Sizing new cases

[gdr1 0]

It may seem like a stupid question to most, but I had a quick look round the site and couldn't get the answer.

 

I'm just about to start reloading rifle cases after previously doing just .357mag which were factory loaded to start with.

 

So my question is, if I get new unprimed cases, are they already correctly sized? As in the future I intend to just necksize them as they will all be fired from the same rifle.

 

Thanks for any help

[gav243 1]

hi am not sure if ur ment to but i allways resize my new ones just in case of dents ect

[fireblade_rrw 20]

I think you will find that brand new cases are 'factory sized' so they fit any gun. However, sizing won't do any harm and thereafter, as you have stated, they will be 'fire fitted' to your gun so you will only need to neck size.

[Greek Phil 5]

I always full case size new brass, check and trim to length and deburr the primer hole.. Just in case.

 

That way at least I know for certain that I'm starting right where I should be.

 

Oncer fired its only neck sizing.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Greek Phil

[gdr1 0]

Found a website over the water , and most of the yanks reckon all they do is neck size their cases to ensure roundness. I think i'll go for this option as it'll save stressing the cases unnecessarily by full sizing. Cheers for the replys

[jamie g 17]

when i had my fireball built i had to fls all my brass from new as it was to tight to chamber.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

Always neck size new cases to ensure that all dents on irregular shape necks are set back to spec

And fire form, then i deburr primer pockets if drilled flash hole cases are used,

 

Winchester always need doing.. After this its business as normal.

 

 

Snap.

[andyf 144]

Hi:

Yes you must always size new brass, if you dont the bullet will fall straight down the bottleneck, try a bullet head in an unprimed new case to see what I mean.

I only neck size my centrefires after the first firing, this seems to improve consistancy, but I always 'try' a bullet head in the first few to check that the neck tension

is working, if it is you cannot push the bullet into the case by hand.

Good question though.

AndyF

[fireblade_rrw 20]

As Andy F has said, that's the way to go, then neck size after it's been fire formed to your rifle.

 

What about using a factory crimp as well ?

 

Opinions?

[leeroy 29]

I always re size full length new brass , in the past when I first started loading I only neck sized , I have had the odd one tight it might have been a bit out of shape only needs doing once in the life of the case unless you change rifle.

[dicehorn 38]

It may seem like a stupid question to most, but I had a quick look round the site and couldn't get the answer.

 

Not a stupid question bearing in mind the varying answers given.

 

I think you will find that brand new cases are 'factory sized' so they fit any gun. However, sizing won't do any harm and thereafter, as you have stated, they will be 'fire fitted' to your gun so you will only need to neck size.

 

True re 'factory sized' - all particular calibres are made to the industry standard (SAAMI) the only difference being the quality of brass and weight.

 

Hi:

Yes you must always size new brass, if you dont the bullet will fall straight down the bottleneck, try a bullet head in an unprimed new case to see what I mean.

I only neck size my centrefires after the first firing, this seems to improve consistancy, but I always 'try' a bullet head in the first few to check that the neck tension

is working, if it is you cannot push the bullet into the case by hand.

Good question though.

AndyF

 

Hm.....that's interesting. Over the years I have loaded for approx 14 calibres and never come across that. Especially as previously stated that all cases (including their necks) are set to the industry standard when made. I did hear once that Privvy are suspect but have never put my hand in my pocket to buy any.

 

Found a website over the water , and most of the yanks reckon all they do is neck size their cases to ensure roundness. I think i'll go for this option as it'll save stressing the cases unnecessarily by full sizing. Cheers for the replys

 

 

Problem is that in the States they are used to making high volume amounts of ammo. If you were to ask the serious reloaders who reload for accuracy, they dont trust the case manufacturers and so they full length new brass. Full lengthing new brass does NOT stress the brass - how can it if the case and your die are factory spec. What will turn up occasionally is a case that since manufacture and packing falls off the display cabinet and gets stepped on before being replaced back on display - it happens. If you have a case that is bent but not to the eye and is chambered, you could have a situation of a fired case stuck in the rifle's chamber - or worse a live round. Neck sizing that case wont correct that fault.

 

Always neck size new cases to ensure that all dents on irregular shape necks are set back to spec

And fire form, then i deburr primer pockets if drilled flash hole cases are used,Snap.

 

Neck sizing will not remove dents in the neck - it may smooth down a bump. I assume the words 'And fire form' should have come after the last sentence !!

 

I always full case size new brass, check and trim to length and deburr the primer hole.. Just in case.

 

That way at least I know for certain that I'm starting right where I should be.

 

Oncer fired its only neck sizing.

 

 

Agree with you Phil - apart from the last sentence. Yes and no ! Of course it depends on the life of the brass. But generally if you were to continue to just neck size you can court a problem with the body of the case starting to grow to the extent you have difficulty in closing the bolt and even more difficulty in extracting the case. There are two ways around this - you can full length after so many firings to put the case back to factory spec or you can 'bump' the case's shoulder back with a body die. The body die has the advantage that the task can be done without the need to pull the bullet, empty the powder and deprime.

 

For the benefit of the OP, with new brass - and of course this depends what you want from your reloading, but this is what I do.

 

All cases weighed and closely batched - any that weigh very high or low (generally about 10 per 100) are put away in the bottom drawer. Reason? I heavy case will have less volume in the case and vice versa with a light case = inconsistant burn rate.

 

I then neck turn the cases (my cutter has a mandrel that also reams the inside of the neck) to even up neck thickness as much as possible to avoid too much bullet run out. Run all the cases over a guage to establish bullet run out - any that are over 4 thou - in the bottom draw.

 

Trim all the cases to the shortest case (unless that case is riduculously short) deburr inside and out. Recut the primer pocket and deburr the flash hole.

 

Full length using the appropriate bushing to size 3/4 of the neck (if that is what is needed on one of my calibres)

 

That is my prep for new cases - what I am trying to do is create clones.

 

After that I just neck size but keep an eye out for case growth. When I get to the stage that there is a very little resistance to closing the bolt I measure the shoulder datum on the case with a special comparitor then 'bump' the shoulder back say 2 thou. I then record that measurement and that becomes the case size I know that fits my chamber perfectly.

Every 5th or so firing I will anneal the necks to extend the life of the brass. I have brass that has done 20+ firings. Dont have neck issues with cases but have to watch for signs of case separation with older cases.

 

Apart from my 6.5, 22.250 and 20 Tac I reload for 8 shooters covering 11 differing calibres (yes covered by insurance and shooters bring the bullets and load the powder and bullets themselves) - no bullets are returned to them unless they group sub 1/2 MOA.

 

May all sound OTT but it all comes down to what you want out of your rifle.

[gdr1 0]

Thanks for the responses, as said already opinion varies so it's down to the individual. I think i'll now do a full resize initially,then neck size.

Again thanks for all the opinions.