Full length resizing help

[Briano23]

I'm getting ready to reloading 6.5 Grendel I have been reloading 308 for sometime and my process till now was full length size trim clean then load.

What I have been reading is to full length resizing without the mandrel the use and expander mandrel die for more consistent neck tension.
When I full length with the mandrel in my die for 308 OD of my neck is 0.335" when resize without the mandrel my neck is 0.327" .
I like to refine this new process of resizing, then expand in two steps instead of one.
But my dilemma is the resing process with the mandrel removed is sizing the neck more then I want. What am I doing wrong.
Thanks
Briano

[A5BLASTER]

Removing the sizing button is what your doing wrong.

If this is for a ar grendel and your going to full length resize you should not remove the sizing button from the die.

A bushing neck die used for bolt action reloads sure you can remove the sizing button and then adjust your neck sizing vie the bushing.

[tdbru]

What A5B said. To not use the mandrel you need to go to a bushing style reloading die.

Another factor affecting neck tension is the hardness of the brass in the case neck, and how much undersize the I.D. of the neck is relative to the bullet diameter.

For consistent neck tension, you're also going to have to consider neck annealing to make sure that all the brass you run has the same state of hardness in the necks. And then there's neck turning to make sure all the necks are of a uniform thickness.

The F-Classers i know chase uniform neck tension. And a host of other minutia in search of that last x for score.

if you Pareto all the factors in rifle accuracy, though, good bullets and good barrels are up near the top. things like uniform neck tension do count, but the effect is not nearly as dramatic as the difference between a so-so barrel and a "hummer".

so like A5B recommended, put the mandrel back in the die and just use it.

if you want to chase the ultimate accuracy, make sure you, your barrel, your bullet are up to the requirements, as well as many other details. it's all fun. but time consuming. Neck annealing will be a required tool to help you get to more consistent neck tension, as well as other things. If you are after these incremental improvements, I'm sure you're using Lapua brass already, right? weigh powder t o the kernel, run custom match bullets in Krieger, Bartlien, or other premium barrels, etc.

the whole purpose of uniform neck tension is to aid in getting as small an extreme spread in muzzle velocity as possible. This shows up as vertical dispersion, but is only point worthy when going very long. like Palma or something. Besides neck tension, there are a host of other ammo variables that need attention to reduce extreme spread in muzzle velocities.

Have fun with producing great target ammo, it's all good learning. But if the rifle & shooter are not up to snuff, you may not see any difference in your group size between an ES of 10fps vs 100fps.

I fall into that later camp, unfortunately. I am the weak link in accuracy for me. My gear is better than I am. I still strive to produce good ammo, but when I lose points, it's all me.
-tdbru

[Klem]

I agree with the guys.

By all means take care with your reloading but taking your hand-loading from 98% to 100% is not going to be realized every time you pull the trigger. In fact, may never be realized at all. The ability of an AR to reveal the difference is questionable.

I see you clean your cases after running through your dies. Clean cases are a sloppy fit in a chamber compared with how tight they are in a die. Cleaning cases does more to protect the die than anything else, except of course look good. I would clean before you do anything else.

[Briano23]

The first thing in my reload processes is decap then tumble then aneal, resize, clean primer pockets, trim to length, tumble again, Prime, charge and seat.
But besides playing with OAL I wanted to try different neck tensions.
So what I have been reading was people resize then use and expander mandrel for the neck size for for more consistent neck tension.
So what I'm reading here is with s type full length die I can use a bushing to better control neck tension.
Again this is all in fun in the reloading process but defiantly a learing process.
This Is my budget 308 I build and its fun to shoot.
tikka pic.jpg

[Klem]

Brian,

Is this for a 6.5 bolt gun?

[Briano23]

Yes , I'm using my information of my 308 as and example.

[ricsmall]

[Briano23]

Thanks I'll look at the Forster FL Die.

[kmon]

For bolt actions I size the case so the shoulder is pushed back .002 inches. Not much but it is very reliable.

[Briano23]

I can not find the Forster FL bump with neck bushings.just there FL die pt# 005346.

[Briano23]

Thanks I like a .002-.003" bump myself.

[Briano23]

I just found out from Forster 6.5 grendel dies are 12 weeks out any suggestion on fl die till I can get a Forster fl die

[tdbru]

https://www.amazon.com/Type-Full-Bushing-Die-GRENDEL/dp/B00110ESOC

[FLshooter]