new brass question

[Texas Solo]

I've read that you should resize new brass before using it. I just received 500 new brass for my .223.
I tried to resize it, but it just goes into the die with no resistance. What's the point?

 

[nosualc]

I've read that you should resize new brass before using it. I just received 500 new brass for my .223. I tried to resize it, but it just goes into the die with no resistance. What's the point?

In this case sizing will not do much other than correcting any out of round case necks. While this has value, an expander mandrel would likely do the same thing.

-nosualc

 

[Auto-X Fil]

I suggest using a Lee Collet die for .223 with no neck trimming. You'll get more uniform tension. That's what you're trying to do with new brass - get the neck tension consistent. The body will be plenty small.

 

[ShootDots]

Here is what I do to ALL my "new / virgin" brass to prep it. If you have brass that is not going to fireformed into some improved version, or some such deal, this brass prep method will allow you to shoot new brass just as well as once fired to your chamber.
1.) Run your new brass into an expander mandrel, turning it (spinning it) 1/4 to 1/3 turn of the brass and run it back up in the mandrel til the mandrel goes in nice and smooth. 3-4 times up in the mandrel will make it nice. it only takes about 10 seconds per piece.
2.) Turn your neck to the desired neck wall thickness. If you have a "no-turn" chamber, at least "skim turn" so that you get about 80 percent clean up.
3.) Chamfer the case mouth
4.) Now I do something a bit different here at this step. I anneal the new brass. Yes you heard correctly, anneal new brass.
5.) Run the brass back thru the mandrel with the same method used in step 1. Heat will move metal. The mandrel will "fix" that problem.
6.)Then brush out the case neck with a nicely used case neck brush. The "old" carbon on the brush will place some on the inside of the neck
7.) Prime
8.) Use Imperial Dry Neck Lube (take a Q-Tip and swab the inside of the neck) with the lube and tap out the excess
9.) Charge with powder and
10.) Seat your bullet to the proper seating depth.
With this method I have shot BIG competitive matches and done just as well as I would have with brass properly prepped after firing in your chamber.

Good luck..

 

[ireload2]

Most of the time there is no point except for the dented or out of round case mouths. The expander ball will iron the out of round case mouths back into shape.

I've read that you should resize new brass before using it. I just received 500 new brass for my .223.
I tried to resize it, but it just goes into the die with no resistance. What's the point?

 

[Shaggy357]

As stated before, removes any dents in the case mouths, and is also best way to actually "inspect" your new brass before loading it. Brass should be sized to fit your firearm. There are several posts about folks having headspace issues with brand new brass. If your brass goes into your chamber as easy as you say it is going into your die, chances are you have excess headspace and will over-stretch the cases on the first firing. Nothing worse than having issues with new brass. Fix it, then shoot it.

My $.02.

Steve

 

[Shynloco]

I've read that you should resize new brass before using it. I just received 500 new brass for my .223.
I tried to resize it, but it just goes into the die with no resistance. What's the point?

New brass doesn't require resizing. It comes set to SAMMI specs from the manufacturer. It does need to be fireformed and then FL resized after firing. I too have seen some say new brass should be resized, a statement I completely disagree with and feel it's an exercise in futility as the OP states. But I've never seen any brass manufacturer say to resize before first firing.

Alex

 

[MagnumManiac]

How many of you ACTUALLY mic any of your new brass cases?
EVERY case i have ever mic'd has been .005" SMALLER than SAAMI/CIP specs.
Especially the case head/rim/belt.

The only thing NEW brass needs is the case mouth inspected for roundness, and if 1 is out of round, I run them all through a neck only die, whether a bushing die, mandrel or modified expander, makes no difference as far as I can tell.
I have found most new cases to have more neck resistance than I WANT, therefore the reason to mic them. Even Lapua brass I have here unfired has .004" neck interference.

The case mouth MUST be chamfered, unless you run Nosler brass, this is done for you. Whether you use a Standard or VLD type chamfer is a personal thing.
I have found no difference on target using either, BUT, I find the minimal amount removed works best.

Cheers.

 

[gambleone]

Here is what I do to ALL my "new / virgin" brass to prep it. If you have brass that is not going to fireformed into some improved version, or some such deal, this brass prep method will allow you to shoot new brass just as well as once fired to your chamber.
1.) Run your new brass into an expander mandrel, turning it (spinning it) 1/4 to 1/3 turn of the brass and run it back up in the mandrel til the mandrel goes in nice and smooth. 3-4 times up in the mandrel will make it nice. it only takes about 10 seconds per piece.
2.) Turn your neck to the desired neck wall thickness. If you have a "no-turn" chamber, at least "skim turn" so that you get about 80 percent clean up.
3.) Chamfer the case mouth
4.) Now I do something a bit different here at this step. I anneal the new brass. Yes you heard correctly, anneal new brass.
5.) Run the brass back thru the mandrel with the same method used in step 1. Heat will move metal. The mandrel will "fix" that problem.
6.)Then brush out the case neck with a nicely used case neck brush. The "old" carbon on the brush will place some on the inside of the neck
7.) Prime
8.) Use Imperial Dry Neck Lube (take a Q-Tip and swab the inside of the neck) with the lube and tap out the excess
9.) Charge with powder and
10.) Seat your bullet to the proper seating depth.
With this method I have shot BIG competitive matches and done just as well as I would have with brass properly prepped after firing in your chamber.

Good luck..

What ShootDots says

 

[savagedasher]

I've read that you should resize new brass before using it. I just received 500 new brass for my .223.
I tried to resize it, but it just goes into the die with no resistance. What's the point?

I don't know what your going to use it for .
I normally check the necks for being closed I put a mid load in it and shoot it . Larry

 

[ireload2]

If your new brass has a peened case mouth you can round the mouths up with an expander ball. Then size about half the neck and pull the expander back through the case mouth. This will push the peened edge material all to the outside of the mouth where it can be removed with a neck turning tool. Turn off about 95% of the burr ring. The rest of the burred edge can be removed with a chamfering tool.

 

[Ned Ludd]

I open up virgin Lapua .223 brass necks with an oversized expander mandrel first, then FL resize with the appropriate bushing die, then trim/chamfer. As the OP mentioned, FL resize doesn't do much with regard to the shoulder, etc. However, the neck tension is light years better than straight out of the box. I have processed thousands of Lapua .223 cases in this way and on the very first step with the expander mandrel, I will typically find a certain percentage of cases where the mandrel doesn't even touch the inside of the neck wall, others where it clearly is opening up the neck significantly, and some in between these two extremes. So Lapua .223 brass straight out of the box does not have consistent neck diameter by any stretch of the imagination...it's all over the map.

Opening necks up first with the mandrel simply achieves a minimum neck diameter for all the cases that is larger than the desired final diameter, such that the bushing can more effectively do its job. If your resizing die is set correctly, it won't even touch the shoulder on virgin brass, so you'll only be sizing the necks, which can only barely be felt during the press stroke. It's all about consistency, and neck consistency out of the box is relatively poor. I've used virgin brass prepped in this manner occasionally in local matches and IMO the performance is far more consistent than straight out of the box. It is not quite as good as fire formed brass, but is certainly a marked improvement over brass that was not prepped at all before loading. It is worth the relatively minor effort.

 

[4xforfun]

Here is what I do to ALL my "new / virgin" brass to prep it. If you have brass that is not going to fireformed into some improved version, or some such deal, this brass prep method will allow you to shoot new brass just as well as once fired to your chamber.
1.) Run your new brass into an expander mandrel, turning it (spinning it) 1/4 to 1/3 turn of the brass and run it back up in the mandrel til the mandrel goes in nice and smooth. 3-4 times up in the mandrel will make it nice. it only takes about 10 seconds per piece.
2.) Turn your neck to the desired neck wall thickness. If you have a "no-turn" chamber, at least "skim turn" so that you get about 80 percent clean up.
3.) Chamfer the case mouth
4.) Now I do something a bit different here at this step. I anneal the new brass. Yes you heard correctly, anneal new brass.
5.) Run the brass back thru the mandrel with the same method used in step 1. Heat will move metal. The mandrel will "fix" that problem.
6.)Then brush out the case neck with a nicely used case neck brush. The "old" carbon on the brush will place some on the inside of the neck
7.) Prime
8.) Use Imperial Dry Neck Lube (take a Q-Tip and swab the inside of the neck) with the lube and tap out the excess
9.) Charge with powder and
10.) Seat your bullet to the proper seating depth.
With this method I have shot BIG competitive matches and done just as well as I would have with brass properly prepped after firing in your chamber.

Good luck..

I agree, but I see a step I take that is missing (depending on the size of your expander mandrel). Somewhere after step SIX I run my new brass through my bushing neck die with what SHOULD give me a .001 - .002 neck tension. If I used a smaller expandrel mandrel nothing really happens to the necks. But, if I use an oversized expander mandrel (step 1 and 5) I do get some "squeeze" on the necks.

Depending on the amount of head space the new brass gives me, like my last 6.5-284 with about 8 - 10 thou headspace on new brass, I actually expand my necks up to the NEXT CALIBER and neck down just enough to make a false shoulder....just like I do when I make Dasher brass with the false shoulder method. Gives me very uniform brass.

Just another way to skin the same cat!!

Tod