Do groups open up or get tighter with fired brass?

[JGRaider]

Oh, so you fire the brass until it won't chamber in your rifle, then bump? Weird, almost like I said that is exactly the reason to just FL size and bump the shoulders every time to get consistent ammo.. You also "dOnT gIvE a RaTzAsS aBoUt" anything anyone tries to explain to you, believe in 3 shot groups, and prefer shooting 200lb mammals with a mono out of a 30 cal.

You're about 25% correct, which is par for you.

 

[SloppyJ]

I tried the neck sizing only thing when I first started. There might be something to it for the first few firings but I've found it easier to pick one way and stick with it. I notice that my shoulder data doesn't start to get super consistent until I'm on my 3rd reload. I FL size and bump the shoulder back 0.002" every time. It's just easier for me that way and my process never changes. I've been sticking with a bushing die with the expander mandrel installed.

I pick a case length when I get my new brass that barely shaves some off but is still above the minimum spec to get all cases uniform. Then I chamfer and deburr them. I then wash them again and then reload. I have a dedicated decapping die and that helps keep my dies clean.

I normally can reload those 3 times, counting the initial loading, and then I trim everything back again and do brass prep all over. It's much easier the second time. Prepping new brass is not fun at all.

Just stick with it and you'll find your own system. I feel confident in mine but I'm always open to new ways to do things. At some point you start cutting out the frivolous things to help expedite the process because it can be a time suck.

With Barnes, they still recommend that you start a minimum of 50thou off the lands due to the construction of that bullet. I use the 150s in my 308 and can get them moving pretty quick. In the 2900fps range with 45gr varget and some really good accuracy.