# RELOADING TIP



## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

I was just reloading some 168 smk's for my PSS, and while doing one of my operations it occured to me that some might not know this.

After deburring flash holes, which I always do, I always take the brass, put the primer end to my mouth, and blow it out. Then, however, just to make sure it's clean, I look through the brass from the bullet end against a good white background to see that all the trimmings are gone, and that I'm looking at a nice perfectly round circle against that white background.

It's amazing how often all the "stuff" isn't gone, and I have to go back and reburr it and make sure it's clean. If that were not done, bad round!!!

THE JAMMER


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Good tip.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Good point. On some runs of cases, it seems like there is a lot of brass shavings before I get a good bevel inside...Others just a little twist is all they need. I'll usually deburr flash holes and prep the primer pockets for uniformity on once fired brass. Then put them in the tumbler for a good cleaning. For me its easier to see inside when it's bright and clean. On new brass I'll use some of that canned air for dusting computer keyboards once the flash hole and primer pocket work is done......I hate it when the little piece of tumbling media gets caught in the flash hole..lol.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

_......I hate it when the little piece of tumbling media gets caught in the flash hole..lol. _

Been there done that. That's why I tumble before I decap and resize. Understand the bright and clean inside deal, but all I'm looking for is that perfect round hole against that white background.

My order is:

1.clean in the tumbler first

2.then lube/decap and resize: by the way I just started using my lube die again. I had totally forgotten about it, and it seems to speed things up a bit.

3.then measure for length (plus or minus 5/1000 for regular guns; plus or minus 1/1000 for sniper guns). If too long, into the trim box.

4.then to my RCBS prep center- clean primer pocket, chamfer inside and outside, debur primer pocket and inspect and blow out as above

5. then prime w rcbs universal hand held

6. measure and pour powder on my RCBS charge master

7. seat bullet, usually with competition seating dies

I'll do 20-40 cases at each station. Organization and repetition are the keys to consistency.

THE JAMMER


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

I debur once when I get the cases. I've stopped deburring Lapua brass though. So few need it that its a waste of time. 

So, home from the range, I tumble in walnut to clean up, deprime/resize with a water based lube, wash with Joy/Dawn and acid, rinse, dry, reprime, charge and seat. 

I trim .223 typically with the first reload of LC brass. My 6.5 seems to never need a trim. .308 I trim at first reload and shoot in groups of brass all trimmed to the same length and of the same make. So, they remain pretty consistent in length. 

I also sort .308 by headspace. I try to shoot the brass in lots that correspond to headspace. My primary weapon will handle up to +4/1000 over spec, so I shoot the +1/1000's as a lot, the +2/1000's as a lot, and the +3/1000's as a lot. 

After 4 reloads, my .223 LC brass is loaded one last time with cheap meat bullets and bulk powder for plinking and hogs/critters at close range. Then, tossed. So, I never re-trim them. Same for once fired Federal .223 pickups from the range. They are normally short or right at min. length, so they can be reloaded with min. of prep for blasting.


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## deckh (Jul 23, 2010)

JAMMER, To each his own, but I personally would not blow my warm breath into the primer pocket. Why? Moisture is deposited inside the primer pocket and into the case. If you then prime, moisture could possibly trapped in the primer pocket and could possibly cause a problem. Moisture is also introduced into the case--powder is then dumped into the case. ?? Just my 2 cents.


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## deckh (Jul 23, 2010)

PS--Once I debur the primer pockets, I placed them in a reloading tray and using one of those Harbour Freight free flashlights I shine the light into the mouth of each case. Takes a couple of seconds. If I spot a bur or some crude I only have to mess with that case. Thanks.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

deckh said:


> JAMMER, To each his own, but I personally would not blow my warm breath into the primer pocket. Why? Moisture is deposited inside the primer pocket and into the case. If you then prime, moisture could possibly trapped in the primer pocket and could possibly cause a problem. Moisture is also introduced into the case--powder is then dumped into the case. ?? Just my 2 cents.


Understand what you're saying, however, the amount of time that transpires between the "blowing" and the priming is way more than sufficient for any moisture to have evaporated.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Ernest said:


> I debur once when I get the cases. I've stopped deburring Lapua brass though. So few need it that its a waste of time.
> 
> So, home from the range, I tumble in walnut to clean up, deprime/resize with a water based lube, wash with Joy/Dawn and acid, rinse, dry, reprime, charge and seat.
> 
> ...


Ernest, My gosh I thought I was anal. That's a lot of stuff you're doing. Lots of cleaning- reminds me of my black powder cartridge days. Agree about the lapua brass- least amount of burr of any brass I've used. I still put each case on the de burring post, even used brass, and if I feel no burr I immediately take it off. Every once iin a while, however, I will put a used case on there and find that I either missed the burrs the first time (maybe forgot to put it on the post) or didn't get them all. Might have the reason for that one flyer the last time at the range.

Regarding your headspace sorting do you use something like an RCBS precision mic?? That's what I use. Also because of that I use certain brass only for a certain gun. In other words some of my 308 brass is only for my pss, some for my m1a, some for my model 7 -- all 308's.

This is an interesting and informative thread.

THE JAMMER


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Love the RCBS prec. mic. In 6.5, I use a Hornady Lock and Load thing (now sold by another party, I think), but the RCBS tool is a better tool in my view. Plus, the RCBS tool for .308 works for .243 and some other ".308" based brass. The readings are off, but its only a relative reading anyway. 

Yeah, but like you, one set of brass per weapon unless its just blasting ammo for the AR's. 

I only wash and rinse because (i) I lube the cases like crazy, including a decent bit in the case mouth on my .223 or other rounds which are FL resized using an expander, (ii) the TAC loads in 6.5 tend to produce a bunch of carbon on the annealed area of my necks/shoulders, and (iii) I'm processing batches of 100 to 150, and the wiping with a rag wears out my hands/wrists. 

I only shoot one head stamp in my good loads for the target AR's. Then, I track the firings/reloading, so I know exactly how the brass has been processed. So, re-deburring or re-champering (spelling) is not required. 

Bear in mind, I'm a bad shot, so admittedly some of this is clearly overkill. Not too long ago at the range, there was this old benchrest dude there. He was watching me shoot this target style AR. He came over, we chatted, and he asked to give it a go. He then proceeds to shoot a better group with my weapon than I ever could even dream of. Then, he was like, "pretty decent weapon. I think with a better operator, it could shoot some real tight groups." Not in a mean way though. Clearly, an honest assessment of me as a shooter.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

_Bear in mind, I'm a bad shot, so admittedly some of this is clearly overkill. Not too long ago at the range, there was this old benchrest dude there. He was watching me shoot this target style AR. He came over, we chatted, and he asked to give it a go. He then proceeds to shoot a better group with my weapon than I ever could even dream of. Then, he was like, "pretty decent weapon. I think with a better operator, it could shoot some real tight groups." Not in a mean way though. Clearly, an honest assessment of me as a shooter. _

Now that's funny, and I don't believe a word of it- the part about you being a bad shot.

Great info on this thread.

THE JAMMER


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

I always knew Ernest was a "bull shooter"

Charlie


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## muddyfuzzy (Jan 2, 2011)

Ernest said:


> I also sort .308 by headspace. I try to shoot the brass in lots that correspond to headspace. My primary weapon will handle up to +4/1000 over spec, so I shoot the +1/1000's as a lot, the +2/1000's as a lot, and the +3/1000's as a lot.


good practice there....... i sub bullets by 2/10ths of a grain, trimmed case by +.001/-0.000" and headspace the same. the way i see it you are already going through the physical acts of the process so sub-lotting is the way to go. while all the ammunition will perform the dimensional stack-up can result in a busted group or a "mistake" in the field. just look at all these variables in terms of standard deviations.

i blow the case inside/out with the air compressor after de-burring the flash hole.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

:headknockr. Every time I read one of Yall threads I find something else (tool) necessary for my newly found reloading"hobby". Great info guys, but Yall are gonna break me!


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

spurgersalty said:


> :headknockr. Every time I read one of Yall threads I find something else (tool) necessary for my newly found reloading"hobby". Great info guys, but Yall are gonna break me!


TOLJA!!


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

*Tumbling brass....*

One experience I need to add but Yall may have dealt with already.....One of my LEO friends has a range set up at his house that their department uses for yearly qualifications. Well he found out I'm getting in to reloading and offered me all the brass they had shot. All once fired as none of them reload. He had left the 5 gallon bucket full of brass(score for me!!) out and it had filled with water. The brass ranged from 5.7 to 44 mag. It was pretty dingy so I wanted to tumble before running it through the press. Well I didn't separate diff. caliber and after tumbling found a lot of smaller brass had gotten stuck in larger brass. Had to re tumble probably 150 to 200 pieces after separation. Now I sort before I tumble. Looking forward to next years qualifying. Free brass!!!


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

spurgersalty said:


> One experience I need to add but Yall may have dealt with already.....One of my LEO friends has a range set up at his house that their department uses for yearly qualifications. Well he found out I'm getting in to reloading and offered me all the brass they had shot. All once fired as none of them reload. He had left the 5 gallon bucket full of brass(score for me!!) out and it had filled with water. The brass ranged from 5.7 to 44 mag. It was pretty dingy so I wanted to tumble before running it through the press. Well I didn't separate diff. caliber and after tumbling found a lot of smaller brass had gotten stuck in larger brass. Had to re tumble probably 150 to 200 pieces after separation. Now I sort before I tumble. Looking forward to next years qualifying. Free brass!!!


That's one of those thing you learn as you go. Don't mix 9mm w/ 40 s&w's.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Or 40 s & w with 45 acp, or 38 app. With 40 or.....yeah another lesson learned.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

You mean a round toothpick through the flash hole doesent work ??


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

CHARLIE said:


> You mean a round toothpick through the flash hole doesent work ??


Only if it is a "Barnes" brand toothpick. Appearently no other brand of toothpick is even capable of passing through the same hole.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

LMAO Bobby thanks for the info


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

resize, prep and primer the brass and put it in the loading block upside down, then as you charge the powder place it back in right side up, one at a time

everything should be in order and follow a plan, that way you will not double charge or forget to charge a round


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> resize, prep and primer the brass and put it in the loading block upside down, then as you charge the powder place it back in right side up, one at a time
> 
> everything should be in order and follow a plan, that way you will not double charge or forget to charge a round


I like that one Coastal.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Yup Coastal been around a long time and never thought of that or even heard of it. See, you can teach an old dog new tricks, thanks


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

CHARLIE said:


> Yup Coastal been around a long time and never thought of that or even heard of it. See, you can teach an old dog new tricks, thanks


 ....same here, great idea. Something I have "trained" myself to do, is to look into each case as I'm sliding it into the shell holder for seating. Just part of my loading "plan" and another layer of safety. I can't help but be impressed with the wisdom and knowledge I see/read on this board. I'm glad to see folks take this stuff seriously.......Most of the time anyway.lol....


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