AR-15 HP Match GI Brass Prep

[Pawnee Bill]

What is the process you guys go through for prepping your GI cases for a match?

 

[jelenko]

Clean, lube, resize, trim if necessary, tumble in dry media, prime, load.
For 200/300 - load on a Dillon. For prone slow, manually throw charges - only ones within +/- 0.05 grains are used.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

What about primer pocket squaring and flash hole deburring, anything to gain by doing that?

 

[jelenko]

For XTC, my understanding is: Not much.
I know top competitors who do it; also know top competitors who don't.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

OK. Thanks for the info!

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

I do what Jelenko does with the addition of doing primer pocket uniforming and flash hole uniforming, but only on the 600 yard ammo. It's a one time thing and I have the tools so why not. But I'm fairly certain those 8's that are on call have nothing to do with it!

Frank

 

[Rsadams]

Exactly the same as my other brass prep wise... I resize on my single stage and prime after doing the work to the brass... My die is already setup on my single and since you have to lube and remove lube etc I do it off my Dillon , I prime off the Dillon because I use LC brass and if ALL the crimp isn't removed it can hang up in the Dillon , just not worth it to me.... After all that I run them through the Dillon though... Dropping powder , seating bullets and a slight crimp because it's way faster doing it that way than doing all the work on the single stage.... Since I use a red dot or iron sights I can't tell the difference between doing it that way either except for ALOT of time savings...

 

[bullseyeshtr]

For XTC,
I use a single stage for all. I resize and make sure I have a shoulder bump of 0.003" on the brass. Check brass length and see if it needs trimmed. Swage primer pockets if needed. Primer with hand primer. I also like to use a vld inside chamfer tool to make bullet seating nicer. I throw all powder with a hornady powder dispenser. Seat bullets. I do use lapua brass for 600 and mixed for 200/300 doesn't seem to matter at that distance.

A person can get away with alot of stuff at 200/300 yds. Its pretty generous and I could hand throw charges but I use a stick powder and it doesn't throw as consistent as I like.

We have long winters in ND so I load my ammo for the summer in the winter when its too crappy to be chasing coyotes.

GW

 

[moorepower]

I always uniform primer pocket and deburr flash hole. It only takes a few seconds and you only do it once. Does it help, probably not, but it's done.

 

[Twdmar]

I have tried lapua brass and uniformed primer pockets it's a waste of time. Now I just buy new lake city brass. Most of the time I don't even size it before shooting.
Then I do my reloading on a dillon 650. Size, trim, de prime etc. Then clean the lube by tumbling and load with a separate tool head.
Most of the time I trickle with my auto trickler but the mr1 target is big enough you can throw charges with the right powder.
For long range, I use my co-ax but xtc doesn't need it.
Don't overthink it and don't waste time at the bench. Half a match occurs at 200yds. 55gr GI ball will shoot cleans there. Practice positions instead of uniforming primer pockets. For 300yds, don't press the trigger til the sights stop and if you want for 600, prep some brass. I don't. Spend your time practicing.
Spend your money on a 22lr upper or save money by buying a SCATT. With ammo prices and gas prices, it will pay itself off fast!

 

[jelenko]

Spend your time practicing.

^^

 

[jrh84]

I started shooting service rifle in 2017. I spent a lot more time and effort for my ammo (especially for 600 yards) than I do now. I never worried about uniforming flash holes or primer pockets, but I did make sure I was using all LC headstamps of the same year, trimming cases to 1.750", etc. 4 years later, I try to make sure I'm using LC that's been fired the same number of times, but thats about it. I quit worrying about matching years, and I buy pre-processed or new LC brass and don't bother trimming. I shot my best 50 round score in October.

If you think it helps, it helps, but you can easily prove to yourself what works and what doesn't by eliminating one step at a time. Shoot a 10 round group with fully prepped and sorted brass and bullets. Make up and shoot another 10 without uniformed flash holes. Another with thrown charges, etc. You might be surprised how little impact some variables make.

 

[karrarararararar]

Clean, lube, resize, trim if necessary, tumble in dry media, prime, load.
For 200/300 - load on a Dillon. For prone slow, manually throw charges - only ones within +/- 0.05 grains are used.

Same here. I just grab brass and give it the standard treatment.

When I was loading short-line ammo I'd just crank it out on my LnL with 24 gr of Tac and a 77. It shot better than I could.

For long-line only difference is the +/- on my 600 yard ammo. I don't have a scale that accurate (yet). For 600 you don't need super tight SD's.

 

[jelenko]

I don't have a scale that accurate (yet)

Yeah. The only reason I go that tight on +/- is because the scale allows it. +/- .1 would be fine also.