Neck sizing 7.62X54R casesI

[leeshall]

I want to neck size my 7.62X54R brass but Lee doesn't offer a collet neck sizing die for this caliber. Comparing .303 British cases to 7.62X54R cases made me think hmmmmmmm. This might be possible. Anyone use the Lee .303 British collet neck sizing die on 7.62X54R cases with any success? Please advise.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[25-5]

RCBS makes one. Hornady does too! Multiple calibers.
Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension Neck Sizer Die 30 Cal

[Parashooter]

Attachment 59130
No problem - if you only want to size halfway down the neck.

[leeshall]

Looks like it shouldn't be a problem especially with relatively short 125gr and 150gr bullets. Or even heavier boat tail bullets. Am I missing anything?

[Patrick Chadwick]

...Am I missing anything?

Possibly. Since the 7.62x54R has a noticeable taper to the body, the simplest way to neck-size is to back off the sizing die about 1/2 a turn. On a fired-case (i.e. fire-formed to fit your rifle) this leaves a short unsized portion of the neck that will actually help to center the neck in the chamber.


If you then take the trouble to chamber the cases with the same orientation each time (a felt-pen mark at 12 o'clock is sufficient), you are in effect doing what a bench-rest shooter would do, without spending a small fortune on reloading equipment - just making more effective use of what you already have - assuming you already have a standard die set!

[CINDERS]

Thats a good point P C but after a while with the brass flowing towards the neck you eventually end up with what us barn door shooters call a doughnut effect which can make the case hard to chamber because that centering ring that has been formed by the flow of brass and not rectified by a full neck or full length re-sizing is now outside the chamber neck dimensions.
Used that trick myself on my 6.5/284 but after a few firings you have hard to chamber rounds, I thought the old ring around the back near the rim on a first firing like was done with the 303 round would blow the case to that particular rifles chamber dimensions. Just a thought mind you.

[Wineman]

I use a 308 Win Lee Collet Die and a thick washer that slips over the case on the shell holder. You need something about 0.12" thick (3mm). The standard mandrel will be for 0.308 bullets. Lee can modify the top piece and give you the mandrel from a 303 British collet die for $10 or so to use 0.312 bullets. I find that sometimes it is better to keep the 308 one as most Lee mandrels are too fat anyway. Some will say you are overworking your brass. Same people say you save money by reloading. Shooting is not a money saving hobby! Brass is not that expensive and it lasts something like 10 times, pretty good I say. I was at a match and guys with Diesel Pusher Motor homes were complaining about the match going from $20 to $25, really?

Just my New Years rant.

Enjoy the Mosin, they are great.

Dave

[joem]

I'll have to try that. I am also looking for a maximum case length gauge for 7.62x54R but nobody makes one.

[Parashooter]

6 in. Composite Digital Caliper
Pittsburgh - item#93293

Digital caliper measures metric and SAE with LCD display

Sale: $9.99

[Wineman]

Para,

Reminds me of the book I read to my kids: "Simple Pictures are Best". The farmer and his wife want a family picture. The photographer keeps repeating the statement as they add all of their possessions, pets and prize winning sized vegetables to the pose. The picture comes out as expected, complicated.

The Lee trim set is set to the "factory" length. If it cuts it is too long. Although most military chambers have enough slop to accept longer necks. Para has a clip of using a OO buckshot to show where the chamber ends using an empty case. You might not want to go back to a minimum length but a uniform one is probably best.

Dave