New reloaded order of operations

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  • Collector98

    Active Member
    Jan 18, 2015
    271
    I just ordered a bunch of reloading equipment and a lee pro 1000 and I just wanted to check the order of operations for prepping and loading with someone more experienced to be safe.
    I ordered 1,500 once fired .223 cases and my plan is to:

    1: remove primers using a universal decapper
    2: run the lubed brass through a full length resizing die
    3: trim the brass to the correct length
    4: ream primer pocket to remove crimp
    5: wet tumble with steel pins and lemishine
    6: dry
    7: add primer
    8:add powder charge
    9: seat bullet

    Does everything sound correct and do I at least have a good starting point? I look forward to feedback from the more experienced!
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    Those reloads wont fly; I think you are forgetting the priming step :innocent0 [EDIT] Nevermind, i saw that you added in that step haha.

    As for 223 reloading, I do the following;

    Wet tumble without SS pins and towel dry
    Lube, Decap and resize on progressive.

    Proceed with brass prep (trim, swage, etc.)

    At this point, I either wash them again with SS for 30 mins to clean the primer pockets, wash w/o SS pins just to get the lube off, OR go straight to drying them.

    Prime with a hand primer or bench priming system (i dont recommend priming with the pro1000...too many missed primers, flipped primers, sideways primers...)

    Set up progressive for powder charge, seating, and crimping. Once set, drop in primed cases in the case feeder and start rolling some loads.
     

    BUFF7MM

    ☠Buff➐㎣☠
    Mar 4, 2009
    13,576
    Garrett County
    I just ordered a bunch of reloading equipment and a lee pro 1000 and I just wanted to check the order of operations for prepping and loading with someone more experienced to be safe.
    I ordered 1,500 once fired .223 cases and my plan is to:

    1: remove primers using a universal decapper
    2: run the lubed brass through a full length resizing die
    3: trim the brass to the correct length
    4: ream primer pocket to remove crimp
    5: wet tumble with steel pins and lemishine
    6: dry
    7: add primer
    8:add powder charge
    9: seat bullet

    Does everything sound correct and do I at least have a good starting point? I look forward to feedback from the more experienced!

    I remove primer
    Swage primer pocket
    Wet tumble
    Size
    Trim if needed
    Retumble
    Seat new primer
    Charge with powder
    Seat bullet
    Crimp bullet if needed
    I’m not sure about what others use but a good old fashion single stage press goes a long way and is a great started press to learn on.
    I use a turret press but my single stage still deprimes and swages
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,281
    HoCo
    I use factory crimp die at end.

    After trimming, you need the thingies to clean up the inside and outside edge.

    LOTS of once fired 223 will need primer pockets swaged or the primer pockets will be hard as heck to prime

    Don't forget you should want to do load development on any new rifle load if you want accuracy, chronograh to do it right.

    BTW, I did wet tumbling w/ pins, if your gonna clean pockets you can wet tumble w/o pins if you want. all up to you.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,731
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Just so you guys know. The data collected over the years says that cleaning the primer pockets does very little towards accuracy. You would be better off to ream your flash holes if you want something that will pay off.
     

    BUFF7MM

    ☠Buff➐㎣☠
    Mar 4, 2009
    13,576
    Garrett County
    Just so you guys know. The data collected over the years says that cleaning the primer pockets does very little towards accuracy. You would be better off to ream your flash holes if you want something that will pay off.

    They gotta come out to put new in so I just do it first, I usually have nothing else going on so I’ve got the time for the extra step. And besides that shiny primer pocket makes me feel all tingly inside. :D
     
    I've reloaded close to 50,000 rounds of 556/223 and i dont clean primer pockets. I do run a swager chucked in my drillpress for a second or so to push out the crimp. It doesn't remove any metal. It removes any larger bits of soot but doesn't really clean. Never had an issue..
     

    cstone

    Active Member
    Dec 12, 2018
    842
    Baltimore, MD
    I use a Harvey decapper as I sort and inspect brass. I then dry tumble by caliber in lizard bedding (crushed walnut) for 8 to 10 hours (sometimes longer). I don't care if it shines. Clean is all I need. Once fired gets swaged on a Dillon Super Swager. Rifle caliber gets lubed (homemade alcohol/lanolin mix) in a one gallon zip lock bag. Full length sized then trimmed on a Giraud. Another dry tumble for an hour to remove the lube and any brass shavings. I hand prime with an RCBS universal hand primer. Most of my brass is stored prepped and primed in containers until I need to load some more. When all you are doing on a Dillon 550 is charging with powder, seating and crimping the bullet, time at the bench is easy and loading goes pretty quickly.

    Others have had success with priming on presses, but I find it agitating and slow whenever one in a hundred primers is not seated or mis-seated. For me, the benefit of hand priming is that I can do it just about anywhere I am seated. I have primed on my front porch, while camping, etc... It also gives me another chance to inspect the case after it has been cleaned, sized, trimmed, before priming. I have found most of my neck splits/cracks just before I prime. At least with .223, a neck split gives me another potential .300 Blk case.

    No one system works for everyone. Find the system that produces the ammunition you want and you can be consistent and safe.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,731
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I use a Harvey decapper as I sort and inspect brass. I then dry tumble by caliber in lizard bedding (crushed walnut) for 8 to 10 hours (sometimes longer). I don't care if it shines. Clean is all I need. Once fired gets swaged on a Dillon Super Swager. Rifle caliber gets lubed (homemade alcohol/lanolin mix) in a one gallon zip lock bag. Full length sized then trimmed on a Giraud. Another dry tumble for an hour to remove the lube and any brass shavings. I hand prime with an RCBS universal hand primer. Most of my brass is stored prepped and primed in containers until I need to load some more. When all you are doing on a Dillon 550 is charging with powder, seating and crimping the bullet, time at the bench is easy and loading goes pretty quickly.

    Others have had success with priming on presses, but I find it agitating and slow whenever one in a hundred primers is not seated or mis-seated. For me, the benefit of hand priming is that I can do it just about anywhere I am seated. I have primed on my front porch, while camping, etc... It also gives me another chance to inspect the case after it has been cleaned, sized, trimmed, before priming. I have found most of my neck splits/cracks just before I prime. At least with .223, a neck split gives me another potential .300 Blk case.

    No one system works for everyone. Find the system that produces the ammunition you want and you can be consistent and safe.


    I used to take my wife and my reloading gear in the van when assigned details around the country. While she drove, I deprimed and primed. What a life! :lol:
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Why do you want to remove the primers separately rather than doing it with the sizing die?

    I do it that way to avoid having to replace decapping pins.

    The Lee Universal decapper just keeps on going. Decapping crimped primers with a standard sizing die decapping pin, does result in the occasional bent or broken pin.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    For once fired brass:

    1) Tumble in corncob to remove dirt and grit.
    2) Decap
    3) Swage primer pocket
    4) Resize
    5) Tumble again to remove lube. Depending on how I am running things, this may be step 8, after the round is loaded.
    6) Prime
    7) Add powder
    8) Seat bullet. For .223/5.56 with 55 grain with cannalure, I crimp with seating, otherwise no crimp

    I do not trim once fired brass.

    I do not wet tumble. But I am fine if my rounds are not all bright and shiny. They are to SHOOT, not admire the shine. And wet tumbling is a lot more work.

    For .223/5.56, I normally run in my Dillon 650 with two different tool heads. Head #1 has a Lee Universal Decapper and a Sizing die. I tumble to remove lube, then swage with Dillon Super Swager, or now, I will try my Lee APP.

    Then the second tool head is prime, powder, seat bullet, and crimp if needed. I typically tumble again to remove any skin oils, then only touch with gloved hands for long term storage.
     
    I use a Harvey decapper as I sort and inspect brass. I then dry tumble by caliber in lizard bedding (crushed walnut) for 8 to 10 hours (sometimes longer). I don't care if it shines. Clean is all I need. Once fired gets swaged on a Dillon Super Swager. Rifle caliber gets lubed (homemade alcohol/lanolin mix) in a one gallon zip lock bag. Full length sized then trimmed on a Giraud. Another dry tumble for an hour to remove the lube and any brass shavings. I hand prime with an RCBS universal hand primer. Most of my brass is stored prepped and primed in containers until I need to load some more. When all you are doing on a Dillon 550 is charging with powder, seating and crimping the bullet, time at the bench is easy and loading goes pretty quickly.

    Others have had success with priming on presses, but I find it agitating and slow whenever one in a hundred primers is not seated or mis-seated. For me, the benefit of hand priming is that I can do it just about anywhere I am seated. I have primed on my front porch, while camping, etc... It also gives me another chance to inspect the case after it has been cleaned, sized, trimmed, before priming. I have found most of my neck splits/cracks just before I prime. At least with .223, a neck split gives me another potential .300 Blk case.

    No one system works for everyone. Find the system that produces the ammunition you want and you can be consistent and safe.

    I agree with you on hand priming. It takes a little bit longer, but every piece of brass is fondled and you can easily feel any issues. The lack of frustration caused by: missing, upside down or sideways primers on the press is a huge bonus for me.

    ETA- I am a Lee fanboy, but their on-press priming systems are frustrating to say the least. I would go a step further and call them garbage.
     

    ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    Everybody has their own system for rifle reloading. Here's mine.

    1. Tumble brass 1-2 hours in ground walnut shells
    2. Lube cases
    3. deprime and resize
    4. off press, trim cases and primer pockets
    5. back on press, prime, charge, set, crimp

    I tumble brass first because i don't want to press dirty brass into my dies. I clean primer pockets because i have the tool, the brass is sitting in a bowl on the table and it only takes a moment prior to trimming the neck. I usually prep brass as a batch and set it aside until I'm ready to complete the cartridges. I respect the posters above that prime their brass by hand as part of the prep process. I do not do that. In these days of primer shortages i'd rather not have my primers tied up in cartridges i may not chose to reload immediately. I deal with cases that may need to de swaged differently. If the primer isn't going in smoothly, i set it aside and swage as a batch after the reloading session is over. Those then go back into the bucket of brass ready to reload in the next session.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    I do it that way to avoid having to replace decapping pins.

    Decapping crimped primers with a standard sizing die decapping pin, does result in the occasional bent or broken pin.

    This, plus if you get in the occasional Berdan primed case got picked up without noticing it.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    I just ordered a bunch of reloading equipment and a lee pro 1000 and I just wanted to check the order of operations for prepping and loading with someone more experienced to be safe.
    I ordered 1,500 once fired .223 cases and my plan is to:

    1: remove primers using a universal decapper
    2: run the lubed brass through a full length resizing die
    3: trim the brass to the correct length
    4: ream primer pocket to remove crimp
    5: wet tumble with steel pins and lemishine
    6: dry
    7: add primer
    8:add powder charge
    9: seat bullet

    Does everything sound correct and do I at least have a good starting point? I look forward to feedback from the more experienced!

    You want to clean the brass before you run it through the resizing die to keep from scratching it.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    You want to clean the brass before you run it through the resizing die to keep from scratching it.

    But you don't NEED to wet pin tumble.

    Or tumble for hours in a vibrator tumbler.

    15 - 20 minutes with corn cob or walnut media will make them clean enough to size, load and shoot.
     

    SigMatt

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 17, 2007
    1,181
    Shores of the Bay, MD
    We all have our preferred ritual. I have shifted to decap/clean/swage and trim/lube/size/load as distinct processes. Kind of like processing nuclear material. The first step gets to pre-weapons grade material and I can stockpile it until it is needed. Converting the preprocessed material to usable rounds is more energy intensive and I only want to devote the time if I am sure I am going to get what I need at the end. I have a lot more brass than I have components to load it all so it is more about managing inventory at this point.

    Although it uses up a toolhead, I do love my Lee Universal decapping die.

    Find what cadence works for you. There is no right or wrong way to prepare brass for reloading.

    Matt
     

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