Is it possible to machine out a full length die to neck size only? Just curious.

Yeah.... maybe. If it's a steel die, then you'd have to anneal it (soften it) so it could be machined. Heat red-hot and let cool slowly. Then you have to decide whether to harden it again later. If you do, there's a chance of warping it.

Carbide dies, of course, would be a bit more of a problem. They aren't common for bottleneck cartridges, but they exist, and woe unto the poor machinist who tried to drill one out.

Considering the annealing issue (assuming you don't warp or otherwise ruin the die anyway), I think a dedicated neck sizing die starts to sound pretty reasonable. Most die manufacturers have them.

What's the project?

no particular project, I was just thimking about trying it to be a cheapskate for my hornet and my 243.I have extra dies for both calibers and was thinking it may save me the cost of neck size dies for each caliber.

You could grind them out if you could get a small stone into them while spinning them, that way you woudn't need to anneal them. Just a thought.

no particular project, I was just thimking about trying it to be a cheapskate for my hornet and my 243.I have extra dies for both calibers and was thinking it may save me the cost of neck size dies for each caliber.

For what it's worth... I don't find that neck-sizing only to be a big help in the accuracy department, and doesn't extend case life as much as you'd think.

My preference is to carefully set the full-length sizing die to *just* set the shoulder back enough for easy chambering, say 0.001" - 0.002" less than chamber dimension.

I sent Marshall a tech note on this, but don't know if it's been posted yet.

For what it's worth... I don't find that neck-sizing only to be a big help in the accuracy department, and doesn't extend case life as much as you'd think.

My preference is to carefully set the full-length sizing die to *just* set the shoulder back enough for easy chambering, say 0.001" - 0.002" less than chamber dimension.

I sent Marshall a tech note on this, but don't know if it's been posted yet.
I bought some cheap dies just to attempt to make AI dies out of standard caliber dies. I have access to lots of machine tools and a large fab shop so I made it a project to figure how to modify them. What I found is that they (all the ones I worked with regardless of manufacturor) were only surface hardened.....less than 005" and once that was removed they were quite easy to work with. I made up a modified reamer to recut shoulder and upper body area and they work great. I polished them out with 800 grit lapping compound.
I realize that by removing the hardened surface they will not last forever but I have loaded over 500 rounds with them and they all look great. Other than my time which I would spend here anyway....I have invested a total of $35 into a set of modified dies that would have cost me 4 times that much to buy anywhere else and I would be waiting for them a minimum of 12 weeks.

goatlips, try a Collet Neck Sizing die from Lee,(is the "L" word blasphemy)?
A good machinist, will tell you anything is posible, and usually is.

I use them for my .243 and 06 bolt guns. So far I relly have no complaints, but they're only eight years old.

"Good Shooting"