Full Length or Neck Size Only?

[Mainehunter]

Last night I read a good article by Ken Waters on the 358 Winchester. One thing he says is to either full length or neck size in bolt action after each use but for levers (Winchester 88 or Savage 99) is to full length size after each use. I find this interesting as for years in my Winchester 88 358 Win. or Savage 99 358 Win. I have full length sized when I bought new brass but after that I neck sized only. I haven't had any problems not full length sizing them. Just curious why he would state that, your thoughts?

Mainehunter

[Griff]

Only reason I can think of is that he may like me, think that it's easier to chamber the round as you close the bolt on a neck-sized only case with the "twisting" motion of the bolt, rather than the being pushed straight in with the lever action.

[J Miller]

For bolt actions I've neck sized the cases originally fired in that rifle with good results. There's plenty of camming power to chamber a sticky case.
But for the Win 94s I've lived with I always full length size them. The 94s just don't have that camming power to overcome a sticky case.

I don't know anything about the Win 88s, but if I had one, I'd full size the cases for it.

But that's just me.

Joe

[Tycer]

Full length for me. I'm not a benchrest shooter. I like the accuracy of a properly prepped case full length resize just fine.

I think deburring the flash hole and uniform neck thickness are two of the most important steps in reloading for accuracy.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Full length. If the dies are set properly there should only be a couple thousands more clearance. Just enough to make it feed smoothly.

[tdoor]

Hi-

Not necessarily a bolt vs lever situation, but I have sometimes experienced difficulties with rotary magazines, such as many Savage 99's or Mannlicher-Schoenauers have. Often the dimension of the shoulder has fire formed to the chamber (perhaps only a few thousandths more than if flr'd) and that can be just enough to cause poor or non existent feeding from the magazine.

tdoor

[w30wcf]

I have been neck sizing all of my 30-30 brass from many years with nary a problem.
What fits in one rifle may not necessarily fit in another. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Ken mentioned that.

w30wcf

[3leggedturtle]

I full lengthed sized 30/30 and 22 hornet brass for 21 years cuz that is what the reloading books said. Threw the brass away in 98 and cant remeber ever losing one because of splits or anything else. Usually it was cuz i smashed'em when i wasnt paying attention

[Old Savage]

With the 88 and 99 it just depends on how much you strain the brass. If it is not distorted neck sizing works fine but if you try to approach the levels you can get with a bolt and maintain the integrity of the brass it will be distorted and then full length sizing is necessary. I find that level and stay under it in those guns. You have apparently done that in your reloading. This has been true in my experience in the 308, 300 Savage and the 250 Savage and I have had bolt guns in all of them to work with too.

[1894cfan]

I have been neck sizing all of my 30-30 brass from many years with nary a problem.
What fits in one rifle may not necessarily fit in another. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Ken mentioned that.

w30wcf

+1

[J Miller]

I have been neck sizing all of my 30-30 brass from many years with nary a problem.
What fits in one rifle may not necessarily fit in another. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Ken mentioned that.

w30wcf

That is precisely the reason I full length size my lever gun cartridges. I have at least two of each caliber and I have no desire to segregate my ammo.

I have a neck sizing die for my .303 British and have used it a bit. But I only have one .303 ... at this time. Same with the 7.62 and 30-06. If and when I get a second or third rifle of the same caliber, they will all get full sized.

Joe

[firefuzz]

The only time I'll just neck size is for a bolt gun with specific brass for that particular rifle. Everything else, in other words most, get FL sized.

Rob

[Mainehunter]

Thanks for the replies! All of you have valid points on full length sizing the brass. I started off reloading bolt guns many years ago but it's just been a few years for levers. I thought neck sizing was I would say "part of the process" never thinking it would be different for leverguns.

Mainehunter

[765x53]

The easy way to find out, chamber the empty brass in your rifle. If the bolt closes, neck size.

[GregT]

Since last August, I have become the owner of 3 Rossi Model 92's; one in .357, the other two in .45 Colt. The two in .45 Colt each have "large" chambers as seems to be part of the deliberate manufacture of these rifles for some reason. If I would full length size the fired brass that comes out of these two, I would get one reloading out of the case and it would split on firing at the base! The .357 is probably alright to FL size, but as it works very well with neck sizing. Neck sizing about a half inch down from the mouth works quite well in the .45's. The fired brass case looks "normal" until you look way down just above the rim. The casing at this point is obviously expanded way more than it should be. By neck sizing, I do not work the brass at the point where the solid web of the casing leaves off, thus not creating that sharp, bright ring around the case. The over expanded area expands only once and does not seem to grow any larger after the first shot or two. I will be up to five reloads per case with this reloading of them. I don't like this situation but neck sizing is almost an exclusive function with me, and I probably would neck size this .45 Colt brass anyway, even if the chambers had been done by someone who knew what the hell he was doing.
GregT

[KirkD]

I neck size only unless I have the same caliber in two different rifles and the fireformed cases will not fit the other rifle. A fireformed case is a beautiful thing because it is more concentric in the chamber and throat than a full length sized case if you have a larger sized chamber.

[Chas.]

Full length sizing here. I reload .357, .44mag, and .45-70, and for each I have multiple guns, which include revolvers. And revolvers get real cranky about the size they'll accept.

[adirondakjack]

My answer would be "it depends".

For ammo used in more than one rifle, FLR. For MOST ACCURATE rounds out of an 88, file or dimple the rim to reference 12 O'clock, hand feed the chamber with the brass always oriented that same way, and neck size only. My dad worked up a sub .3" 100 yard group with a model 88 in .284, and that was a part of his routine. For FEEDING purposes, a model 88 IS a bolt gun

[Old Shatterhand]

For my mod 88 .308W I resize partially - i.e. I use the full sizing die, but set it so only so deep that not more than the neck will be sized. Fully sized cases will not eject, but must be picked out with a screwdriver, and the caps are protroding a little from the head. I suspect that the die is a bit too tight, as factory ammo doesn't get stuck in the chamber. However, I have not had any problem with the partially sized cases, so I will go on with that.

Old Sh.

[Rusty]

I try to keep brass separate and neck size only in my long guns. Handguns are a different mater.

[Mainehunter]

For my mod 88 .308W I resize partially - i.e. I use the full sizing die, but set it so only so deep that not more than the neck will be sized. Fully sized cases will not eject, but must be picked out with a screwdriver, and the caps are protroding a little from the head. I suspect that the die is a bit too tight, as factory ammo doesn't get stuck in the chamber. However, I have not had any problem with the partially sized cases, so I will go on with that.

Old Sh.

What dies were you using? I'm about to use converted military brass for my 358 Win.

Mainehunter

[Old Shatterhand]

For my mod 88 .308W I resize partially - i.e. I use the full sizing die, but set it so only so deep that not more than the neck will be sized. Fully sized cases will not eject, but must be picked out with a screwdriver, and the caps are protroding a little from the head. I suspect that the die is a bit too tight, as factory ammo doesn't get stuck in the chamber. However, I have not had any problem with the partially sized cases, so I will go on with that.

Old Sh.

What dies were you using? I'm about to use converted military brass for my 358 Win.

Mainehunter

It is an old Lee set of dies which I bought cheaply from a friend. I haven't tried any other dies, but primed unloaded military cases work fine without any further sizing - I just pour the proper dose of powder into them and seat the bullet.

Old Sh.