I’m about to start reloading for the first time(by myself). I won’t be loading anything until I get my FA Intellidropper for Christmas that my parents wanted to get me for a gift, anyway, in the meantime, I wanted to start prepping my brass. What I was wanting to do is do all my depriming, trimming, resizing, etc. before I send them to the cleaner which is an RCBS wet tumbler. This isn’t the exact process that my Hornady handbook suggests. My thoughts for this process is that I can get the primer pockets and everything else clean, and I can grab clean brass weight sort it and start the loading process. Any problems with this? Pros and cons? Any information or recommendations is much appreciated.
About to begin my first reloading process.
- Thread starter Django11
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Average Joe
New member
I would wait, and wash the brass first, it's a lot nicer to work on clean brass then grungy range brass, besides, it's easier to find defects with clean brass.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
What will you be loading, handgun or rifle? Straight wall or bottleneck?
I only load for handgun. I tumble first, deprime, prime using a hand priming tool, and then load on a turret press.
In your case, what's the point of resizing before cleaning? Some people prefer to decap before cleaning, so they can clean out the primer pockets. I tumble in corncob media, so I leave the spent primers in place while tumbling so the media doesn't get stuck in the primer pocket. Either way, IMHO cleaning should be done before resizing -- that makes resizing easier on the dies and easier on the cases.
Trimming, if you need or want to do it, should be done after resizing.
I only load for handgun. I tumble first, deprime, prime using a hand priming tool, and then load on a turret press.
In your case, what's the point of resizing before cleaning? Some people prefer to decap before cleaning, so they can clean out the primer pockets. I tumble in corncob media, so I leave the spent primers in place while tumbling so the media doesn't get stuck in the primer pocket. Either way, IMHO cleaning should be done before resizing -- that makes resizing easier on the dies and easier on the cases.
Trimming, if you need or want to do it, should be done after resizing.
I will be reloading rifle. .223/5.56 at first. Others will soon follow. May do pistol down the road. The reason for doing all the case work first was to perhaps speed things up a little. Never thought of doing harm to the dies; I’d like to avoid that. I would like to deprime before I clean just so I don’t have to manually clean the primer pockets.
With pistol brass you really only need to trim revolver brass to get them uniform. Auto pistol taper crimped brass is pretty forgiving for crimp. With rifle brass, try sizing them, then trim them, debur them and tumble them clean. Make sure the primer hole is clear, prime them, charge them with powder and load your bullet after first making a dummy round to adjust the dies.
big al hunter
New member
With wet tumbling you use a decap only die (universal decapper). Then tumble to clean. This cleans the primer pockets too. No added effort. Something you don't get with dry tumblers. Then sort and check for defects. Then you size. I like to run the brass through the tumbler again to clean the lube off after sizing. But that isn't totally necessary. Then prime and load powder and bullet. Your on the right track.
I'm so glad I went to wet tumbling .
I go from this
To this in 1-1/2hrs
I have no idea what that is haha but it sounds smart
Always clean first so either wipe them down , dry or wet tumble or what ever but you really should clean the brass first . As Big All points out depriming before wet tumbling is better not only to clean the primer pockets but if you just air dry and don't deprime first it takes twice as long for the primer filled primer pockets to dry out . I once started depriming 2 days after wet tumbling and by the time I was done with 400 cases my press was wet enough to need wiping down and relubing .
You want to full length size before trimming , never trim first then size because as you size your case it extrudes the brass forward in the path of least resistance which results in your necks/brass getting longer so you may need to trim again .
OK now for the important stuff . These are your first ever reloads correct ????
Don't bother with weighing your cases , neck sizing , bumping your shoulders , checking concentricity etc or any other advanced reloading technique the thousand yard bench rest guys said you need to do .
When you are new it's best you simply work on your loads going bang and not BOOM !!! You want to work on your bench set up and how it's organized to avoid mistakes like using the wrong powder , double charging etc. SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY will pay off way more in the beginning then trying some advanced reloading idea you'll likely not even know if it mattered when you look at your first targets . Don't get ahead of your self , take it slow and it will pay off in the long run . It will be months if not a year+ before you really understand what you're doing and able to load some truly custom accurate loads for your firearm .
I go from this
To this in 1-1/2hrs
I have no idea what that is haha but it sounds smart
Always clean first so either wipe them down , dry or wet tumble or what ever but you really should clean the brass first . As Big All points out depriming before wet tumbling is better not only to clean the primer pockets but if you just air dry and don't deprime first it takes twice as long for the primer filled primer pockets to dry out . I once started depriming 2 days after wet tumbling and by the time I was done with 400 cases my press was wet enough to need wiping down and relubing .
You want to full length size before trimming , never trim first then size because as you size your case it extrudes the brass forward in the path of least resistance which results in your necks/brass getting longer so you may need to trim again .
OK now for the important stuff . These are your first ever reloads correct ????
Don't bother with weighing your cases , neck sizing , bumping your shoulders , checking concentricity etc or any other advanced reloading technique the thousand yard bench rest guys said you need to do .
When you are new it's best you simply work on your loads going bang and not BOOM !!! You want to work on your bench set up and how it's organized to avoid mistakes like using the wrong powder , double charging etc. SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY will pay off way more in the beginning then trying some advanced reloading idea you'll likely not even know if it mattered when you look at your first targets . Don't get ahead of your self , take it slow and it will pay off in the long run . It will be months if not a year+ before you really understand what you're doing and able to load some truly custom accurate loads for your firearm .
ligonierbill
New member
Depending on where your brass came from, you may need to swage the primer pockets. If it's milsurp brass, they may be crimped. The only round I have ever had to do that on was 5.56x45.
Average Joe
New member
If you want to decap first, get a Lee universal decapper, then you can decap without using your resizing die.
stinkeypete
New member
I can tell you a few mistakes I have made... Stinket Don’ts...
Don’t deprime before tumbling, the corncob media can get stuck in the primer pocket channel and then you need a calibrated toothpick to poke it out of them and all of them need inspected! Wet tumbling media might be different and not get stuck in there.
Don’t tumble .45, .44 and .38 brass together and not expect some of the .38s to get in to the bigger brass and some won’t get cleaned as well and it’s messy getting them apart. Dry media all over the place! Tumbling .357 and .32 together will leave you wondering “what are the odds that! Slipped inside there! By chance???
Don’t tumble .380 and 9mm together as they look GD#@&* the same!
Don’t use the kitchen soup straining spoon on your cleaned brass! Go to GoodWill and get a used one, write “poison! Reloading only!” On the handle.
+1 for the Lee universal decapper, used military brass can have very very tight primers and it’s generally a useful tool for crazy stuff like upside down primers. Expect those to blow up! Goggles and hearing protection! I’ve worked carefully and never popped one yet, but clearly it’s a real possibility. Load enough, the occasional primer might end up jammed upside down.
My biggest advice on reloading is be safe and double check everything or more. With a scientific and craftsman approach you can make better ammo than anything you can buy. And it’s fun.
If I was to start over, I would get a filing cabinet and order some fancy printed targets for my load testing. I would write every little detail about date, time, load, rifle, range on the target as well as my impressions of how I liked the feel of it.
20 years or so later, I am finding I have forgotten even some of the pet loads I used to make thousands of.
+1 for the green plastic ammo boxes. You can use old ammo boxes but the plastic ones really are a great convenience.
Don’t deprime before tumbling, the corncob media can get stuck in the primer pocket channel and then you need a calibrated toothpick to poke it out of them and all of them need inspected! Wet tumbling media might be different and not get stuck in there.
Don’t tumble .45, .44 and .38 brass together and not expect some of the .38s to get in to the bigger brass and some won’t get cleaned as well and it’s messy getting them apart. Dry media all over the place! Tumbling .357 and .32 together will leave you wondering “what are the odds that! Slipped inside there! By chance???
Don’t tumble .380 and 9mm together as they look GD#@&* the same!
Don’t use the kitchen soup straining spoon on your cleaned brass! Go to GoodWill and get a used one, write “poison! Reloading only!” On the handle.
+1 for the Lee universal decapper, used military brass can have very very tight primers and it’s generally a useful tool for crazy stuff like upside down primers. Expect those to blow up! Goggles and hearing protection! I’ve worked carefully and never popped one yet, but clearly it’s a real possibility. Load enough, the occasional primer might end up jammed upside down.
My biggest advice on reloading is be safe and double check everything or more. With a scientific and craftsman approach you can make better ammo than anything you can buy. And it’s fun.
If I was to start over, I would get a filing cabinet and order some fancy printed targets for my load testing. I would write every little detail about date, time, load, rifle, range on the target as well as my impressions of how I liked the feel of it.
20 years or so later, I am finding I have forgotten even some of the pet loads I used to make thousands of.
+1 for the green plastic ammo boxes. You can use old ammo boxes but the plastic ones really are a great convenience.
So many different ways to proceed. None of them wrong, just different.
For 223/5.56 brass my routine is like this; Sort headstamps, deprime using a lee Universal die, wash brass in just very hot soapy water with some Lemi-Shine added. On crimped brass I ream and uniform primer pockets, on non crimped brass I just move on. I then size brass using Hornady Universal Lube then from there I trim all to length with the Lee Deluxe Quick Trim. From there I wash again and then throw it into the vibrator with corn cob for about an hour.
I do not tumble with SS pins.
For 223/5.56 brass my routine is like this; Sort headstamps, deprime using a lee Universal die, wash brass in just very hot soapy water with some Lemi-Shine added. On crimped brass I ream and uniform primer pockets, on non crimped brass I just move on. I then size brass using Hornady Universal Lube then from there I trim all to length with the Lee Deluxe Quick Trim. From there I wash again and then throw it into the vibrator with corn cob for about an hour.
I do not tumble with SS pins.
First off, always clean before resizing. You don't want dirt and muck going up into your dies.
Second, I always deprime before cleaning, so I don't have to worry about the primer pockets. the Lee universal deprimeing die is great and only $12 on midway.
Third, when reloading 223/5.56, Separate the brass and the loads. 5.56 brass can have less case capacity and using a load worked up in a 223 case could result in pressures being too high in a 5.56 casing.
fourth, watch out for crimped primer pockets, you will need a tool to get rid of the crimp. RCBS makes a die to press the crimp out, and there are several cutters that will remove it as well. The crimp makes it almost impossible to seat new primers.
Fifth, mark your ammo. I use a sharpie and draw a line across the bottom of my reloads to mark them. This way I can tell the difference between factory and range brass, vs my reloads when I pick up.
Sixth. I don't know what trimmer you have, but you NEED a Little Crow Gun Works Worlds Finest Trimmer if you don't already have one. I have tried several trimmers, but for processing bulk rifle brass this is the way to go, worth every penny!
Seventh and Last. Case lube. You WILL need it. Take it from someone who has gotten casings stuck in dies a couple times. Most case lubes, even the home brews are good. Personally prefer a spray. I use the hornady 1 shot in an odd method. I take a 1gal ziplock bag and put in a couple handfulls of brass until the bottom of the bag is coated in about a layer to a layer and a half. I then spray it into the bag and shake it up give it another spritz and shake it again. Then I dump the casings out into a plastic tupperware and let them dry for about 15min. Then they are ready to resize. To me it is much easier then lubing each case individually.
My current process for rifle brass is
deprime
tumble in walnut 4hrs (I'm planning on getting a wet tumbler soon)
resize brass
swage primer pocket (remove crimp)
trim brass
deburr brass
(optional) deburr flash hole
load
Handgun brass is much easier (9mm)
deprime
tumble 4hrs
resize
(infrequently) remove crimp
Load
Second, I always deprime before cleaning, so I don't have to worry about the primer pockets. the Lee universal deprimeing die is great and only $12 on midway.
Third, when reloading 223/5.56, Separate the brass and the loads. 5.56 brass can have less case capacity and using a load worked up in a 223 case could result in pressures being too high in a 5.56 casing.
fourth, watch out for crimped primer pockets, you will need a tool to get rid of the crimp. RCBS makes a die to press the crimp out, and there are several cutters that will remove it as well. The crimp makes it almost impossible to seat new primers.
Fifth, mark your ammo. I use a sharpie and draw a line across the bottom of my reloads to mark them. This way I can tell the difference between factory and range brass, vs my reloads when I pick up.
Sixth. I don't know what trimmer you have, but you NEED a Little Crow Gun Works Worlds Finest Trimmer if you don't already have one. I have tried several trimmers, but for processing bulk rifle brass this is the way to go, worth every penny!
Seventh and Last. Case lube. You WILL need it. Take it from someone who has gotten casings stuck in dies a couple times. Most case lubes, even the home brews are good. Personally prefer a spray. I use the hornady 1 shot in an odd method. I take a 1gal ziplock bag and put in a couple handfulls of brass until the bottom of the bag is coated in about a layer to a layer and a half. I then spray it into the bag and shake it up give it another spritz and shake it again. Then I dump the casings out into a plastic tupperware and let them dry for about 15min. Then they are ready to resize. To me it is much easier then lubing each case individually.
My current process for rifle brass is
deprime
tumble in walnut 4hrs (I'm planning on getting a wet tumbler soon)
resize brass
swage primer pocket (remove crimp)
trim brass
deburr brass
(optional) deburr flash hole
load
Handgun brass is much easier (9mm)
deprime
tumble 4hrs
resize
(infrequently) remove crimp
Load
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Aguila Blanca
Staff
Hornady offers several different case lubes under the One-Shot name, which can be confusing. Are you referring to the liquid version in the pump bottle, or the aerosol version? I don't think the aerosol version would work for the method you described, and I know it doesn't take 15 minutes to dry (more like 15 seconds).
Please elucidate.
Aerosol version. The instructions state "it dries completely in about 1 minute" as well as step 5 "After waiting for about one minute, begin case sizing"
I have gotten casing stuck in both 223 and 30-06 dies, wrecked my decapping pin and spindle on my 30-06 die, it got bent. In my experience with the aerosol You want to wait at least 5min. for my 30-06 I wait 15. For some reason if the lube is not dry it sticks worse than a casing that was never lubed. I probably go a little heavy on the 30-06 lube, which might be why I need the longer dry time.
As far as my method, it works fine. with the spray being inside the bag it cannot really dry off, so the cases get well coated. when I dump them out they dry. its way easier than putting them in a tray and spraying them down, lubing individually, or using a roller pad. I only do it for bulk like 223. for my 30-06 i put them in trays and spray from all 4 sides, making sure to get inside the neck.
Give it a try. spray and wait. see if you feel any difference.
15sec
1min
5min
10min
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KCRaider21
New member
I just bought a Little Crow Gun Works Worlds Finest Trimmer for .223 used on eBay for $50. It was worth every penny. It works great. I believe case trimming is the least fun part of reloading and it makes that job much easier.
jetinteriorguy
New member
1. Deprime with Lee depriving die. I don’t like contamination from primers in my tumbling media.
2. Tumble for a couple hours in crushed walnut media.
3. Lube with home made spray lube, one part anhydrous lanolin to ten parts HEAT gas line anti freeze in the red bottle (pure alcohol).
4. Full length size with Redding body only die.
5. Back in the tumbler with strips cut up from used dryer sheets along with a couple shakes of Barkeepers Friend. Tumble for an hour to clean off lube.
6. Neck size with Lee Collet Neck Sizing die.
7. Trim to length, chamfer and deburr.
8. Deburr inside of flash hole.
9. Clean primer pockets.
10. Swage primer pockets to remove crimp.
11. Turn necks, and deburr once more.
12. Back through the Lee Collet Neck Sizing die once more to make sure they are true.
13. Load and shoot.
After all this subsequent process is simpler, clean, body size, clean lube, neck size, clean primer pockets and reload. Then I anneal the necks every four cycles.
I know I’m crazy, but I do have plenty of time on my hands and all my ammo in all my rifles is consistently under 1 MOA so I feel it’s worth it. In .223 I have over 3000 pieces of LC brass processed like this so once the initial process is completed it’s actually not that hard.
2. Tumble for a couple hours in crushed walnut media.
3. Lube with home made spray lube, one part anhydrous lanolin to ten parts HEAT gas line anti freeze in the red bottle (pure alcohol).
4. Full length size with Redding body only die.
5. Back in the tumbler with strips cut up from used dryer sheets along with a couple shakes of Barkeepers Friend. Tumble for an hour to clean off lube.
6. Neck size with Lee Collet Neck Sizing die.
7. Trim to length, chamfer and deburr.
8. Deburr inside of flash hole.
9. Clean primer pockets.
10. Swage primer pockets to remove crimp.
11. Turn necks, and deburr once more.
12. Back through the Lee Collet Neck Sizing die once more to make sure they are true.
13. Load and shoot.
After all this subsequent process is simpler, clean, body size, clean lube, neck size, clean primer pockets and reload. Then I anneal the necks every four cycles.
I know I’m crazy, but I do have plenty of time on my hands and all my ammo in all my rifles is consistently under 1 MOA so I feel it’s worth it. In .223 I have over 3000 pieces of LC brass processed like this so once the initial process is completed it’s actually not that hard.
silly question, for a semi auto or gas gun? trying to understand why a body only die then the neck die. If its a bolt gun the neck only die should be adequate.
jetinteriorguy
New member
I started this process for long range shooting from a bolt gun, with this extensive process it consistently produced ammo with a concentricity of .001” and most often less. I know it’s over the top, but I enjoy the process and it produces the most uniform ammunition I can produce. All of my gas guns are capable of consistent 5/8”-3/4” five shot groups at 100yds on a regular basis.
Get the right media and it is not so bad (I forget which one!) has to do with grain size.
I just accept the crud and I use a 223 manual trim tool that has the perfect tip to punch a primer hole.
I clean the primer pockets anyway, so I just punch the hole before I do and not problem and no add to time.
Yes, corn cob will get stuck. I feel it also take a lot longer to get the brass clean than walnut. I switched to walnut, and it does not get stuck in primer pockets.
Also, Depending on how you process your brass. If you ONLY deprime before tumbling, then resize after, the resizing die will clear your primer hold instead of punching the primer. I do it this way so I do not have to clean the primer pocket separately.
I have heard it can be an issue with wet tumbling, depending in the media you use with the steel pins being the main culprit.