Hi folks, I'm still paying attention here when I can even though I've been fairly quiet for a long stretch. As a background and in the interest of full disclosure, keep in mind that I am a hardcore, hobbyist handloader that has been knee-deep in this game for more than three decades however probably north of 95% of that has been with straight wall handgun across a long list of chamberings. My experience is fairly high volume handgun stuff, my bench tends to spit out somewhere between a low of 6,000 a year to a high somewhere north of 15k.
I say the above to make it clear that I have really never done much more than dabbled in bottle neck rifle. I enjoy rifles, but I'm a handgun guy through and through. However, I do an annual trip that has me hunting prairie dogs over three days each year and I obviously handload to feed that exercise.
It's interesting as I read all of the discussions that are very rifle specific as I try to pick up as much as I can, all the while knowing that it's never going to be my focus in this game. Particularly interesting over the last many months has been discussions on handloading for rifle accuracy and full length sizing versus other methods of partial sizing and neck sizing. Far be it from me to take many pages and full discussions over many months and wrap that all up in to one bold statement but my observation regarding this subject in our forum basically boils down to full length sizing every single time will result in a higher potential for accuracy.
I decided even before I began hunting prairie dogs that I was going to give the Lee collet neck-only size die a chance and now, with 7 years of trips under my belt (although only the last 6 have been with my handloads... had to start somewhere! ) that this tool from Lee has worked extremely well for me over a documented 2,500 loaded rounds and I'll use this thread to talk about why I wanted to try it, what I hoped to gain with it, what I've experienced and certainly... I hope to hear comments and outright criticisms of it and my observations also. It's been my experience that I either learn more -OR- I simply have a better base of what to keep an eye out for when I'm able to hear skepticism and criticism of any tools, methods or processes, so honest and respectful discussion as it relates to neck sizing or this particular tool are more than welcomed -- they are solicited.
As you have gathered if you don't know me... I'm long winded. I appreciate your patience.
I say the above to make it clear that I have really never done much more than dabbled in bottle neck rifle. I enjoy rifles, but I'm a handgun guy through and through. However, I do an annual trip that has me hunting prairie dogs over three days each year and I obviously handload to feed that exercise.
It's interesting as I read all of the discussions that are very rifle specific as I try to pick up as much as I can, all the while knowing that it's never going to be my focus in this game. Particularly interesting over the last many months has been discussions on handloading for rifle accuracy and full length sizing versus other methods of partial sizing and neck sizing. Far be it from me to take many pages and full discussions over many months and wrap that all up in to one bold statement but my observation regarding this subject in our forum basically boils down to full length sizing every single time will result in a higher potential for accuracy.
I decided even before I began hunting prairie dogs that I was going to give the Lee collet neck-only size die a chance and now, with 7 years of trips under my belt (although only the last 6 have been with my handloads... had to start somewhere! ) that this tool from Lee has worked extremely well for me over a documented 2,500 loaded rounds and I'll use this thread to talk about why I wanted to try it, what I hoped to gain with it, what I've experienced and certainly... I hope to hear comments and outright criticisms of it and my observations also. It's been my experience that I either learn more -OR- I simply have a better base of what to keep an eye out for when I'm able to hear skepticism and criticism of any tools, methods or processes, so honest and respectful discussion as it relates to neck sizing or this particular tool are more than welcomed -- they are solicited.
As you have gathered if you don't know me... I'm long winded. I appreciate your patience.