Preparing new cases

[Trigger260]

Dont full length size brand new brass!
If its lapua just run a mandrel in and out of the neck(use lube)
If your case has a 20 degree shoulder it will generally spring back .002 on its first firing, so if you then set your die to bump the shoulder back .002 you will actually be sizing your brass back to .004
Have fun

 

[Klenchblaize]

Good to see we got there in the end!

K

 

[Lancaster]

Dont full length size brand new brass!
If its lapua just run a mandrel in and out of the neck(use lube)
If your case has a 20 degree shoulder it will generally spring back .002 on its first firing, so if you then set your die to bump the shoulder back .002 you will actually be sizing your brass back to .004
Have fun

I'm not sure if I follow you, if it always sprang back by 0.002" we would never need to bump the shoulder back because it would always return to 0.002" less than the chamber length, or are you eluding to the degree of annealing in the neck/shoulder area of new brass?

When I run new brass through a FL die without touching the neck, the majority go in and out of the die with very little, if any pressure, to the extent that it may well be a pointless exercise.

Those that do need a little effort, tend to require force to be applied well before the ram has gone through the full up stroke, indicating that I am squeezing the case and the brass is being pushed towards the shoulder, rather than hitting the top of the die and the shoulder being pushed back.

 

[smokey]

I'm just getting started in the art of reloading, and trying to keep it as simple and consistent as possible.

After much reading, I have settled on the approach of FL sizing cases to just fit in my chamber, but backing off the die and testing in small increments until the case fits in my chamber. This all makes sense to me, but begs the question of what you do with new factory brass, which has presumably been sized to some kind of factory spec? I just want to make sure what I do for the first loads is replicated on the 2nd, 3rd and so on.

I could run the new brass through FL sizing die to SAMI spec, and do the same for future reloads, but that would suggest working the brass more than necessary, and potentially create rounds that are undersized for my chamber.

What's worse - not being consistent with the 1st and subsequent loads, or undersizing everything?!

Alternative is to use once fired factory rounds I suppose?

I'm sure there will be many more questions...

JUST BE VERY CAREFUL OF LISTENING TO PET THEORIES ON THE INTERNET AND YOU TUBE LOTS OF THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT 1 & 2 THOU YET THEY ARE IN A COLD SHED WITH UN CALIBRATED CHEAP MEASUREING TOOLS THAT ARE NOT REPEATABLE.
New brass just shoot it,
Once you have once fired brass decide on what you want to do. Once you decide ON YOUR METHOD stick to it for everything you do .
Only change one thing at a time
With modern rifles ,Brass, bullets etc its not difficult to get superb results with out overly complicating things. Good luck and enjoy

 

[Trigger260]

I'm not sure if I follow you, if it always sprang back by 0.002" we would never need to bump the shoulder back because it would always return to 0.002" less than the chamber length, or are you eluding to the degree of annealing in the neck/shoulder area of new brass?

When I run new brass through a FL die without touching the neck, the majority go in and out of the die with very little, if any pressure, to the extent that it may well be a pointless exercise.

Those that do need a little effort, tend to require force to be applied well before the ram has gone through the full up stroke, indicating that I am squeezing the case and the brass is being pushed towards the shoulder, rather than hitting the top of the die and the shoulder being pushed back.

You are stretching your new brass in the die! This isn't a good idea!
On the first firing your brass will grow more and therefore spring back more than on subsequent firings, unless you choose to size it back to original dimensions

 

[doigan]

New lapua brass

I FL resize them all
Trim to length
Clean flash hole
Use a mandrel to whatever spec I want
Chamfer and deburr

Maybe ott for stalking but it vastly helps my load development

I have used Lapua for years, never full length resized new brass, certainly never trimmed new brass. Can I ask why or if you had to trim. Reason I ask is shot the 6.5 a few times and brass has not changed.

 

[Dave_45]

I have used Lapua for years, never full length resized new brass, certainly never trimmed new brass. Can I ask why or if you had to trim. Reason I ask is shot the 6.5 a few times and brass has not changed.

Ultimately because 3 high level F class shooters told me too.
Eliminate inconsistencies at the earliest stage.

I measured all the brass and tediously there was differences

 

[trickie]

As @smokey said
“JUST BE VERY CAREFUL OF LISTENING TO PET THEORIES ON THE INTERNET AND YOU TUBE LOTS OF THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT 1 & 2 THOU YET THEY ARE IN A COLD SHED WITH UN CALIBRATED CHEAP MEASURING TOOLS THAT ARE NOT REPEATABLE”
Find someone who you trust, apply their knowledge and experience to your setup.
Take accurate measurements after first firings (save 3 once fired cases as they are a true measurement of YOUR chamber).
All this depends on if your shooting Competition type stuff where accuracy down to a fraction is important, or your happy to shoot 1moa ish at 100.
Set yourself up accordingly.

trickie

 

[ValleyPursuits]

I only deburr flash holes and run the expander mandrel through new brass. The full process only starts after it’s been fireformed to my chamber.

 

[Foxyboy43]

As @smokey said
“JUST BE VERY CAREFUL OF LISTENING TO PET THEORIES ON THE INTERNET AND YOU TUBE LOTS OF THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT 1 & 2 THOU YET THEY ARE IN A COLD SHED WITH UN CALIBRATED CHEAP MEASURING TOOLS THAT ARE NOT REPEATABLE”
Find someone who you trust, apply their knowledge and experience to your setup.
Take accurate measurements after first firings (save 3 once fired cases as they are a true measurement of YOUR chamber).
All this depends on if your shooting Competition type stuff where accuracy down to a fraction is important, or your happy to shoot 1moa ish at 100.
Set yourself up accordingly.

trickie

Hmm.
I don’t quite get this - if this was so surely all cases would therefore come out the same length - which they don’t - hence the need for trimming on occasion?
Or am I just being stupid (again)?

 

[trickie]

The overall case measurement by vary by a tho or so but the shoulder measurement should be consistent.
This afternoon (for my benefit not for this thread) I checked 30, 6.5 cases fired last month, 2 different bullets 130 and 136 gr. all were within 1/2 a tho variance

 

[25 Sharps]

Agreed you can do an awful lot to new brass before installing primer, powder and bullet if that’s what floats your press.

My point is you can also keep it simple and as you should expect to be able to if the manufacturer has done their stuff correctly and your chamber is standard.

K

Inspect it, straighten out any kinked mouths, load it and fire it.

It’s then formed to your chamber and you can bump it back to your required shoulder jump, which will more than likely be further forward than when you first fired it…..

 

[25 Sharps]

I'm just getting started in the art of reloading, and trying to keep it as simple and consistent as possible.

After much reading, I have settled on the approach of FL sizing cases to just fit in my chamber, but backing off the die and testing in small increments until the case fits in my chamber. This all makes sense to me, but begs the question of what you do with new factory brass, which has presumably been sized to some kind of factory spec? I just want to make sure what I do for the first loads is replicated on the 2nd, 3rd and so on.

I could run the new brass through FL sizing die to SAMI spec, and do the same for future reloads, but that would suggest working the brass more than necessary, and potentially create rounds that are undersized for my chamber.

What's worse - not being consistent with the 1st and subsequent loads, or undersizing everything?!

Alternative is to use once fired factory rounds I suppose?

I'm sure there will be many more questions...

What are you hoping to achieve with the rounds?

Casual target or stalking, you are over thinking it already.

 

[plumber01]

I just load and fire new brass. !

 

[doigan]

Hi guys,

Bit perplexed with my Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass.
Just got my new FL bushing die and decided to go the full hog and anneal, resize and trim if necessary.
This brass had probably had 10 uses but the case length is 1.908 inches. Brand new brass is 1.910/1.911 inches.
Why would my brass not be growing?
I think this is why I have ended up with a nasty carbon ring as the brass is still too short after FL sizing.
Anyone else had this?
Cheers

 

[Foxyboy43]

“

Hi guys,

Bit perplexed with my Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass.
Just got my new FL bushing die and decided to go the full hog and anneal, resize and trim if necessary.
This brass had probably had 10 uses but the case length is 1.908 inches. Brand new brass is 1.910/1.911 inches.
Why would my brass not be growing?
I think this is why I have ended up with a nasty carbon ring as the brass is still too short after FL sizing.
Anyone else had this?
Cheers

”Growing” as you put it is dependent on powder charge - a case used with a hot load will “grow” much more and faster than a softer charge. Are you neck-sizing or (gulp!) full-length resizing?

 

[doigan]

Was only neck sizing for almost all those cases, only FL sized to try my new bushing die.
Loads are 40.1. - 41 grains N160. Fairly hot but Vit data is renowned for being very conservative.
42.1 is max load.so don't know why brass isn't growing

 

[Foxyboy43]

Was only neck sizing for almost all those cases, only FL sized to try my new bushing die.
Loads are 40.1. - 41 grains N160. Fairly hot but Vit data is renowned for being very conservative.
42.1 is max load.so don't know why brass isn't growing

If it’s not “growing” why worry? If the opposite just check for pressure signs, incipient case separation and if all ok resize, trim to specs and reload….

 

[kenbro]

I only deburr flash holes and run the expander mandrel through new brass. The full process only starts after it’s been fireformed to my chambe

I know this is probably over egging it, but new brass gets the full treatment so that brass is uniform as I can get it and some of the steps don't need doing again on subsequent reloads.
Deburr Flash hole.
Ream primer pocket.
Uniform primer pocket.
FL size not touching neck.
Neck size.
Trim to length.
Chamfer and deburr.

Hi,
How do you FL size without touching the neck?
Cheers, Ken.

 

[doigan]

Hi,
How do you FL size without touching the neck?
Cheers, Ken.

The bushing die I have allows that, when you remove the decapper expander rod it just sizes the body