[zxcvbob]

I know some of you guys load rifle cartridges (especially .223) on progressive presses. How do you handle the case prep? Do you size the cases on a single stage press, trim them, and then finish on the progressive press? Or do you pretend you don't have to trim? Or do you use a neck-only sizing die, which doesn't help me much.

.30 Carbine might be a special case because it takes 3 dies to reload them (like a pistol cartridge) instead of just 2, but they need to be trimmed after sizing like a rifle cartridge.

Thanks,
Bob

[Eric F]

Load 30 carbine as a pistol I measure mine after the 3rd reload never had to trim a case yet some have gotten 5 loads out of them and still in spec.

[zxcvbob]

I don't have to trim every case every time, but I do have to check them every time because I never know when they are going to jump in length -- sometimes it's on the first firing.

Are you measuring them after sizing? If not, you might be fooling yourself. The cases can even get *shorter* when fired, but then they lengthen when resized.

[Eric F]

I measure before even cleaning when I do measure. I do not load to max performance, I load a 110 gr fmj to 1800 fps its just enough to knock steel down at 150 yards.

I have never had a problem. I toss them when the brass splits, just like pistol ammo.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I load .30 Carbine on my LnL AP using a Lee Deluxe die set. Works great. Ammo shoots good and is very fast to load up. Cast my own flat based no gas check bullets too with a Lee six ganger mold. Those work great too, like loading .357 magnum with a rebated rim for a rifle.

Regards,

Dave

[mrwilson]

Do you have to lube the cases?

[zxcvbob]

Do you have to lube the cases?

Yes.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

With the .30 carbine, a dab of lube every couple of cases is a good idea, as the brass, at least GI brass, is thick and the case is small inside, so the brass is kinda tough to resize.

Dave