Partial Sizing Bottle-Neck Cases???

[dovehunter]

I am gearing up to start reloading for my new .223. Up to this point I have always full-length resized all my bottle-neck cases but I may try something different with the .223. I have read over the years, if you always plan to shoot your reloads in the same gun, that it may be advantageous to adjust you full-length sizing die so as not to bottom out on the shell holder. I also seem to recall having read that a good way to do this was to place a matchbook cover between the shell holder and the bottom of the resizing die.

I started to buy neck-sizing dies but thought what if I (or my son) ever gets another .223 and bought my usual RCBS full-length resizing dies. What do you think about doing what I have described above? Is it a sound practice or just BS? If any of you have ever done it, did you run into any problems of any sort?

[Jack]

I partial size quite often. I haven't used your method of setting the FL die for partial sizing, but it sounds like it should work. The way I set my dies for partial sizing is: screw the die in as instructed for full length sizing, then back the die out about 1/2 turn.
After you size the first case, take a close look at the neck. You should be able to see where the sizing stopped.
Since you're loading for a Handi Rifle, you don't have the camming power to seat a cartridge in the chamber that a bolt action has. I suggest you partial size one case, then try to chamber it in the rifle and close the action. You'll quickly find out if the die is set to make ammo that will fit in your chamber. If the cartridge doesn't fit easily, adjust your die setting accordingly.

[klsm54]

My first thought relates to what Jack said. I'm not sure a Handi-Rifle is the best gun to partially size the cases for. If you had a bolt gun, it is usually trouble free.

I am not sure that partial sizing is the accuracy improver that some claim it to be. I used to do it, or had neck sizing dies, for just about all my bolt guns. But after playing around, in a couple of my really accurate varminters, I foound very little, if any, difference in those loads versus fully sized loads.

I think it is one of those things that when every other accuracy tool for the gun and ammo is utilized, it might help improve accuracy. But in an average 1/2" to 3/4" varmint rifle, with factory chamber and barrel, I doubt it makes enough difference to see. And in your good shooting, inch to inch and a half, sporter, I really don't think it is worth the effort.

Your results may vary and all signs fail in dry times...

[Bill]

One of the best things I ever did was buy a set of Lee Collet Dies in .223. It comes with 3 different dies in the set. A bullet seating die, a full length sizing die, and a neck sizing die. I'm up to about 10,000 rounds of Lake City brass for my .223 now so after I swedge the primer pockets to get rid of the military crimp I full length size the case. Trim for OAL and check the neck thickness and trim those to get rid of any problems with the neck walls being thicker in one spot. Then I use the neck sizer to finish sizing them again. When I do this the cases become very concentric with hardly any runout if there is any. I check this on my RCBS gauge. Accuracy improves a bunch even on the first shooting. When I neck size after that I will run the case into the collet die and then turn the case 180 and do it again. This gets rid of any runout after the first firing. I can keep the gun shooting less than quarter inch groups this way. Plus I anneal between firings. Seldom loose a case this way and I don't care IF I have 10,000 rounds of brass I am very careful with it as I do not think I will ever need to buy brass again. I also do not reload any of the brass until I think I'm going to need some ammo to go shooting. I have found that ammo that sets on the shelf loaded for long periods of time does not shoot as well as fresh ammo. I have read that the bullet and case weld themselves together at the molecular level and some guys will "BUMP" the bullet in the bullet seater to get rid of this problem before shooting it in a match so it might be that the weld is more the problem than the powder setting in the case over long periods.
Another thing I have found and that is this. Factory's allow for a certain amount of run out when chambering a barrel. The only way to solve this problem is to have your rifle custom barreled and chambered or mark your cases so that they go back into the chamber in exactly the same position each time. I'm not shooting a custom barrel and I sure am not that anal when shooting prairie dogs to take the time to do that. I might miss a shot at one. ;D So I just make the best ammo I can and forget about it.

[jimiowa]

It is universally accepted in the absolute accuracy crowd.
But is not needed with a factory chamber.
I have done it but don't think I will anymore.

[dovehunter]

Both Jack and klsm54 brought up the very valid point that my Handi-Rifle, being a break-open, doesn't have the camming capability provide by a turn-bolt gun. I would think, however, if the case was originally fired in that gun that, even after partial or neck resizing, that it would fit easily enough back in the same gun. I am also a big proponent of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. I have never had any problems in my approximately 40-yrs of reloading resulting from full-length resizing. To reinforce that I read the instructions accompanying my new RCBS FL die set. It essentially said to screw down the resizing die until it bottoms out against the shell holder. They then said to lower the ram and turn the die another 1/4 to 1/2 turn beyond that to allow for any play in the ram or toggle mechanism. I think therefore that I'll just stick with full-length resizing and keep things simple. I like simple!
;D