ok guys pretty new to reloading, so i am going to layout my process any comments good or bad would be appreciated. I start by de priming my brass. Then I anneal my brass. Next I run a caliber specific nylon brush in my necks. Then clean primer pocket. Resize with Redding body die using Hornady unique case lube. Fire formed brass is 1.818 resize to 1.816 to give me.002 shoulder bump. Tumble with ss media. then trim,debur and chamfer cases. Next I size the neck with a Lee collet die that I had a custom mandrel made when I sent fired brass to Lee. It gives me .002 neck tension. Next I prime my brass,then charge it with powder and seat with Forester micro seating die to 2.466 which puts it .025 off the lands.
dissect my loading process
- Thread starter Nuclear Worker
- Start date
Typical Order of Operations:
- Clean brass (wet / dry / not at all...)
- Deprime
- Size (full length, .002” bump)
- Anneal (can be before of after sizing. If using a mandrel in later operation, I think it makes more sense to undersize the neck, then anneal, then neck back up to final tension later)
- Brass Prep (Trim/Chamfer needs to be after sizing)
- Prime
- Neck mandrel (if you choose )
- Powder charge
- Seat Bullet
YMMV and there is no absolute correct way. Your process seems pretty solid, so long as you are being diligent. Make sure you have a precise and repeatable way to throw/trickle powder.
A chronograph will provide feedback on your loading quality. If the SD and ES are small, your process is good. Then tune seating depth to see if any additional improvement can be made (micrometer dies make it too easy).
Last, if you have not already, check out FClass John’s videos on reloading. He pretty much follows the same as above and it can give a visual guide for those that understand best by seeing.
- Clean brass (wet / dry / not at all...)
- Deprime
- Size (full length, .002” bump)
- Anneal (can be before of after sizing. If using a mandrel in later operation, I think it makes more sense to undersize the neck, then anneal, then neck back up to final tension later)
- Brass Prep (Trim/Chamfer needs to be after sizing)
- Prime
- Neck mandrel (if you choose )
- Powder charge
- Seat Bullet
YMMV and there is no absolute correct way. Your process seems pretty solid, so long as you are being diligent. Make sure you have a precise and repeatable way to throw/trickle powder.
A chronograph will provide feedback on your loading quality. If the SD and ES are small, your process is good. Then tune seating depth to see if any additional improvement can be made (micrometer dies make it too easy).
Last, if you have not already, check out FClass John’s videos on reloading. He pretty much follows the same as above and it can give a visual guide for those that understand best by seeing.
I thought it would make more sense to anneal before any sizing. Heating the case I would think it the brass could move/distort a bit?
I don't clean primer pockets, guys say its a waist of time.
I don't clean primer pockets, guys say its a waist of time.
@Nuclear Worker, I’m pretty new too, reloading for just a few years. I’m happy with my results so far. So far I’m only reloading for rifle. My process is very similar to yours, except I size with a Redding Type S bushing die to size the cases and necks in one step, I stopped cleaning my brass, and I brush the necks after chamfering and primer pocket cleaning on a Lyman case prep station, just before priming with a Sinclair hand tool. If the brass is pretty new or has a shallow shoulder I trim when needed, but usually the 30-degree+ cases don’t need it. I use the Wheeler method to set my seating die.
My brass has a curl of smoke coming out when I anneal which I believe is from most of the residue inside the case burning. The more experienced guys at my club told me they don’t see the benefit of cleaning cases unless the brass is very tarnished or has been dropped on the dirt.
For new brass, I will usually de-bur the flash holes on new cases to make them as uniform as I can, even though some brands don’t need this as much as others due to additional steps done at the brass factory.
My brass has a curl of smoke coming out when I anneal which I believe is from most of the residue inside the case burning. The more experienced guys at my club told me they don’t see the benefit of cleaning cases unless the brass is very tarnished or has been dropped on the dirt.
For new brass, I will usually de-bur the flash holes on new cases to make them as uniform as I can, even though some brands don’t need this as much as others due to additional steps done at the brass factory.
your way ahead of most new reloaders I think you have a firm grasp at what your doing welcome aboard
skeeljc
Gold $$ Contributor
Unless you are reloading for an AR-15 or some other auto I would ditch the wet cleaning. The carbon inside the case neck helps with neck tension.
Here is what I do:
1. Clean the carbon from the case neck and wipe case body with a rag. The longer you leave the carbon on the harder it is to remove.
2. De-prime and clean primer pockets.
3. Anneal (every time).
4, Size with a Redding type S FL bushing die or a one piece FL die. No expander button. Hornady lube.
Wipe lube off with a rag.
5. Expand neck with a pin or mandrel. I use Imperial neck lube.
6. Trim and chamfer if required.
7. Prime
8. Charge
9. Seat bullet with favorite seater.
Keep a journal and record everything!
If performing only one sizing operation, I agree. But specifically for sizing the neck too small, then expanding with a mandrel later, it makes sense to realign the grain structure as close to setting neck tension as possible (my opinion). I think it will be splitting hairs, so if it’s working for you, keep on with it.
I can already see from the responses so far that there will be 25 different ways to achieve the same thing, so whatever has the best feng shui for the reloader is what they stick with. Time, equipment, level of OCD, etc. all being limiting factors. Unfortunately I think many times we get it right only to explore the next “what if...?”
jackson1
Silver $$ Contributor
The one thing I would change is; Before any of my cases are exposed to my dies I put them in my rattle bucket (clean and polish) and post that wipe them down. Good idea to get input from the people here, but you will develop your own process and it will evolve over the years.
Being new to this I would say yes I am happy. Running 3085 for fps. Have shot steel out to 600 yards and my Dallsheep at 535 and 5x5 Elk at 100 yards. Both one shot kills. Just looking to see if people with more knowledge feeI am doing it correct.
If your new to reloading , I would go through the normal process . Annealing is another animal ,you have to know how much heat to use . I have been reloading 30 years shooting benchrest maybe 14 years and never used heat on my cases . Once you find a load that shoots accurate constantly , that's hard enough without adding another step to your reloading . You'll be adjusting case headspace , bullet length and powder charge , that's hard enough without thinking did I use too much heat or not enough . I prep the cases I'll be using each reason , , when my season is over I'll dump the cases. Let's say you shoot 50 rounds per range trip , I'll prep 150 cases and rotate each 50 . Works well for me . Glad you got into the sport , try not to go down that rabbit hole , driving yourself crazy trying to find that perfect round when the problem in most cases is shooting form . Tuff time for getting supplies , settling for a different powder , bullet and primers. Hope I Helped in some way.
Chris
Chris
shoot4fun
Gold $$ Contributor
Okay, I'll be the one.
Didn't tell us what caliber but with results like those it has to be a............
you guessed it..............
6.5 Creedmoor!!!!!!!!!!!
Nope it is a 6.5 x284 NormaOkay, I'll be the one.
Didn't tell us what caliber but with results like those it has to be a............
you guessed it..............
6.5 Creedmoor!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks there is a lot of rabbit holes to go down. You get on these sights and it easy to get caught up in all of it. I have to remember it is a hunting rifle first and not a bench rest gun. I will be the first to admit I am not a good target shooter. I get caught up in all the things I believe I should be doing to make the shot. I am a much better instinct shooter even on animals. I have missed a lot of deer and ducks when I see them coming . But you put me on jumping ducks or driving deer and I am damn good.
I would suggest just keep it simple , follow the loading book setting , don't load too hot , middle range settings are fine. Heating the cases in your case prep could come later in the game , for hunting follow the directions for die setup and seating to Over All Length listed for the bullet your using in the load book. Be Safe.
Chris
Chris
Last edited:
Deprime with a universal depriming die
Clean brass. Your chosen method. I wipe them with a rag with a little ballistol
Anneal if you choose to.
Size I use imperial sizing wax
Clean lube from case. I clean them with a clean dry rag. Tumble if you choose
Check trim length, clean primer pockets, lightly brush out the necks, I run a Wilson depriming rod through the flash hole just to make sure it is clear. Started that when I used to tumble in corn cob media. Lightly hand chamfer and debur.
If you use a mandrel for final sizing now is the time.
Prime, charge and seat bullets
Clean brass. Your chosen method. I wipe them with a rag with a little ballistol
Anneal if you choose to.
Size I use imperial sizing wax
Clean lube from case. I clean them with a clean dry rag. Tumble if you choose
Check trim length, clean primer pockets, lightly brush out the necks, I run a Wilson depriming rod through the flash hole just to make sure it is clear. Started that when I used to tumble in corn cob media. Lightly hand chamfer and debur.
If you use a mandrel for final sizing now is the time.
Prime, charge and seat bullets
I would be happy with these results.
I've been reloading for close to 50 years now which does not make me an expert. I'll just offer my perspective from a serious varmint hunter and big game hunter's point of view and a shooter who spends a lot of time on the range practicing under practical field shooting scenarios.
I try to base all my reloading, load development, cleaning procedures on performance results. I try not to get caught up in all the shooting world's minutia of these issue. However these issues are fun to discuss and debate. One should always be open to new ideas if these ideas produce performance improvements.
As a hunter, the two very positive elements that I read in your process is full sizing with a shoulder bump and seating bullets off the lands which support functionality. While accuracy is important, so is functionality in the field.
I put together a check list since I may reload over several sessons. Print out many copies. Keep the list with the cases and loading block. Check each step as it's completed. Some of the steps can be skipped like uniforming pockets, turning, tumbling, annealig every reload ect. Doesn't hurt to recheck for neck cracks after trimming to length. The small beginnings of neck cracks show as a distinct black line on the cut surface.
6BR
Deprime
Clean Pockets
Clean neck
Uniform Pocket
Tumble
Ck for Pins
Dry in oven
Check for cracks
Anneal
Trim
chamfer
Expand mandrel
Turn necks
Lube
Size
wipe lube off
Prime
Powder
Bullet
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.