Case Sizing Issue

[Ehud]

Hey all. I'm new to this forum, and I have a reloading issue that has me baffled. I'm not a long-time reloader, but I do try to be very careful as to how I go about each step. Here's the issue: whenever I drop a fired, unresized .25-06 case in my LE Wilson case/headspace gauge, it fits perfectly! I didn't think that an unresized case would fit. The cases chamber and cycle perfectly, and I don't see any pressure warning signs. Any ideas why this is happening, or does that just happen sometimes? Thanks in advance.

[Alleycat72]

It depends on the chamber and how hot your load is. If the oal is good, it'll go. After you resize it, check again. Most case growth will happen in the resizing 

[scatman]

If you're firing from and loading for the same bore and not running hot loads, you won't need to resize, and will find that in not doing so produces more accurate ammo for that rifle. Bores aren't truly straight to chambers, a once fired brass that is going to be reloaded for the same exact chamber it was shot from will already be formed to your rifle's minute differences. @Huntin101 has a book I gave him that explains this phenomenon very well and in greater detail if you'd perhaps like to message him about it.

[scatman]

I only resize every 4-5 reloads and even then my cases don't usually last one or two more past that point with the loads I use.

[Ehud]

19 hours ago, Alleycat72 said:

It depends on the chamber and how hot your load is. If the oal is good, it'll go. After you resize it, check again. Most case growth will happen in the resizing 

Thanks you!

[Ehud]

4 hours ago, scatman said:

I only resize every 4-5 reloads and even then my cases don't usually last one or two more past that point with the loads I use.

Thank you!

[Ehud]

4 hours ago, scatman said:

If you're firing from and loading for the same bore and not running hot loads, you won't need to resize, and will find that in not doing so produces more accurate ammo for that rifle. Bores aren't truly straight to chambers, a once fired brass that is going to be reloaded for the same exact chamber it was shot from will already be formed to your rifle's minute differences. @Huntin101 has a book I gave him that explains this phenomenon very well and in greater detail if you'd perhaps like to message him about it.

Thanks! I appreciate it. It just seemed odd to me that a fired, unresized case just dropped right in that Wilson case gauge!

[Ehud]

4 hours ago, scatman said:

I only resize every 4-5 reloads and even then my cases don't usually last one or two more past that point with the loads I use.

Thank you.

[Ehud]

4 hours ago, scatman said:

I only resize every 4-5 reloads and even then my cases don't usually last one or two more past that point with the loads I use.

 

4 hours ago, scatman said:

If you're firing from and loading for the same bore and not running hot loads, you won't need to resize, and will find that in not doing so produces more accurate ammo for that rifle. Bores aren't truly straight to chambers, a once fired brass that is going to be reloaded for the same exact chamber it was shot from will already be formed to your rifle's minute differences. @Huntin101 has a book I gave him that explains this phenomenon very well and in greater detail if you'd perhaps like to message him about it.

Thanks!

[Alleycat72]

4 hours ago, scatman said:

If you're firing from and loading for the same bore and not running hot loads, you won't need to resize, and will find that in not doing so produces more accurate ammo for that rifle. Bores aren't truly straight to chambers, a once fired brass that is going to be reloaded for the same exact chamber it was shot from will already be formed to your rifle's minute differences. @Huntin101 has a book I gave him that explains this phenomenon very well and in greater detail if you'd perhaps like to message him about it.

You'll need to at least neck size unless you've got it setup as a fitted case. That's not something a new reloader should ever try. I have a wildcat chamber that has used the same Lapua brass for 13 loadings. 

[scatman]

6 hours ago, Alleycat72 said:

You'll need to at least neck size unless you've got it setup as a fitted case. That's not something a new reloader should ever try. I have a wildcat chamber that has used the same Lapua brass for 13 loadings. 

This is why I love Lapua brass. Always get the longest life out of them, but that being said indeed you are correct. I assumed that this person wasn't a "newer loader," just a new member to our community. 

[Allen1]

Ehud you need to resize your brass after each firing, I would strongly recommend full length sizing to maintain case consistency.

The Wilson gage is more the size of your chamber and a lot of cases will drop into them even with minor issues or without being resized.  It is checking for case overall length and head space length but not so much the body diameter. If you compare that to a Hornady gage your case un-sized will not drop in and may not drop in after resizing depending on your sizing die. It is checking the case for actual case dimensions as well as overall length and head space and is much tighter than the Wilson.  Neither gage is bad you just need to understand what they are each doing,

If you are resizing brass to go back into the same chamber you have little to worry about.  Set your shoulder back .002 -.003, check your overall length (trim if needed) and you will be fine.