Potatoes wrote:. To maintain good neck tension should i keep using the FLS die expander or should i remove it and use the neck sizing die after neck bumping? Which would give the best neck tension consistency without overworking the brass?
Im reloading 223 ammo with a lee challenger press and I have a Lee FLS die and a collet neck sizing die.
Some loads can work with high neck tension however it is hard to keep exactly the same amount on each bullet. With low tension it is easier to apply low amounts of grip on the bullet. Most loads will work with very low amounts of force holding the bullet. As Marksman said, just enough so you cannot move the bullet with your fingers is a good place to be.
You have a collet die, these are great. Adjust it until you only size the neck a couple of thou. Be gentle as it will feel like you have not sized the case at all. Load this way until the case become a little harder to chamber after repeated firings. Then you will have to full lenght resize. You may be able to go 10 or 20 firings before you need to do this.
You will have to use the dreaded expander ball when you do this otherwise you will have excessive neck tension.
Try some graphite lube if you are using new or tumbled brass. The clean necks are grabby and you will have more grip on the bullet than you want.