New Brass Question

K

keano44

New member
I have just recieved an order of 100 pcs., new Winchester .284 Win. brass to reload. These cartridges are to be used in a Browning Micro-Medallion .284 Win. bolt action hunting rifle. Please answer a question for me.
Should I run the cases through a sizing die first, or can I just start priming and loading them?
All of the rifle reloading which I have done in the past was with once fired brass, which needed to be run through the de-capper/sizer die. This is the first virgin brass I will have reloaded for rifle ammo.
Thanks
 
A

Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
About all I've ever done with new brass for any rifle is to use the patented little tool to chamfer the inside of the case mouth. It makes it easier to start the bullets, without shaving copper. And, I do a light touch of chamfering on the outside of the case mouth.

Outside of that, prime, load and go.

You might check the case length, just on general principles, but I've never found any problem there...

Art
 
B

blades67

New member
I always run new brass through the sizing die. Some folks don't, but I don't see any reason not to. If I had a single stage press I'd probably be tempted to skip it, but not with my RL550. Plus, your dies will take out any irregularities out of the brass.
 
P

PALongbow

New member
Run em through the sizer die before reloading. Some new brass has imperfections around the case mouth and by re-sizing them the case mouth becomes uniform and round again.

Ron
 
S

Skullboy

New member
I always run new brass through a F.L. sizer die.That way you know the cases will chamber.For matches, I will only neck size once they've been fire formed.Hunting loads always get F.L. resized. HTH.

Skullboy.
 
M

Mal H

Staff
I do exactly the same as Art including chamfering the mouth. My thinking is that Winchester, Remington, etc. use the same brass for loading their ammo as they send out for sale in bulk. Have you ever seen factory ammo that had been sized? OTOH, there's nothing wrong with sizing it if you wish. Of course, you can always chamber some of the cases in your rifle to be sure it will fit with no problems.
 
M

Mal H

Staff
Flash holes can and should be checked visually for uniformity and for any inside flashing around the hole. If you check for a flash hole by sizing, you should lay in a good supply of depriming pins. :)
 
F

Fatelvis

New member
With new brass I use the FL sizing die, but I just run the case into the die enough so the expander/decapper runs into the neck. (It irons out any dings in the neck, and insures it is concentric) Avioding the sizing allows me to eliminate case lube, which is nice. However, if you feel that the expander is putting up too much resistance, dip the necks in mica. Good shootin`!
 
W

WESHOOT2

New member
AFTER ABOUT A ZILLION NEW CASES.............

.............I've found two with improper holes.
Still haven't broken a de-cap pin that way


yet.
 
B

Ben Shepherd

New member
Always size, for reasons posted above.

One thing not metioned yet: Your die should be set to your rifles chamber. Now you know the cartrige will fit your gun.
 
K

keano44

New member
Good advise! Thanks. I will resize first, especially because this is hunting ammo. With my luck, the one in a million which won't chamber, or won't have a flashhole, will be a once in a lifetime shot.
 
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