Best approach to loading 223 in modest quantity

[rdtompki]

I currently use my Hornady LNL AP press to load about 4K 9mm rounds/month using a case feeder and Mr. BF.

My wife and I will be shooting our AR-15s perhaps 500 rounds/month total so I don't need a lot of automation, but I'm thinking that deprime/swage/size might be best done off line on a single stage? I'd use the Hornady for prime/seat/crimp to take advantage of the bullet feeder.

Would appreciate any and all suggestions.

 

[bsctov]

I use the cast iron lee single stage, they have two models, its the more expensive one. Also use the lee dies, and a Hornady LL power measure on its own stand, works well for quantities you describe.

I also use a lyman power drill trimmer kit

 

[anothernewb]

If you use single stage,
batch processing. Get as much as your brass resized,trimmed, prepped, sorted, and perhaps even primed in advance. That way you can simply pick a bullet and powder and load 'em up.

 

[Shinbone]

I don't have an AR-15 yet, but that will be my next purchase. (Waiting for tax refund.) I wouldn't be shooting a lot either, so my question is what about lubing the cases for sizing? How do you handle that even with a small group of 500?

 

[Gadawg88]

Yes you will need to do your case prep off press. I lube my cases with Dillon spray lube and use a single stage to size/deprime. Then they go back in the tumbler for 20 minutes to remove the lube residue. Then I use the Frankford Arsenal case trimmer to trim, inside/outside chamfer and clean the primer pocket. Every case goes through the trimmer, but not every case needs trimming. I have just found that it is faster to put every case through the trimmer than to check each one with a gauge and then only trim the ones that need it. Any that need swaging get a trip to the Dillin super swage 600. Then they are ready to load. I load my .223 on a Lee Classic Turret. The case prep is the time consuming part. Not counting the case prep, I can load 200 per hour at a comfortable pace. I have no experience with the LNL AP so I can't help you there.

 

[Gadawg88]

so my question is what about lubing the cases for sizing? How do you handle that even with a small group of 500?

Everybody has their prefered method, but this is what works best for me. I use a gallon size zip loc type plastic bag, I use Dillon spray case lube (it is a pump bottle not aresol) and I spray both sides of the inside of the bag, place about 60 to 80 cases in the bag, one squirt more on the cases themselves, seal the bag and then roll them around in your hands, tossing side to side etc. till you are satisfied they are coated. I then remove them from the bag into a bowl. This is important: let them dry for a few minutes before you begin resizing. The lube is just alcohol and lanolin. The alcohol needs to evaporate, leaving the lanolin behind to do the lubrication. It only takes a few minutes, five max. While one batch is drying, I start lubing the next batch etc. Never had a problem using this method.

 

[MtnCreek]

If you don't mind cleaning the lube from the bullet feeder, run them through the AP to size, deal with any crimped pockets and trim and them rum them through the AP again to load (after brass and feeder are cleaned). If the AP feeder has a long tube between the feeder and sta 1, remove the feeder and drop them in the tube by hand when sizing so all you have to clean is the tube. That's what I do on a dillon.

For cheap ammo (55gr FMJ) I size/load in one pass assuming any crimped pockets have already been dealt with. For match type ammo I get more consistent charges separating the sizing from loading.

 

[Blue68f100]

What I do is run all the brass through the LNL-AP with a universal deprimer. Then into the cleaner (wet SS). Once done and dried I Swage the pockets if once fired, anneal (Giraud), then I'm ready to load. I just use a baggie and One-Shot lube. As I lube them I dump them in to the brass feeder. I continue till I have 100+ and I set the 10 min timer before I start sizing. Then all go through the Trim-it II trimmer (faster than measuring), then tumble to remove lube. Now I'm ready to load. I do every thing on the LNL-AP, prime, add powder, then seat the bullet. Unlike you I do not have the bullet feeder, so I'm hand feeding them. As long as you use a good metering powder your good to go.

 

[savagemann]

OP, it sounds like your procedure will be very similar to mine for 3gun loads, but I am running a lee loadmaster.
For precision loads, I do everything on single stage.
I sort brass by headstamp first.
Start with about 500 cases.
Quick tumble to remove debris.
Into a 6qt sterite container and spray with homemade liquid lanolin/alcohol 1:12 ratio lube. Let dry for a bit.
Size/decap on single stage.
Put on leather glove.
Ream primer pockets (if mil crimp) with hornady mil crimp tool chucked into drill.
Trim with cts trimmer in drill.
Chamfer/debur with lyman bits chucked into drill.
Into a 2 gal bucket and pour 1 gal denatured alcohol to remove lube and shavings.
Sift brass and lay out on towel to dry for a bit. If you need to load right away, dry in oven at 180*
Decant alcohol back into container.
Hand prime.
Run through loadmaster to drop powder with lee auto drum.
Seat
Light lee FCD as final stage.

The most dreadful part for me is trimming/debur.
It seems to take forever.
Sometimes i forgo the hand drill and use a drill press. Depends on my mood I guess.

My process would most likely be different if I had a large work space/garage. If that were the case, I would run a 1050 and do everything on the press.
But I am very limited in space and have to keep noise down so as not to disturb the neighbors.

 

[entropy]

If you use single stage,
batch processing. Get as much as your brass resized,trimmed, prepped, sorted, and perhaps even primed in advance. That way you can simply pick a bullet and powder and load 'em up.

+1. I do all the prep work in the winter, and start loading come spring when the .223 bulets are on sale...

 

[bullseye308]

I use a Lee Reloader and start with a universal decapper, then a quick tumble in walnut. Then lube every 3rd case with Imperial wax and resize them. Next comes the trim with a Lee trimmer and drill and swege with the RCBS kit in the Reloader. I hand prime with the Lee hand primer and after that they go in the Loadmaster to get loaded.

It takes me a few days to get all the brass prepped as I might only do 500 per day, but I load them in batches of 1-2k at a time when I get around to it.

 

[thump_rrr]

I use the Hornady LnL AP Progressive with a case feeder and this is my method.

I use a large cookie sheet and spray the cases with Dillon Case Lube.
Station #1 A .223 die backed off 1 turn so that it doesn't size the case.
It is used to expand the neck and deprime.

Station #3 Dillon RT-1200 set to trim and size.

Once I finish trimming they get wet tumbled in SS pins.

Once dry I prime, powder charge, seat, and crimp on the next pass.

 

[FROGO207]

I have several 5 gallon buckets of 223/5.56 brass I have accumulated and take my spare time in the off months to batch process the brass off the press. The cleaning, sizing, primer pocket swaging, trimming, chamfering, and such is all done and brass sorted into gallon Zip Loc freezer bags and ready to load well ahead of time. This makes the process lots easier. Just remove your sizing die and load em up when ready. The key is having enough prepped and spare replacement brass ahead so you never need to rush through the tedious part. A lot of those that shoot volume and reload will do it with handguns as the reloading process is less labor intensive due to less steps involved when prepping brass IMHO.

 

[joem1945]

I size / decap all my brass on a single stage Hornady Loc&Load. the brass goen in a gallon zip loc bag, spray lube, shake bag and decap, swaged if required. For trimming I use the Dillon rapid trim since the cases are already lubed. Keep the mess in one area. then into the tumbler to clean and remove lube.