it is set right at a glance.It won't do anything to the necks except make them longer.
The body die will be much harder because you are moving the shoulder and the area in front of the casehead were the brass is very thick.

The neck die will feel very easy.

[John Browning]

Be sure to always use the body die first as it will make the necks longer.Once you have the body die set so you are getting the headspace you want lock it down and put a stripe on it right down the middle with a magic marker.This lets you know it is set right at a glance.It won't do anything to the necks except make them longer.
The body die will be much harder because you are moving the shoulder and the area in front of the casehead were the brass is very thick.

The neck die will feel very easy.

There is no such thing as a "body die." You can either full length size, or neck size. You should do a search to find more about them. In summary, you full length size for 99.9% of rifle loads, which will return the brass to SAAMI spec. If you neck size, it leaves the body of the brass as is so that it is already fireformed to ONE particular rifle. Unless you're a benchrest shooter, neck sizing is a waste of time and will impact reliability in heat and cold. There is a correct process to set your dies up, and it does not involve a marker.

If all this is Greek to you, consult a reloading manual and start over.

[BLR81]

There is no such thing as a "body die." You can either full length size, or neck size. You should do a search to find more about them. In summary, you full length size for 99.9% of rifle loads, which will return the brass to SAAMI spec. If you neck size, it leaves the body of the brass as is so that it is already fireformed to ONE particular rifle. Unless you're a benchrest shooter, neck sizing is a waste of time and will impact reliability in heat and cold. There is a correct process to set your dies up, and it does not involve a marker.

If all this is Greek to you, consult a reloading manual and start over.

If there is no such thing as a "body die", then maybe you had better tell Redding and Midway because they seem to think that there is.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/779204/redding-competition-bushing-3-die-neck-sizer-set-338-lapua-magnum

[aleng888]

Dear op

I think before you start your reloading you should go to a reloading class host by some of the calguner here. The equipment you are useing is specific to only one type of shootering.

[jetman624]

This is the body die I have:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/401556/redding-body-die-223-remington

Much of the brass will go into a bolt gun that I will only be resizing the necks for-- that is why I have a separate die for each. I wanted to be able to control neck tension separate from the other resizing process.

[Germz]

What is a "body" die --
Don't you have a regular sizing die ?
I don't understand using both a "body" die and a neck sizing die --
I generally "neck size" by just backing off the full length sizing die a turn or so.

This is a no-no. When you back the full length sizing die out from contact with the shell holder, the die will still reduce the body diameter of the case, which in turn causes the base to shoulder dimension to increase. This can make it difficult or impossible to close the bolt, because of insufficient headspace.

You don't need the neck die after full length sizing. You use the neck die after the cases have been fired in one gun.

You should also specify that you cannot neck size cases that you plan on using in an AUTO-LOADING firearm; there is too much expansion and deforming during the firing and rapid extraction process of say..an AR15 that you must FULL LENGTH RESIZE everytime.

This is the body die I have:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/401556/redding-body-die-223-remington

Much of the brass will go into a bolt gun that I will only be resizing the necks for-- that is why I have a separate die for each. I wanted to be able to control neck tension separate from the other resizing process.

OP, still, you only need to full length size first. after you fire, then neck size. but your die is for brass that has already been FL sized and has gone through a few neck sizings; it is not a full length sizing die.....get a F/L sizing die.

[jetman624]

What is the difference between a FL resizing die and what I am doing? Am I not accomplishing the exact same thing, just in two separate steps?

[Whiterabbit]

Is swaging the same as sizing?

Sizing means you are reducing the diameter. Swaging means you are increasing the diameter. Usually in reference to changing the bullet diameter as needed to fit a gun.

[Whiterabbit]

by the way OP, if your rifle's chamber is loose, or even WELL within spec but at the large side of tolerance, those cases that fit the gage by a human hair (over), they may have chambered just fine.

Next time, doublecheck your case gage by chambering a case.

Even more telling will be fired cases, neck size, trim to length if needed, and check that gage. You might be surprised just how much shoulder movement there is and how it all still fits your gun.