Anybody have suggestions for this order of reloading
- Thread starter RexRugged
- Start date
Here's mine ... pretty close to yours ... gets me single-digit SD's and solid results across multiple calibers:
- De-prime
- Wet-tumble
- Anneal
- Lube
- FL size
- Wet-tumble
- Trim (if needed)
- Chamfer, Deburr, Brush
- NeoLube #2 inside neck
- Mandrel
- Prime
- Charge
- Seat
- Shoot
Nrdon
Nrdon
Trim after resize. Resizing stretches brass.
My process varies slightly depending on source/condition of brass and also it’s intended use (precision vs bulk). For instance dirty brass (heavy soot from suppressed AR15 or muddy/sandy cases) immediately gets Wet tumbled with steel pins. I don’t want to introduce the debris into my equipment. If I want to decapping this dirty brass before tumbling I bought an inexpensive Lee APP press just for this sole purpose.
Anneal
Tumble with Rice (remove oxidation that results from annealing)
Decap … followed by swaging if needed
Lube case exterior
Sizing (FL no expander ball or if fire-forming cases then Neck only)
Remove lube from exterior
Lube inside necks
Expand neck with Neck Mandrel
2nd Lube in neck for lath arbor “if” neck turning or trimming with lathe
Trim & Chamfer
Clean & Uniform Primer Pockets
Quick Tumble with Rice to remove any brass chips inside the case
Load
If I am making bulk ammo (typically for AR platform or plinking) I do this on a progressive press. Lube application is with a spray bottle and done after annealing. I use a neck mandrel, but may also use a NOE Plug for controlled expansion of neck to facilitate seating flat based bullets.
Anneal
Tumble with Rice (remove oxidation that results from annealing)
Decap … followed by swaging if needed
Lube case exterior
Sizing (FL no expander ball or if fire-forming cases then Neck only)
Remove lube from exterior
Lube inside necks
Expand neck with Neck Mandrel
2nd Lube in neck for lath arbor “if” neck turning or trimming with lathe
Trim & Chamfer
Clean & Uniform Primer Pockets
Quick Tumble with Rice to remove any brass chips inside the case
Load
If I am making bulk ammo (typically for AR platform or plinking) I do this on a progressive press. Lube application is with a spray bottle and done after annealing. I use a neck mandrel, but may also use a NOE Plug for controlled expansion of neck to facilitate seating flat based bullets.
old_heli_logger
Gold $$ Contributor
Just about the same as everyone else here...I will add that before I seat my bullets, I brush the inside of the necks with a nylon brush.
Good luck everyone!
Good luck everyone!
I would argue there are certain situations that require a wet tumbler or serious chemical bath. Vibrating with corn cob, nut shell, or rice isn't going to cut it without extended time. I can always remediate some of the negatives later in the process through annealing, case mouth prep and dry tumbling.
Edit: 95% of everything I shoot get Dry Tumbled. Wet Tumbler is just one resource/tool available, which in my reloading has a specific purpose with limited use. Please recognize the distinction between precision bolt rifle and shooting AR’s in 3-Gun or Hog Hunting in river bottom land. You would think I said something crazy like “Cats are better than dogs”… just so we’re clear Dogs win hands down.
Here is an example of "Dirty". Ignore the other glaring issues that brass displays (not my rifle). These are cases that I picked up at range and tossed in recycling bin.
Edit: 95% of everything I shoot get Dry Tumbled. Wet Tumbler is just one resource/tool available, which in my reloading has a specific purpose with limited use. Please recognize the distinction between precision bolt rifle and shooting AR’s in 3-Gun or Hog Hunting in river bottom land. You would think I said something crazy like “Cats are better than dogs”… just so we’re clear Dogs win hands down.
Here is an example of "Dirty". Ignore the other glaring issues that brass displays (not my rifle). These are cases that I picked up at range and tossed in recycling bin.
Last edited:
Clancy
Silver $$ Contributor
DLT
Silver $$ Contributor
I do the same except I dry tumble right after annealing then size
bozo699
Gold $$ Contributor
100% spot on!…
Wayne
As mentioned before, I'd suggest you make your last brass prep step the trimming, then chamfer and deburr. This will give you the most consistent case OAL. When you FL size a case, that neck gets elongated quite a lot and not in a consistent way. So trimming before sizing is not really the desirable approach.
Otherwise, you're fine. Though, make sure your not wet tumbling too long, as long period of tumbling will peen those edges of the case mouths over (but trimming and chamfering will usually take care of that
).I just clean mine with corncob meal and give a quick loo k and load em. Doug
I chamfer before siziing because little high points/tiny burrs can break of of the edge of the neck and get dragged down the side of the case. After sizing trim to length. I have had brass particles get pulled off the neck edge and create galling that attached brass to the die walls. This only happened to me once with 1 die and many years of reloading. Like someone else said sizing may make the case longer. So trim after sizing.
Some guys try to neck turn to a 10 thou thickness variation. The neck thickness changes after each firing negating accurate turning. If you turn a neck fire the case several times then run your turner with the same adjustment on the necks you would be surprised how much brass is removed and where it's removed.
Last edited:
Interesting you've noted neck wall thickness changing after firing, that hasn't been my experience. I recently retired a batch of brass with necks turned to 0.0125", fired 14 times, they still measure 0.0125". I felt the need to trim only twice in all those firings, i.e. not much growth. Probably just different metallurgies.
If you've chamfered before firing, you're saying "little high point/tiny burrs" form after firing at the bottom of the chamfer that can break off?
This has not exactly been my experience. The only thickness I've found changing is just above the neck-shoulder junction (the donut area). For example, after 16 firings on my Lapua 6.5 PRC brass, that donut thickness there grew by ~.0025 (as measured with pin gauges) and the rest of the neck remained at the .014" thickness that I originally turned them to (no brass shavings until I get down to the donut upon turning one of the cases
).That donut has not been an issue as running my mandrel through the neck after sizing moves it away, to the outside, where I can turn the neck and cut it away, if I choose to do so. Since I seat my bullets where they never come into contact with that part of the throat, I don't pay much attention to the thickness of the donut. But, after 16 firings and the cases still looking good, I took measurements out of curiosity.
Coyotefurharvester
Silver $$ Contributor
One addition to the steps. I put a light(just enough to prevent bullet movement during chambering)tapered crimp on most of my AR ammo. My 20p seems to be the worst, 0.201 mandrel just isn't enough interference fit for that one, chamber the same round off the mag a couple times and it's 0.005 coal short. Not good for hunting.
Infrequent Shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
great discussion
I got this from a reloading room confessions video from fclass john when I started. Think i changed it slightly because I mandrel, but I can't remember. The guy was a champion with a bunch of metals, so I figured that was a good place to start. I should rewatch the video.
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.