New to bottle neck reloading

[BobCatt45]

I have loaded for years, straight cases, I have all my equipment for reloading the .204, I am struggling with the neck sizing die. Does this not act like the expander on a straight wall die? I have adjusted to instructions provided but it just does not seem right. Any help would be appreciated.

[Rick in Oregon]

BobCatt: What brand dies are you using, and what exactly is happening?

On bottleneck rifle cases, there is no case mouth belling as in straight wall pistol cases, and the expander ball only opens up the sized neck enough for about .002 to .003" bullet tension in the neck, otherwise, they act about the same.

What is happening there giving you grief?

[BobCatt45]

I am used to the expander belling (sp) the case on straight walls. I am using RCBS Neck sizing die, I have only deprimed and was checking the neck with a 40 vmax to see about how much they were expanding and there was not much if any expansion. It may be right, I am just not used to it. Should I be able to start the bullet into the case or does it just have that much tension for this particular case? I am only reloading these little things because you guys all have so much fun talking about it, I thought I wanted in on it.

[Rick in Oregon]

BC45: Yep, you will not be able to start a bullet in a neck sized bottleneck rifle case as you can with a straight wall pistol case after sizing....much different animal. The bullet is a press fit right from the get-go.

When seating bullets though, try to have them as straight axially as possible with the case neck to get as much concentricity as possible. The best dies to do this (IMO) are the Redding Competition Series of in-line bullet seating dies, but all of the dies from the prime makers will seat bullets satisfactorily.

[BobCatt45]

Thanks for your help, I think I will run some through, I am using some loads for Benchmark and H4895. Factory ammo works good in my Savage but I like everyone here think it can get alot better.

Thanks again.