[Marshall Stanton]

In practice this works pretty well, provided that you haven't been running full tilt magnum pressure loads in your revolver.... as chambering can becom difficult.

However, if running light to moderate pressure loads it has some merits.  This partial sizing must size the case at least to the point on the case where the bottom of the seated bullet would be.  This insures proper neck tension on the bullet for uniform bullet pull and start pressure.

I loaded lots of ammo like this using a lyman tong tool in days gone by, and it was first rate ammo!   It's been years since I played with this technique on straight-walled handgun cartridges, but in some applications, it does have its place.

Interesting to revisit the past, and the ideas we have put upon shelves... some things once again become fresh!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[Marshall Stanton]

In response to the observations and questions posted on this thread I gave a quick test yesterday in the .44 Magnum to neck sizing only in a couple of revolvers.

I loaded a very proven load that has an extensive track record, and well documented performance in my revolvers.

BTB .432"-280g WFNGC/12.5g AA #5/WLPP/Rem Brass/1060 fps 5.5" Bbl.

This load is very comfortable to shoot, and superbly consistant in its chronographed  results over time  (single digit ES)  No, this is not a powerhouse load, but much fun to shoot, and it does not shoot to the same point of aim as my serious hunting loads.  It was fairly accurate in my Blued SBH 6" gun, but woefully inaccurate in my 5.5" SS Bisquero.

I loaded 50 rounds, only neck sizing them, and slightly flaring the case to readily start the bullets.   They were crimped in my usual fashion using a Redding Profile crimp die.   The only difference between this load and my other tests with this bullet/load combination was the fact that these loads were only neck sized, instead of full-length sized as in the past.

In the SBH 6" gun, performance was on a par, it shot into about 1.7" at 30 yards off the bench.  Not much difference than with full-length sized cases.

However, in the Bisquero, with somewhat generous chamber dimensions, the story was entirely different.  In this gun, this particular load has never shot better than 3.4", and after looking over nearly two dozen targets, fired over several sessions in the past, the average target group with this load was about 4.1".

Now, shooting this load, with neck sized cases in the same Bisquero, the first target came in at 1.12"!  I fired all fifty rounds through the gun, with ten rounds per target.  the average group was 1.62", while the smallest was .73" center to center discounting two called fliers!  Yes, I was having a good day behind the bench, but the differences with this load were staggering when compared to full length sized case loads.  

Now, just to make sure that this test wasnt' just due to a great day behind the gun, or perhaps better bore conditioning, or some other factor, I went up to the shop and loaded 25 rounds, with the powder measure set the same, and all loading dies set the same, except for once again full-length sizing of the cases.   Down to the shop range again, and test... two ten round groups with an average of 3.72" center to center with discounted fliers penciled out of the equation.

Yes, in some guns, I would say that there are some applications where neck sizing only is a decided advantage!  Note too, that the loaded rounds slipped right into the gun with no hesitation at all, but too these cases had previously been fired in the same revolvers... a must when neck sizing only.

I thought you folks might like to hear of my findings over the weekend.

God Bless,

Marshall