Reloading prep tips?

[tagacali]

Steps I do, ( using Lee Challenger Singe Stage )
1. Deprime my cleaned brass
2. Install primer
3. Resize brass with Lee lubricant
4. Clean/wipe off lube on brass
Then load powder and install bullet

Is their a way to lubricate all brass at once so I can resize faster without lubricating the brass by hand once every 2-3 brass. Also, is it safe to wash of the brass after step 3?

[primers]

please don't prime your brass then re size..when you deprime you should be resizing at same time..unless your using a depriming die only...I cant impress enough for reloaders too read ,any and every manual they can get there hands on...basically..clean..tumble brass...lube..resize...trim to length....chamfer..in out case neck...clean primer pocket..uniform flash hole..not always done...wipe down clean up brass..reprime..measure powder... install in case..install bullet...verify seating depth....enjoy

[huckberry668]

Been doing this for almost 20 years. i dissolve a few tea spoons of RCBS (what i have now) water saluable lube in 90% rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. stand the cleaned cases up in a tray and spray 4 to 5 times from all directions at an angle to get the inside of necks. to speed up the drying, i use a hair dryer while rolling the cases around in the tray. you can adjust the ratio of lube to alcohol to your liking.

you should:
1. clean
2. lube
3. deprime/resize
4. tumble/clean brass to remove lube.
5. prime the cases

[tagacali]

Do you guys spray on a liquid type lube? The one I use for now is the Lee lubricant that came with the Lee reloading kit I bought. I need to get the die set that resized and deprime at the same time.

[farias4000]

you should:
1. clean
2. lube
3. deprime/resize
4. tumble/clean brass to remove lube.
5. prime the cases

+1 on Huck's reply. My process is a bit diffrent (brass is pre cleaned and sorted by headstamp):

1) Trim
2) Deburr &
3) Lube (light lube; too much will leave airpockets in the die and leave a nasty dent in the shoulder even case)
4) Deprime and Size (with the same die)
5) Tumble Brass again clean off lube and clean primer pockets
6) Prime case

Then the rest is powder, seating, and crimping

* NOTE Lubing is only required for rifle brass not pistol JUST FYI otherwise this process is not relevant at all.

[bubbapug1]

I don't agree with any of the above posters.

1. Buy processed brass, and if you can't and don't want to do that...here is the list

1. Clean the brass.

2. Lube, deprime and size the brass

3. Trim and chamfer the brass (if you trim before you size the brass, it will grow and you may need to trim again)

4. Decrimp the primer hole if its been crimped, and most 223 has crimped primers

4. Clean off the lube. Washing the cases in a degreaser and water works fast, but so does tumbling.

5. Prime, fill with powder, seat bullet, and crimp.

6. Shoot at will.

Don't buy the Lee reloading book, its junk, just like most all of the stuff he sells. You get what you pay for, especially in dies and presses, especially in bullets.

Buy the abc's of reloading and read it.

[tagacali]

@bubbapug1: that's what I did on my first 1K reload...bought cleaned 223 brass.
Question - how do you guys lube your brass before resizing and deprimming? You spray them with lube oil or lube them by hand one at a time

[tagacali]

Also, if the brass meets the required length then I don't need to trim it right? Chamfering the brass is only necessary if the lip is dented?

[damndave]

My process with a single stage is. (Match 308)


1. Deprime
2. Tumble in Stainless media
3. FL resize
4. Tumble in corn cobb
5. Uniform primer pocket and deburr flash hole
6. Trim, chamfer, deburr
7. Hand prime
8. Powder charges
9. Seat bullet
10. Shoot them!

[damndave]

Do you guys spray on a liquid type lube? The one I use for now is the Lee lubricant that came with the Lee reloading kit I bought. I need to get the die set that resized and deprime at the same time.

I use Hornady One Shot.

[Dark Mod]

Shouldnt you Size and deprime BEFORE you tumble? it makes no sense to tumble twice just to get some lube off......

[tagacali]

That's what I'll do next: resize and deprime then tumble. I bought some cleaned 223 brass for now to get started. Last week was my first reload trial run. Test fired 20 rounds first to make sure I did it right :-)
I may have to retumble since the cleaned brass I bought wasn't deprimed and resized yet.
Resizing and chamfering is necessary eventhough the length and neck looks good?

[farias4000]

Shouldnt you Size and deprime BEFORE you tumble? it makes no sense to tumble twice just to get some lube off......

I clean twice. I don't like taking chances with lube in my chamber, dirty dies, and dirty lube pads. Not necessary but is an option.

However for the OP you'll find a million answers. Just use the basic loading proceedures as written in any reloading book which you should have and in between you can do what works best for you.

BTW Never had problems with lee stuff. The only thing I do stay away from is the lee factory crimp die. Never been a fan of that die. But everything else will be a good starter. But again you'll have some label whores who can throw your balance right off who live and die by a particular brand without realizing the licensing Lee Precision does for use of their patents for all other brands. Been over a year loaded over 10, 000 rounds. No problems with my lee presses to justify buying something more expensive.

However yes the ABC's of reloading will get you a good start

[bubbapug1]

Also, if the brass meets the required length then I don't need to trim it right? Chamfering the brass is only necessary if the lip is dented?

To answer your question....you only need to trim if they exceed max length. You need to chamfer all of them so the bullet is pressed into the neck smoothly, and so you don't have excessive diameters in the neck area once the bullet is in place. I sometimes use a dillion trimmer which provides no chamfer, but I always hit them for a milli second in my gracey to take the rough edge off so the inside neck diameter doesn't score the bullet.

On very long bullets, such as 50 bmg AMAX 750 grain I actually lube the bullet slightly because if you don't, when you press it in the case shoulder will collapse. This is not needed in most if not all smaller calibers.

After your press is set up I do this.

1. Buy processed brass, and if you can't and don't want to do that...here is the list

I added a few steps. I won't number them.

Set up the sizing die using a sizing gauge. This step HAS to been done. If you read your die instructions carefully you will see on non carbide dies the instructions say turn the die down until hit hits the shell plate, than turn down another 1/8 turn...trust me, you Need to do that to insure the die sizes the case as far down as possible or it won't fit into a good match chamber. I learned this hard lesson and had to pull 200 rounds of 50 bmg. You cannot load rifle safely without a case gauge. Make sure your case fits within the go/no go parameters of the gauge.

Set up the powder dispenser. The powder dispenser MUST be set up using the motions of the machine used in reloading as its a volumetric feered, and any vibration will increase the compaction of the powder, resulting in higher pwder charges. Check me on this. Do one draw with no vibration on teh machine, that tap the press three times lightly with a hammer. Your charges will increase. Use a powder which will be less prone to this type of compaction, like TAC or True blue for pistols, and keep the maximum loads you set below factory recomended loads until you get control of your powder charge variance issues....or blow up our gun, its your choice.

Always dump the first powder charge if the powder hopper has been sitting full a while because the first charge will have compacted heavily, and will no doubt be over maximum.

Than....

1. Clean the brass.

2. Lube, deprime and size the brass

3. Trim and chamfer the brass (if you trim before you size the brass, it will grow and you may need to trim again)

4. Decrimp the primer hole if its been crimped, and most 223 has crimped primers

4. Clean off the lube. Washing the cases in a degreaser and water works fast, but so does tumbling.

5. Prime, fill with powder, seat bullet, and crimp.

6. Check weight all cartridges as you load them into a ammo box to insure you have not missed a charge.

7. Document your load data.

8. Shoot at will.

9. Document your results and don't forget your chrony, buy one and test your velocities agasint stated performance data from the powder company. Run test at 0.1 grain intervals with 5 - 10 shots at each weight until you find the load which provides the best loads which match your particular barrel harmonics.

Don't buy the Lee reloading book, its junk, just like most all of the stuff he sells. You get what you pay for, especially in dies and presses, especially in bullets.

Buy the abc's of reloading and read it.

[RaymondMillbrae]

Click on the link RELOADING .223 VIDEO below my signature.

Not sure if you are talking about rifle or pistol...but if rifle, then my vids will help shed some light on the process.

In Christ: Raymond