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Cartridge Resizing

quidproquo00
I have just recently begun to reload my own cartridges (22-250). Everything is working fine (test firing is OK). Up to now I have been neck-sizing only as I am using my own-fired brass. However, at some point I will have to buy new brass because I have only 60 of my own cartridges.

My question is this, will I have to full-size the new (not once-fired) brass first? Also, how long can I get away with neck-sizing only my own-fired brass? I use a Lee collet neck-sizing die and also have the full-sizer.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • zimmden
    All brass reloading instructions recommend full length sizing first to make sure they will fit chamber since some brass can be damaged in shipping handling and even manufacturing. I have shot and reloaded same brass 20 to 30 times when only neck sizing after I've annealed them. If you shoot near max loads, you may have to FL size brass after 4 or 5 loads due to case stretching at the shoulder. With only neck sizing and moderate loads you may not have to trim to length or resize for a very long time.
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  • JustC
    new brass is mostly always undersized (i.e. sized down) so that it will fit in any chamber. Usually the only thing needed to is run the expander ball into the case mouth to straighten out the necks. Depending on what rifle it is for, or what dies I have handy, I will go ahead and run them through a FL die just to get them all the same dimensions.

    you can neck size until the shoulder has grown to meet the chamber wall, and has become work hardened, thus not allowing the springback on the shoulder on the case after firing. You simply set your FL die to barely bump the shoulder maybe .001"-.002" and you are back in business. At this point, annealing is a good idea, but expensive to get into.
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  • quidproquo00
    Thanks for the information. It was extremely helpful to this newbie.

    One more thing. How do I know if the shoulder has stretched to the point where full-sizing is needed? Can I check by putting the empty case in the chamber and seeing if the bolt will close, before I re-load? I don't want to find out after re-loading a bunch that they won't chamber!
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  • zimmden
    If the empty case comes out of the chamber easily, it will go back in the same chamber when reloaded. If the bolt has some resistance when opening, the case shoulder has probably stretched forward and needs resizing or bumping the shoulder back. If you have a headspace gage for this caliber, you can measure the shoulder on a new case or one that ejects easily and compare that to cases fired multiple times to see if the shoulder (headspace) on your cases has changed.
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  • mbsams
    Bolt lift resistance is also an indication of high pressure - a better indicator of the need for full length sizing is the resistance to chambering and closing the bolt. I like to partially size - set your FL die to just bump the shoulder.
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