- Thread Starter
- #21
That’s a lot. A lot of everything. I always err on the side of a little more tension than the traditional .002, but that’s just to make sure there is always enough for odd brass.
For reference. My last 6.5 barrel, with lapua brass (thick necks) I was sizing with a .288 bushing and running a .262 mandrel through it. Moving the brass as little as I needed to provide .0025-.003 of neck tension.
Another issue I see happening that may help you is neck hardening if you do not anneal. This might make your problem worse, but also might yield a little larger neck diameter after sizing eventually.
The issues you’re seeing are 100% from factory dies designed to size all brass regardless of thickness. Unfortunately there’s not many ways around it.
Personally if I were you, and if you have a bucch of that brass, I’d just order a forester honed to your dimension on the neck and enjoy more consistent brass.
I've got 500 pieces. Not really looking to purchase an annealer or even new dies at this point although I'm sure it'd be helpful in the future.
If I'm understanding right I could also just send them my existing die and for $26 they'd open the neck up? https://www.forsterproducts.com/resources/custom-machining-service/
CUSTOM NECK HONING OF FORSTER FULL LENGTH SIZING DIE
We custom-hone the inside neck diameter by using a diamond stoning process. We enlarge the inside diameter to your specification to prevent oversizing of the case neck due to thick neck walls. You may require this service for multiple reasons:
Please send us your die along with the Custom Neck Honing Form, specifying the inside neck diameter. Note:
- If you use some brands of brass cases with thicker neck walls.
- If you do not intend to outside neck turn case necks that have thickened after repeated firings.
$26.00, includes shipping within continental U.S. (lower 48 states). Please allow 1-3 weeks.
- No more than .008″ stock removal from your existing die neck diameter is possible.
- Honing is done in increments of one-half thousandth of an inch (.0005″), meaning that your specified inside diameter must be either .XXX0″ or .XXX5″.
Then I could effectively have them open the neck up to .287 or something and get back to .288 by using the expander?
If I don't have to buy a new die that's not a bad option for $26...