FL vs Fired

Full length sized Lapua brass is .009 smaller than fired in my rifle. This should tell the whole story. Bushings will give you .002 neck tension.

.009" smaller where? Headspace (shoulder), case web? Is there a problem you're trying to solve? Just curious.

Neck.

The outside diameter of the neck is .009" smaller than fired brass?

So you’re thinking bad chamber or bad die? Is this your new barrel or the one you’ve been using at the matches?

Yes

Not trying to solve any problems. I should have threw in a measurement with a seated bullet but I didn’t have one handy. I was wondering how much the neck got worked and now I know. Useless post really, just curious.

I think as long as your loaded rounds and fired rounds measure the same (or close) all is OK. My processed brass measures .02
smaller but my loaded and fired brass measure the same.

Agree. I just need to measure a loaded case. I was making the argument with myself if I needed a bushing style neck die for less neck tension.

Lapua necks are way too tight, right out of the box. Measure the inside diameter with the tips of your calipers. Keep pressure opening the calipers and simultaneously rotate the brass, you will see an I.D. that is way too small.

Monday, I had 200 pieces of Lapua 7mm-08 I had to prep to load. The I.D. was .278" or less than that. I had some Lapua .308 Win a few weeks ago that was I.D. .298". Standard procedure with Lapua brass is to take it out of the box and run the expander ball of your sizing die into the necks. You do not need to lube anything. Just run the ball through the neck and back out again. Then you can load it and not cause the dented ring on your bullets because of way too much neck tension.

Agree. I just need to measure a loaded case. I was making the argument with myself if I needed a bushing style neck die for less neck tension.

no