Need to size virgin PREMIUM brass?

N2TRKYS

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If you back your full length sizer out a couple turns it will open up the neck without touching anything else. That's what I did to mine, results were good.

I don’t move my full length die. I just move my handle down enough to get the mandrel through the case mouth. Very easy and doesn’t do anything else to the rest of the case.
 
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I don’t move my full length die. I just move my handle down enough to get the mandrel through the case mouth. Very easy and doesn’t do anything else to the rest of the case.
Single stage that works fine. Progressive not so much.
 
OP
sndmn11

sndmn11

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I gave not sizing a try

6.5creed 140vld reduced .7gr and lost about 35fps.
PXL_20230428_203831361.jpg

6.5creed 85hammer reduced 1.1gr and lost about 70fps.
PXL_20230428_204754290.jpg

7-08 145LRX reduced .3gr and about half had ejector marks, gained 10fps.
PXL_20230428_210059980.jpg

Accuracy was improved for sure, and I am very happy.
 

N2TRKYS

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Bullets don't seat without a full stroke. And case activated powder throwers don't cycle without a case fully inserted.
10-4. I don’t load mine right after I get the case mouths right. So, it sounds like a self indexing progressive press would work for me.

Thanks for the info. 👍
 

Gila

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I don’t think I have had a box of brass yet that didn’t have at least one or two wonky necks. The flash holes need to be de-burred with most new brass. The case mouth on Lapua brass good most of the time but one or two need chamfer. The primer pockets need to be brushed out also. I use match grade full length sizer die. Dump out the bushing and take off the de-prime pin. Install the neck expander button to do all of the new brass necks. Then take off the expander and put the bushing back in and fully resize the case. Be liberal with the imperial wax on the necks. An hour in the dry tumbler and ready to rock’n’roll. A lot less work with fire-formed brass.
 
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sndmn11

sndmn11

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That LRX load is moving! What are the details on that load?

It's too much. It is interesting to me because I never found pressure with it before. I just had a target velocity in mind of 2900 and found 50.0gr at every tenth up to 50.5 got me between 2899 to 2909 fps. So, I took the .5gr node and loaded up.

Half+ of the new load had obvious ejector marks, but were not stiff to eject or cycle.

Old:
Hornady brass 2.025"
145gr LRX
50.3gr Staball 6.5
Cci 200
Cbto = 2.234"
20" vanguard at 2905fps

New:
Alpha brass unknown length
145gr LRX
50.0gr Staball 6.5
Cci 200
Cbto = 2.240"
20" vanguard at 2949fps
 

Qholum37

Lil-Rokslider
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Mar 31, 2023
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I always start with running the mandrel through and then sizing to set neck tension. Sometimes I have a trim step in there but just depends
 

wildcat33

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Feb 17, 2015
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CO
I just got some Alpha brass for 6.5creed and 7-08, as well as Lapua for 30-06.

How many folks just load them up and shoot?

I have some free time this weekend and would like to clear load development for these off my plate. 15% of me is considering not sizing them to save a big chunk of my tomorrow.
Im going through a new batch of lapua. I loaded up the 20 speer bullets you gave me and found that neck tension and headspace was not as consistent as I would like. Some were tough to seat, others a bit tough to close the bolt on. I ran the rest through a FL die and that got me where I wanted to be.
 

Rich M

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I think the question should have been - how many folks wouldn't size them.

it is a variable that you can control. Control it!
 
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