I used the Lee Universal decapper on some 5.56 cases with crimps. When I placed the bullet it dropped all the way into the case. So my reloading of the 5.56 round came to a schreeching halt!
gramps
gramps
Depriming brass
- Thread starter RoninPA
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Yeah, I's all good. We all work out a "plan" that suits us. My reasoning for decapping first with a dedicated die in a little "off to the side" LEE press is merely to avoid the mess of residual crud that comes out with the spent primers getting into my "real" press and also to leave the primer pocket open to the tumbling media. And I tumble before resizing for the same reason as well as to run nice clean brass thru my dies. As a result, there is a noticeable absence of crud in the area of my "real" press. I have no idea if any of this is necessary or worthwhile, but it just feels right and I don't care about whatever small amount of time is involved in decapping as a separate step . . .it's all part of the hobby.
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
BucolicBuffalo
Single-Sixer
I like the Lee Universal die also. With those aftermarket, hardened pins. I did turn one down with sandpaper to fit small flash holes on .22 Hornet.
Usually I tumble first, then run partially sorted brass through the de-prime step on the Forster CO-AX, so I do not have to change the shellplate. I tumble similar sized cases to keep them from getting stuck inside each other. Then sort again when de-priming. I pick up a lot of range brass. Pistol brass is less work than rifle brass of course.
Usually I tumble first, then run partially sorted brass through the de-prime step on the Forster CO-AX, so I do not have to change the shellplate. I tumble similar sized cases to keep them from getting stuck inside each other. Then sort again when de-priming. I pick up a lot of range brass. Pistol brass is less work than rifle brass of course.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
Did anybody mention an Ultra Sonic Cleaner?
https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?dir=asc&order=EAScore%2Cf%2CEAFeatured+Weight%2Cf%2CSale+Rank%2Cf&q=Ultrasonic++Cleaner
https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?dir=asc&order=EAScore%2Cf%2CEAFeatured+Weight%2Cf%2CSale+Rank%2Cf&q=Ultrasonic++Cleaner
Jimbo357mag said:
Ultrasonics were, for a long time, out of the price range for the average reloader. They are now being built for DIYers and gun people and coming down in price every day, just like all electronics and are more affordable for a lot of people now. That said, a lot of reloaders already have systems that work great for them (and have supplies that will last a long time) so they don't see the need for going with something new.
I have an ultrasonic cleaner for my gunsmithing/Cerakoting business. It's a godsend. Get a crapped up gun in, take it apart, into the ultrasonic for 20 min and it comes out with no crud/grease/oil to get all over everything. Saves a lot of time. However, I found that as well as it cleans empty cases (which now is the main reason most gun people use them) it doesn't make them as "pretty" like they get when tumbled or even in a vibratory cleaner. For some people that is not a big deal, for others, they want their reloaded brass to look like factory new. To each his own, just like depriming/cleaning before resizing or not.
I will not hesitate to get another ultrasonic cleaner if/when the one I have dies, it is like having a part time helper but you don't pay near as much in salary.
There are so many new devices that make reloaders lives so much easier, it's kind of hard what to recommend to a person who wants to start reloading. That's why, when I am asked, I tell them "Do not buy any equipment yet. Buy two books, one, the "ABC's of Reloading" and two, either the Lyman reloading manual or if you know what brand bullets you're going to reload (and most don't know yet), that manufacturers reloading manual. Then, sit down and read them, get the basic understandings of reloading and the steps involved, then start writing down the things that you need to get started (depending on what they are going to reload) and things that will be nice to have but not necessarily required to get started." I tell them they can go on forums and say "I want to start reloading, what do I need?" but I warn them they will be inundated with everyone's favorite equipment/opinions and they won't know where to start and that's why you read the books first.
First I'm going to say that there are no really bad formulas for reloading. The egregiously bad (e.g. I just fill the case to the top and then push in the bullet) are usually self correcting!
How you reload depends on your goal(s)! If it's just to have plinking ammo that's a lot different from self defense and from New load development.
When I am just reloading for plinking then I throw loads and don't inspect often. For hunting or defense I check the throw weight every 10 loads. When I am trying to develop new loads for the PC carbines then that's very different. I use an ultrasonic cleaner and deprime first in any case.
When developing a new load I weigh new brass and inspect to see if it needs work. I measure the water volume of several cartridges to see if the brass is uniform.
After fireing I inspect the primers for over pressure or other problems. I then deprime and clean-if there are problems I steam the inside of the cases-then inspect for signs of case wear problems. I hand prime, lube and resize; then inspect for lube in/on the case. If the case has a lube problem then I use steam or solvent to clean it. I weigh every load to the mg level. Yes this seems to be pretty O-CD; but for repeatable results and maximum accuracy there is no substitute.
I don't do this any thing like all the time, just for special development or accuracy loads.
So what you do depends on what you are reloading for. A bunch of loads for plinking where minimum effort is desirable, versus hunting or defense loads, or critical new load development, or accuracy loads!
How you reload depends on your goal(s)! If it's just to have plinking ammo that's a lot different from self defense and from New load development.
When I am just reloading for plinking then I throw loads and don't inspect often. For hunting or defense I check the throw weight every 10 loads. When I am trying to develop new loads for the PC carbines then that's very different. I use an ultrasonic cleaner and deprime first in any case.
When developing a new load I weigh new brass and inspect to see if it needs work. I measure the water volume of several cartridges to see if the brass is uniform.
After fireing I inspect the primers for over pressure or other problems. I then deprime and clean-if there are problems I steam the inside of the cases-then inspect for signs of case wear problems. I hand prime, lube and resize; then inspect for lube in/on the case. If the case has a lube problem then I use steam or solvent to clean it. I weigh every load to the mg level. Yes this seems to be pretty O-CD; but for repeatable results and maximum accuracy there is no substitute.
I don't do this any thing like all the time, just for special development or accuracy loads.
So what you do depends on what you are reloading for. A bunch of loads for plinking where minimum effort is desirable, versus hunting or defense loads, or critical new load development, or accuracy loads!
Coyote Hunter
Single-Sixer
My brass never gets very dirty because it gets cleaned every time it gets reloaded.
Standard SOP for me is to shoot, FL resize and de-prime in one operation, then tumble to clean and remove sizing lubricant.
Could probably get more life out of my brass if I didn't FL resize every time. Some loads require it, though, as they may go into any one of multiple firearms.
Standard SOP for me is to shoot, FL resize and de-prime in one operation, then tumble to clean and remove sizing lubricant.
Could probably get more life out of my brass if I didn't FL resize every time. Some loads require it, though, as they may go into any one of multiple firearms.
