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Im about to start sizing and prepping 2-3 maybe 4k .223/556 brass cases.
Want to do them all up exactly the same and i did size a few small sample groups to 0.221" ID (with the button) and 0.215" ID. Without (die body only) as im sure you gather i dont have a bushing die so its one or the other.
I loaded some test seeds in these (with a few diff. Brands) and did the bang test with the tip on a peice of wood one or two seemed to move maybe a thou. With 4-5 strong whacks. So both neck tensions seem to hold just fine under recoil (it is for semi auto) no crushed necks or anything. Didnt even use lube on the 0.215" size. Seemed to just seat just fine.

Any advice? Im kinda wondering if i might get a little lower std dev. With higher neck tension might provide a little more repeatable burn?
As long as it seats fine theres no downside to higher neck tension right?
For reference i was getting low 0.6" groups with 0.221" neck tension so im a little tempted to go with whats already working?

Will this change pressure much?
I know seating depth DOES but idk about neck tension, im betting it doesn't.

TIA!
 
.010" is too much IMO.

You're just sizing the neck with the bullet at that point and bullets don't make good neck sizers.
.001" - .004" would be my suggestion with the heavier neck tension going toward the auto-loading platforms.

Play around with it to see what works, but at some point you get diminishing returns, and induce runout as well as bent necks.

Not to mention you're overworking your brass which can shorten it's life and lead to cracks.
 
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Not to mention you're overworking your brass with can shorten it's life and lead to cracks.
Yeah im seriously wondering about runout. I have fantastic lever style indicators i REALLY need a good runout gauge. That's def. Next on the list. And i KNOW Ill get better concentricity pulling a mandrel through the neck rather than pushing.

I was kinda sorta thinking what the heck the case is necked down to the min. Dia. In the die body and THEN drawn over the sizer button so its getting worked as much either way.

But i definetely like pulling it through ten times more. I do kinda wish it had about another -.001"
I think this was my first die set i ever bought and it was before i knew about bushing sizing.
 
Ever try a Lee collet die? Uses a steel mandrel and provides consistent neck tension.
I just got my first collet neck die for .308 along with my redding bushing FL die and forster seater die for that cal as well. They are pretty cheap. But its also another step. Id still have to FL size it and then neck it.

So in otherwords i havent used it yet, but might here in a while.
 
Lee addresses the commercial/military brass issue in that neck thickness will vary. The end product will have the same neck I.D. since it is sizes to the mandrel. Mandrels can be turned down a thou or two for increased bullet pull, and for precision shooters, mandrels may be customized to the cases being used.

Reloading issues reveal the classic "cheap, fast, good" conundrum. We get to pick two.
 
That may be true but I wouldn't compare straight walled 9mm to bottle necked rifle cartridges, nor do I expect the same accuracy from each.
Tension is tension, regardless if the case has a shoulder or not. The fella isn't complaining about shoulder collapse during seating so I doubt there's too much tension.
 
Tension is tension, regardless if the case has a shoulder or not. The fella isn't complaining about shoulder collapse during seating so I doubt there's too much tension.
I'll have to agree to disagree. For his application I think .010" is going to cause more harm than benefit.
 
Lee addresses the commercial/military brass issue in that neck thickness will vary. The end product will have the same neck I.D. since it is sizes to the mandrel. Mandrels can be turned down a thou or two for increased bullet pull, and for precision shooters, mandrels may be customized to the cases being used.

Reloading issues reveal the classic "cheap, fast, good" conundrum. We get to pick two.
Im going to have to look at the collet again i kinda thought it was alum. But that doesn't make sense. Ill have to check it out. I fairly recently got a uni mike and another mititoyo tube mic. So ill have to test that out.
Thanks for the heads up. Who knows i may have to get more of those.
 
Are you shooting benchrest or something? If your boolits have a cannelure you can roll crimp them or use a Lee "factory crimp die" with that being said, your neck tension is going to very by headstamp so if you want uniform tension you'll need separate resize accordingly, might be worth it if you are shooting benchrest ;)
 
Necks too tight will eventually result in this. An extreme example, but it happens.

Screen Shot 2021-03-22 at 10.35.37 PM.png
 
Are you shooting benchrest or something? If your boolits have a cannelure you can roll crimp them or use a Lee "factory crimp die" with that being said, your neck tension is going to very by headstamp so if you want uniform tension you'll need separate resize accordingly, might be worth it if you are shooting benchrest ;)
No not benchrest. But i reload like i am. Just trying to absolutely test the limits of the barrel itself. I want to avoid crimping if possible because it doesn't usually improve accuracy. My current seeds are non cannelured but i just ordered 1.5k cannelured. I try to avoid cannelures altogether if possible simpler is ALWAYS better when it comes to seeds. Cannelures are a defect in the aerodynamics in my mind.
All that said i do have a lee factory crimp die for 223/556
Necks too tight will eventually result in this. An extreme example, but it happens.

And i do generally sort them by head stamp and might even weigh some of them for sample testing just out of curiosity.

View attachment 847394
...you mean they aren't supposed to look like that?!? Lol. ;)
 
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No not benchrest. But i reload like i am. Just trying to absolutely test the limits of the barrel itself. I want to avoid crimping if possible because it doesn't usually improve accuracy. My current seeds are non cannelured but i just ordered 1.5k cannelured. I try to avoid cannelures altogether if possible simpler is ALWAYS better when it comes to seeds. Cannelures are a defect in the aerodynamics in my mind.
All that said i do have a lee factory crimp die for 223/556
My non cannelure loads are compressed, nothing like hearing that powder crunch so l don't worry about setback thats another option
 
My non cannelure loads are compressed, nothing like hearing that powder crunch so l don't worry about setback thats another option
Yeah thats true. Now im going ho have to dig out my binder and see if those loads were compressed. I dont think they were but they were near max capacity im betting.
 
That's the specialty round known as the Dr. Seuss Squiggly-Spooge.
Necks too tight will eventually result in this. An extreme example, but it happens.

View attachment 847394

Yeah im not 100% on whats presented here is fact. Whats with the ring around it near the start of the ogive? Looks like it was already seated and then pulled amd reseated again?
Not saying its not either, just looks like something more is going on.
Im certainly no expert but kinda thinking the brass was maybe over annealed as well.
Looks like a revised webly chamber. The wobbly. Or maybe a new "bentz" chamber ;)
 

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