223/556 reloading from step 1

[y-not]

I am looking for a good source that goes thru the complete process for reloading 223/556. From sorting brass, prepping, inspection, and all the steps needed until the round goes plunk into the tray.
Never loaded rifle rounds, it's raining, snowing, and I am bored.
Yes I have reloading equipment and supplies.

[JackEllis]

Have you tried Youtube? Maybe start with videos produced by powder and projectile manufacturers like Hornady and Barnes?

Do you have a reloading manual? I have two of them and both have sections devoted to reloading.

I had someone show me the basics and then spent a lot of time looking at videos, reading references and reading posts here.

[tabascoz28]

2nd for youtubing. Someone must have a step by step.

Plinking, all around or super accurate ammo?

Also, prepare for a bunch of different responses...

My quickest, less time consuming process, I don't clean the flash hole, nor do I anneal them, I will be building a rig to do that automatically soon with the help of a CG member. After 3000 loads I've only had to throw away 4 cracked neck cases, I'm assuming that some of the factory brass/range pickup brass was loaded to the max and shot out of larger chambers too many time. I have a batch of 1000 LC brass that came out of my rifle, that I reloaded, that I prepped:

1) Clean the brass, you can either tumble with dry walnut/corn media or go elaborate with a sonic cleaner with a special solution. Some people wet tumbe with steel media to get it super shiny and clean although I think this takes extra work in drying and pre-sizing. I just drop all my brass in the walnut vibrating tumbler for 30 minutes, with some strips of used dryer sheets. Have breakfast or watch some local news.

2) If it's once fire brass, you will want to punch out the primer pockets and swage it. Most 223/556 now have crimps so you could get a desk pop if you are not super careful in pushing the primers in. Being super careful takes time. Might as well trim the brass down to minimum specs at this time so you won't have to do it every time. Worlds Cheapest or Finest Trimmer are good for bulk work. Do it once, don't have to do it again for the next 5-to loads? Very time consuming but a necessary step.

3) Lay them on a tray and spray with Hornady One Shot, it's a dry lube that takes time to dry but doesn't have to be cleaned once you're done sizing.
I have also used a 10:1 alcohol to lanolin lube spray, shaken, not stirred. Cheap but may need to be cleaned off after you're done. Start setting up your press, lay out your primers and fill the powder cup and put your bullets in a container that you can have access to. Lift the tray, shake and roll all the brass 180 degrees/ half way and spray again.

4) I have a hybrid progressive press Breech Lock Pro made by Lee, budget press and doesn't have automated primer or bullet drop. On my down stroke I put a primer and a new case in the rig with two hands. On the up stroke I put a bullet and check the powder every 20 or so with one hand. After every 100 primers I refill the powder drop. I get about 400 rds per hour if I'm jamming.

The amount of time it took me to write this I could have had steps 1 and 3 done in the background.

[y-not]

2nd for youtubing. Someone must have a step by step.

Plinking, all around or super accurate .

Just plinking ammo for now.
I will hit up youtube.
I already sent the cases thru the wet tumbler and are cleaned. Removing primers and prep the pockets look like the next step.
Not worried about speed at this time as that will come by experiance.

[divingin]

The front part of just about any printed reloading manual out there. Don't just read them; read them until you understand what they've written. Then re-read them until you're sure you didn't misinterpret.

I have a problem with YouTube as a primary source of information; not so much that the info is wrong, but that there is a) no oversight to make sure data is correct, and b) no liability hanging over their head for posting wrong info.

And you should have removed the primers prior to wet tumbling. The pockets get cleaned if they are exposed to the pins.

[tabascoz28]

I will tell you I have reloaded thousands of 556 without swaging the pockets without a pop but it's always by feel when I had a turret press. In a regular primer pocket you'll just jam/slide it in until it stops. On crimped pockets, even swaged you might feel 2 stages, the first obvious step and and a final lock in, not unlike when you put headphone jacks into the socket. Too much pressure and BANG though...

[kalapa]

This is a video I watched many years ago that started me on reloading 223. Great video with plenty of details from start to finish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYCHd75a6I

[RNE228]

This...

I've been reloading for 35 or so years. I use Speer and Sierra reloading books. I also reference the Ken Waters "Pet Loads" volumes.

I learned before Youtube and the WWW. Had no choice but to read the manuals

The front part of just about any printed reloading manual out there. Don't just read them; read them until you understand what they've written. Then re-read them until you're sure you didn't misinterpret.

[tabascoz28]

And you don't stop learning either. There's totally different methods when reloading for accuracy or sometimes just different barrels tightness and shoulders.... I was just telling you what I do for my plinkers and maybe it's the gun but I get about a 1 MOA with open sights/red dot.

[sigstroker]

Hornady manual. If you're cheap, I saw one online as a pdf awhile ago.

[desertrider]

This is a video I watched many years ago that started me on reloading 223. Great video with plenty of details from start to finish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYCHd75a6I

+1 ^^^^^^

This is the same video I learned from five or six years ago.

[the86d]

When I skipped the swagging, or reaming step, I lost BOATLOADS of primers from being smushed. I again take the extra step/time to swage all pockets that don't just let the primer ease-in, and have extra brass at the ready to swap in the progressive, in case we picked up some... strays, that were added per range trip...

[tabascoz28]

I just lucked out, a guy next to me at the range had a same lot, PMC 223 with no crimp. So clean, so new, so not crimped! I think I got like 3-400?

[3fcattle]

lee is coming out with a new swaging die, look interesting. I use a Dillon

[ar15barrels]

I am looking for a good source that goes thru the complete process for reloading 223/556.
From sorting brass, prepping, inspection, and all the steps needed until the round goes plunk into the tray.

https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-50th-Edition-Reloading-Manual/dp/B01N76GD2F

Covers the whole process from beginning to end.