ORIGINAL: statjunk
I'm using Redding dies.
How does the above pertain to a belted magnum like the 300WM? Is the belt supposed to enter the die?
Hey BC, Can you explain what you mean by an inconsistent shoulder? The reason I ask is that the book states several times that this is the recommended approach to relaoding, ie to fit the shell to the action just beyond tight.
Tom
Yep, alot of handloaders and writers have talked about partial FL sizing. Thats what it is. They are trying to size just enough of the neck and case not to push the shoulders back more than .002" so it fits your gun. but may not fit another gun.
I used to do this all the time myself. But found the gains were small alot of my rifles because the chambers matched the die pretty good FL sizing. Some guns where this did help, I bought a Lee collet die because the expander ball didn't drag the shoulders to "inconsistent places".
When you do what your doing, you have to use a top quality lube in the inside necks. Like imperialsizing. Or the expander ball pulls on the neck instead of expanding only. That pullin on the neck on the way out, causes you shoulders to be in different places. The collet die relieves this problem.
Key to reloading is consistency as you know.
These are good questions, and wished I could show you what I mean.