j8064
Garrett Co Hooligan #1
Here's a reminder for us veteran reloaders and a tip for the up and coming reloaders: Rule: Always inspect your brass at every step in the reloading process!
Case in point:
I always sort range brass and tumble non-nesting cases together before resizing. Knowing nesting happens, it's something to always be on the alert for when sorting mixed cases - but 40's are sneaky and like to hide... After yesterday's free 45 Colt cases were tumbled and ready to resize - through re-inspection - I spotted a pesky 40 hiding in one!
Running the nested 40 & 45 Colt case through a sizing die would have ruined both. The simple solution was to separate them with a kinetic bullet pulling hammer (a tool of many uses).
Nesting can happen other ways too. For example: a 25 acp case will fit through the mouth and into a 30 cal rifle cartridge - not something you want to occur - and there are other examples.
Back to my original point - Always inspect your cases at each step in the reloading process. It's all about leaving any mistakes on your reloading bench and not taking mistakes to the range.
P.S. The guy who gave me the 45 Colt cases seems to have paid $0.75 per round + tax. Another reminder of why I reload...
Case in point:
- Yesterday the Range Brass Fairy was good to me. I gathered a nice bag full of free range brass of various calibers. Another shooter gave me the cases from a box of 45 Colt he fired.
- Normally my free range brass all goes in a bag together to be sorted and inspected back on my bench - (first pic below).
- When brass of different calibers is mixed together "nesting" can occur (i.e. a smaller case nesting into a larger case). Example: 25acp will nest in a 32 acp which nest in a 9mm which will nest in a 40 S&W etc. (second pic below).
- Normally nesting isn't an issue and easy to spot when sorting and tumbling cases. But, 40 S&W cases can nest so snugly in 45 Colt and 44 Mag cases they require extra due diligence when tumbled cases are ready to be resized.
I always sort range brass and tumble non-nesting cases together before resizing. Knowing nesting happens, it's something to always be on the alert for when sorting mixed cases - but 40's are sneaky and like to hide... After yesterday's free 45 Colt cases were tumbled and ready to resize - through re-inspection - I spotted a pesky 40 hiding in one!
Running the nested 40 & 45 Colt case through a sizing die would have ruined both. The simple solution was to separate them with a kinetic bullet pulling hammer (a tool of many uses).
Nesting can happen other ways too. For example: a 25 acp case will fit through the mouth and into a 30 cal rifle cartridge - not something you want to occur - and there are other examples.
Back to my original point - Always inspect your cases at each step in the reloading process. It's all about leaving any mistakes on your reloading bench and not taking mistakes to the range.
P.S. The guy who gave me the 45 Colt cases seems to have paid $0.75 per round + tax. Another reminder of why I reload...