Just starting out reloading .223. I have primers, cases, bullets and powder. I have a Lee Classic turret press. I am wondering how do you guys start the process. Do you deprime and trim then tumble? Or do you tumble then deprime?

 

I have started to deprime, and am trying to collect enough where I can tumble a few hundred. I have read my reloading manual and have my discs set up for H322 powder for 55gr Hornady bullets.

 

What is your guys procedure for reloading? I know there is no "set" way to reload but give a newbie some guidance.

 

Rick

This is my process:

 

-Tumble dirty brass

-Lube clean brass

-Resize/deprime

-Wipe off lube

-Trim/chamfer brass

-Prime/charge brass

-Seat bullet/crimp brass

 

ETA: For precision ammo, you can add uniforming primer pockets in between wiping off the lube and trimming the brass.

Here is a pretty good link. I do it just like Jon said except I deprime first with the Lee universal decapper and I wet tumble it again for 30 minuets to get the lube off.

 

http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=450

I've taken to doing a 10min tumble of the loaded ammo to get rid of the lube so I can just run it through the progressive press. Someone will now rush in to tell us how that will break down the powder, but 10min doesn't.

 

I do an initial trim and chamfer and then I use a RCBS X-die to keep the brass from growing.

Now with trimming. I have all once fired brass. With the Lee Trimmer none of it so far needed trimming using its guage. Is that normal?

I wet tumble also but I only do it once.

I lube, deprime and resize, ream primer pockets (if needed), trim and then tumble.

Now with trimming. I have all once fired brass. With the Lee Trimmer none of it so far needed trimming using its guage. Is that normal?

Have you resized it yet? The resizing process is when the case gets longer. It will probably be within spec until you resize.

Even after depriming and resizing it didnt need trimming. Could.my die be off?

What oal are you planning on trimming to?

And some brass brands are short to start with.

What oal are you planning on trimming to?

 

Careful with you semantics.  It's important for clarity.  You trim to "trim length" Not "Over All Length"

What type of Lee trimmer are you using? Is it just a length gauge that you insert into case? I would measure the length of the trimmer, and also you're cases...if your cases are at the appropriate length then you have nothing to worry about. If they are too long, it can create pressure inconsistencies because you'll be seating the bullets to different depths

I use the little crow gun works WFT chucked into a drill press.. it rocks!

Careful with you semantics. It's important for clarity. You trim to "trim length" Not "Over All Length"

I was careful, I asked what oal is he trimming to. That obviously refers to the case since the topic at the moment was brass cases and their length. If we were referring to seating the bullet I could understand the possible confusion. I can see where you wouldn't want a new reloader to get confused though.

I was careful, I asked what oal is he trimming to. That obviously refers to the case since the topic at the moment was brass cases and their length. If we were referring to seating the bullet I could understand the possible confusion. I can see where you wouldn't want a new reloader to get confused though.

 

In any loading publication that the OP picks up "OAL" will include the bullet.  Based on the disparity in dimensions it would be hard to confuse OAL for "trim length".  just my $.02

I have to agree, trim length is never to be confused with OAL. There is a reason they use different terminology to separate the possibility of confusing the two terms.

Did you measure the brass?  Trim to length is 1.75" and Maximum length is 1.76".  Dont let the trimmer decide if it need trimming, measure it.

Ken

Did you measure the brass?  Trim to length is 1.75" and Maximum length is 1.76".  Dont let the trimmer decide if it need trimming, measure it.

Ken

 

A must have is a Wilson style gauge It's easy and absolute.  I don't ever measure 223 brass.  I just gauge it.

I have a lot of once fired .223 brass that did not require trimming. On the other hand, all my once-fired 5.56 brass required trimming.

Did you measure the brass?  Trim to length is 1.75" and Maximum length is 1.76".  Dont let the trimmer decide if it need trimming, measure it.

I let my Giraud trimmer decide all the time.

 

If my newly sized and delubed brass is long enough to make it to the cutting surface, it gets trimmed, chamfered and deburred.

Otherwise it never touches the cutting surface.

 

Next step, prime with the RCBS handheld and stand each piece up to be certain of no high primers (AR slam fires are not a good thing!)

I let my Giraud trimmer decide all the time.

 

If my newly sized and delubed brass is long enough to make it to the cutting surface, it gets trimmed, chamfered and deburred.

Otherwise it never touches the cutting surface.

 

Next step, prime with the RCBS handheld and stand each piece up to be certain of no high primers (AR slam fires are not a good thing!)

I use the same method just with a different tool. I couldn't afford a Girard so I use the little crow gun works WFT. So far it has been spot on. It saves a step. If it's too long it gets trimmed, if the length is ok then it doesn't.

A must have is a Wilson style gauge It's easy and absolute.  I don't ever measure 223 brass.  I just gauge it.

I got mine for the reasons we discussed, but will use it for trim length as well instead of calipers.

 

Thanks again Frank!

Now with trimming. I have all once fired brass. With the Lee Trimmer none of it so far needed trimming using its guage. Is that normal?

 

It's normal. Is it bad? No. Is it correct? That's debatable. For various calibers, I find the lee trimmer is pretty much at max trim to length. I prefer a set up closer to minimum trim to length because it means less work in the future. With something like an X-die to really minimize work/maximize time between trimmings, the lee one size fits all approach isn't going to work.