Brass sizing?

[RangerBrad]

I have my brass sizing dye set up to just set the shoulder back a little on my once fired brass. Do I need to set the stem all the way to the bottom then a crack back or is where I have it set now good? This is a 25-06 and there is a visiable diffrence in the shoulder of the once fired brass and the new brass if that makes any diffrence. Thank's, Brad

 

[sean1]

Sorry for my confusion but what are you referring to as the stem?

 

[Joe King]

Sorry for my confusion but what are you referring to as the stem?

I'm assuming the decaping pin. if so as long as it pushed the primer out and your not contacting it at the end of the stroke whats it matter.

 

[sean1]

That's what I was thinking too. Just questioned in case something different. Like Joe said, enough to push out the primer and not bottom out.

 

[RangerBrad]

I'm sorry, Poorly written.

What I ment is do I have to screw the die all the way down to the shell holder to size new brass since I already have it set, to set the shoulder back on my once fired brass or is it al right to just leave it where it is and size my new brass? Hope I've made this at least clear as mud. Thank's, Brad

 

[sp6x6]

You should be ok as long as you know that you indeed set the shoulder back.That you tested sized brass in chamber.And or use a comparator to measure the set back.

 

[RangerBrad]

yes I have shot the once fired brass in this rifle and also use a comparator. The shoulder on the new stuff without being sized is set back about .009 from my once fired brass. Brad

 

[LRSickle]

Brad, .009 is a lot to set your shoulder back. I would think you're working your brass too much. I usually screw my die down until I get .001-.002 setback, depending on the gun, then screw in my decapping/expander ball in until it just barely decaps my primers every time.
Another thing, I hate resetting dies to other guns. I have four 22-250s and each has it's own dies.

 

[Joe King]

Make sure I'm understanding you. your new brass measures X.000 at the shoulder and once fired unsized measures X.009 at the shoulder? Your setting your dies to bump the shoulder back just slightly? If I'm understanding you correctly it sounds like your doing a partial resize pretty much correctly.

On my rifles that I used FL dies with I won't let it bump the shoulder until the brass has grown enough to offer some resistance to closing the bolt, then I'll turn the dies down bit by bit until the bolt closes freely but you can still feel the case. If that makes any sense to you.

 

[Bart B]

yes I have shot the once fired brass in this rifle and also use a comparator. The shoulder on the new stuff without being sized is set back about .009 from my once fired brass. Brad

I'd full length size your fired cases with the die set to move the fired case shoulder back 1 or 2 thousandths; no more so the tolerances you get will let the bolt close easily on all sized cases. You'll get good case life and probably best accuracy, too. Anytime the bolt binds, even the slightest amount, it won't go back to the same place for each shot; 'tis bad for best accuracy.

If new brass is .009 inch shorter than fired brass at the shoulder, that probably is normal. New brass headspacing on the shoulder's typically 3 to 4 thousandths shorter than SAAMI chamber minimum headspace. Here's SAAMI specs for both chamber and new cases:

http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Rifle/25-06 Remington.pdf