New cases, resize or good to go in 6.5mm

[deeangeo]

Paul,
I wasn‘t questioning the procedure as such. I was referring to why there are special VLD cutters.

You should borrow or buy a VLD chamfer tool to try Rider.
Frankly I find them to be a great help aiding not only the easy seating of any type of bullet, especially 160gn RN bullets, but also maintaining low run out/concentricity.
Until you use one you’re not going to know if it’s useful or not, and really not such an expensive addition to a reloading tool chest.

 

[Steff]

You should borrow or buy a VLD chamfer tool to try Rider.
...

Oh, I do have and use one!
I just don't see the point in naming it 'VLD' and what this has to do with it.

 

[deeangeo]

Oh, I do have and use one! I just don't see the point in naming it 'VLD' and what this has to do with it.

Well that's just down to the 'Marketing boys' selling 7 promoting their bullets & tools; to me it's just an inside neck chamfer tool & I use it all the time.
When the outside neck need to be chamfered, (After case trimming & rarely otherwise) I use my RCBS tool.

 

[Primate]

The only thing I don't do on new brass, that I would do after firing is clean the primer pocket. My standard process after firing is to fl size, de burring the flash holes, clean the primer pocket and to trim and chamfuer. Follow this and you'll not go far wrong. Some reloaders crimp too. I've never needed to do this but can fully understand why some do, and wouldn't rule out from doing so myself in future should I think it were necessary. However one process I firmly believe to be totally unnecessary and not conducive in any way to accuracy is to clean or tumble.
Good luck in your venture

Just to clarify as my last post may read misleading. I do remove the lube after sizing. I do this by means of a Lee lock stud and shell holder in a drill, cases have a quick spin around with kitchen towel on the outer and a cotton bud stick inside the neck, takes seconds. I was referring to ultrasonic wet cleaning, and media tumblers.
Cheers.

 

[Yorric]

One very good reason to polish/tumble clean cases is to enable the very first signs of case cracking/splitting to be seen & cases to be discarded. ___I don't want big splits which could lead to gas cutting in the chamber.

Ian

 

[NoIDeer]

I would at least check the cases chamber at all stages of the process. I went on a long range plinking day with a group of mates two of which were finalising their 7mm remag set ups prior to a goat hunt far beyond the back of beyond. One chap made up the rounds using brand new brass which had been previously checked and zeroed in both rifles. At the range the new batch with exactly the same components wouldn't chamber in the non reloaders rifle. If that had happened far, far away it would have been a very expensive cock up.

 

[charlieboy-shooter]

Just to clarify as my last post may read misleading. I do remove the lube after sizing. I do this by means of a Lee lock stud and shell holder in a drill, cases have a quick spin around with kitchen towel on the outer and a cotton bud stick inside the neck, takes seconds. I was referring to ultrasonic wet cleaning, and media tumblers.
Cheers.

Yes I also use drill, holder and stud to trim to length but at the end, I run 000 grade wire wool up the case and run off the neck. This seems to remove the outer burr and polishes the cases nicely for inspection. I do also clean and deburr inside the neck.
Thanks

 

[Alantoo]

I've been getting 10+ reloads out of Lapua brass that has been full length sized every load and never annealled. I discard them when the necks split. In terms of over working the brass, I think the important thing is to make sure your die is set up correctly. I'm only knocking the shoulder back a thou each time.

If you stress relief annealed them every 5 or 6 loads you would prevent the necks splitting and only have to discard them when the primer pockets started to become looser...but I guess your 10 reloads is economic enough, just not as economic as 20!

Alan

 

[jthyttin]

Something I have never understood. Especially VLD bullets have a very pronounced boattail which makes seating them very relaxed. Why would one need a special shallow angled chamfer for this?

At least two things come to mind in VLD bullets that make the seating procedure more vulnerable (resulting in crushed jacket and inconsistent COAL):
- usually poor match to standard seating stem
- largish void in the front part

 

[Primate]

If you stress relief annealed them every 5 or 6 loads you would prevent the necks splitting and only have to discard them when the primer pockets started to become looser...but I guess your 10 reloads is economic enough, just not as economic as 20!

Alan

You're right. Maybe one day. Happy with 10 but 20 sounds better!

 

[deeangeo]

If you stress relief annealed them every 5 or 6 loads you would prevent the necks splitting and only have to discard them when the primer pockets started to become looser...but I guess your 10 reloads is economic enough, just not as economic as 20! Alan

Absolutely.
I ran the same cases, reloaded many many times over for fifteen years and only chucked them out late last year.
Not for any particular reason other than I felt they done their time, given me good service and I’m having to develop a completely different load anyway.
Mind you, those were Remington cases.

I bought 100 new Norma to replace them & it’s time to work out a completely new load with Vit N560 rather than my good old reliable IMR4831.