Brass and Primers

[Doc7]

Hello,

I am getting ready to become more dedicated to the art of using my hunting rifle, and step 1 is to start reloading for it. I bought a reloading press complete setup years ago at a sale (never used kit which has a Lyman T Mag turret press along with many accessories like brass trimmer and scale) but have never used it. I will be, on my days off in the next couple weeks, unboxing everything to get acquainted with it and set up a basic bench area. I still need to buy a die set for 7mm-08 and possibly a priming system, I think it came with one but there is also a”Ram Prime” they sell I am not too familiar with. Years ago for my birthday I asked for and got Shell holders, a powder funnel etc and I plan to trickle and handweigh each charge for the amount of shooting I plan on doing. I am sure I’ll be back with more Qs once I get ready to buy everything on my next pay check (dies and components).

For now - when I look at reloading data in my Lyman 49 it specifies a primer and a brass mfr. and when I go to website data, such as Hodgdon and Nosler (looking at 120 Ballistic Tip, and Speer 145 HotCor, I currently shoot that Hot-Cor in Federal ammunition and get submoa in my Tikka T3) they also often specify brass, fairly consistently I am finding it to be Remington.

I am virtually convinced that I need to follow their Primer listed. Is the same true with brass? Load manuals don’t recommend Starline and that’s what I was going to buy a couple hundred cases of. Should I just purchase the Remington brass?

 

[badkarmamib]

Brass and primers do not need to be exact, as long as you are following safe reloading practices. Start low, work up should be your mantra. Reloading manuals list the components they use, but (virtually) all commercial components are interchangeable. There are exceptions, such as military brass usually has less capacity, some brands of primers are more sensitive, etc. But, if you use a different brand of brass, and a different brand of primers, and work your loads up carefully, you will be fine. Just make sure to use the correct TYPE of components (don't substitute magnum for standard primers, mainly).

 

[forty_caliber]

Start slow. Double, triple, and quadruple check everything until you get the hang of it. Don't try to sit down and load 100 rounds 1st time out. Start with 5 or 10 and take them to the range to validate function.

.40

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

For the money it's hard to beat Starline rifle brass for reloading hunting ammo. Great value, however that thicker brass may mean less case capacity and higher pressures just like 7.62x51 vs 308 brass. As badkarmamib said, start low and work up.

As far as primers go you never know what works best in a load until you use it. However I have had my best groups using CCI or Federal. The problem with Federal primers is they are soft and appear to flatten more and well before you hit a max charge. If you have a choice you can't go wrong with CCI. For a new loader I recommend them. Especially if your using a thicker brass.

 

[Doc7]

Here is the kit I got, copy and pasting this from a PM Conversation I had with @Walkalong in May of 2013 when he said it seemed like an OK deal, when I asked for his input on this “old unopened box” kit someone on NewJerseyHunter sold. I spent $450 on it - and have never opened it since the day I bought it almost 6 years ago!!!!
The prices were midway prices at that time


lyman tmag press -$196
lyman 500 scale - $57
lyman powder measure -$83
lyman universal case trimmer -$80 lyman primer tray -$5
lyman case lube kit - $20
lyman auto prime feeder -$26
lyman powder dribbler- $12
lyman stainless steel dial caliper -$29 lee powder measure kit -$10.50 lyman deburring tool -$17
lyman decapping pins -$3
lyman shell holders -x1 -$7
lyman shell holders -x2 -$7
lyman shell holders- x7- $7
Lyman multi-stand die - 9mm -$50 Lyman multi-stand die - 38-357 -$50 Lyman multi-stand die - 44 mag - 44 spc -$50
Lyman 2 die set - 30-06 - $35
2 mtm boxes -$10 each
2 lyman shell holders -$7 each
3 more shell holder -$5 each

 

[Doc7]

As I mentioned earlier I already bought shell base for 7mm-08 as well as a powder funnel and I have a Mitutoyo digital caliper as well.

I may only need to buy dies and components.
I am comparing these two:

 

[Doc7]

Also, here are photos of what I got.

I plan to weigh each individual charge so I am imagining it doesn't matter, to a degree, how accurate the powder measure is (or the spoons which I guess is another way people have measured powder charges, it came with a chart that lists volume/grains for different powders, but I plan on weighing because I don't know how old or reliable the data is)

Will this Trimmer and scale be ok to get started? I am buying a highly rated check-weight set to ensure the accuracy of the scale between charges.

 

[forty_caliber]

View attachment 824501 View attachment 824502 As I mentioned earlier I already bought shell base for 7mm-08 as well as a powder funnel and I have a Mitutoyo digital caliper as well.

I may only need to buy dies and components.
I am comparing these two:

I've never used Redding dies mostly due to the higher cost, but generally speaking they make a very good product. I use one of their beam scales. I like the way that Hornady manufactures the size/de-prime die. The de-priming assembly uses "zip" threads to allow for quick adjustment and because of that feature it might also help to keep you from breaking a pin due to a stuck primer or mis-aligned case. Which ever brand you choose clean them thoroughly before use to remove manufacturing oils and preservatives.

Do a little research on the case lube process. The last thing you need is a stuck case in resize die. From your list I noticed a "case lube kit". There are a lot of choices in this area, some of them less messy and time consuming than others. I prefer the alcohol/lanolin sprays over rubbing cases on a lubed pad.

.40

 

[Doc7]

I've never used Redding dies mostly due to the higher cost, but generally speaking they make a very good product. I use one of their beam scales. I like the way that Hornady manufactures the size/de-prime die. The de-priming assembly uses "zip" threads to allow for quick adjustment and because of that feature it might also help to keep you from breaking a pin due to a stuck primer or mis-aligned case. Which ever brand you choose clean them thoroughly before use to remove manufacturing oils and preservatives.

Do a little research on the case lube process. The last thing you need is a stuck case in resize die. From your list I noticed a "case lube kit". There are a lot of choices in this area, some of them less messy and time consuming than others. I prefer the alcohol/lanolin sprays over rubbing cases on a lubed pad.

.40

I plan to use Hornady One Shot. I have used the cleaner product for many years as a gun protectant and lube, as well as on odd jobs around the house.

There are detractors and haters of this product out there. I will do my best to use it in the proper method as posted by the people who like the product, and see if I become a "stuck case" statistic or not!

 

[lightman]

The primer and case brand should not matter very much with a suggested starting load. Start at the suggested starting point and work up while watching for pressure signs. The case and primer brand should not be changed at the upper load ranges without dropping back on the charges a little and working up again. I mostly see little or no difference but its better to be safe than sorry. As others have suggested, there may be a difference in accuracy between primers and the only way to know is to load a few different ones.

As to die brands. Theres probably not a wrong choice. Oh sure, we have our loyalties, but they all work ok. I like the Redding sets that I have. Something that I have posted several times is that as you add die sets it sometimes helps if you have the same brand. An example would be breaking or bending a decapping rod accidentally. Have another die set of the same brand may allow you to swap stems and keep loading.

 

[brewer12345]

Start slow and work up is the most important part. It is also worth it to keep your goal in mind as you do so. So for a deer hunting load in a high power rifle cartridge, even most minimum jacketed loads are more than enough to kill them. That tells me that I want the most accurate loads I can find, not the hottest. There is a tendency to always go for more horsepower that I think is misplaced a lot of the time.

 

[sbwaters]

The most important thing, other than reading the first chapters of a loading manual like Lyman’s, is to come here and ask your question if you are not sure about something. Having a mentor is a wonderful thing.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I enjoy using the Hornady dies that I have. The little cup that slides down on the seating die helps align the bullet.
I have never used a Redding die but I don't think it's worth it for a hunting rifle.
Use the Lee dipper that is closest to your powder charge as a scoop for measuring. If you pay attention, it will tell you if you bumped your scale setting. I started doing this after I had a scale bump 5 grains.

 

[Reloadron]

I am virtually convinced that I need to follow their Primer listed. Is the same true with brass? Load manuals don’t recommend Starline and that’s what I was going to buy a couple hundred cases of. Should I just purchase the Remington brass?

My opinion and I shoot and load quite a bit of 7mm-08 Remington is it doesn't matter. I have an old Speer #12 reloading manual here. The test firearm was a Remington 700V. The brass was RP. The suggested primers were CCI 200 and CCI 250 depending on powder charge and type powder. When published Blount owned both Speer Bullets and CCI so their manual naturally suggest CCI primers and the manual also chose to use the magnum primers with the harder to ignite ball and spherical powders. My Hornady 9th calls out a Remington 9 1/2 primer and the test rifle was a TC Encore. I could look at my Sierra data but I am sure you get the idea. The published data is what they got on a given day under their test conditions. That is all it is. Your mileage may vary and the guidelines are merely guidelines. They afford a starting point and some suggested components. I have no idea why you feel you need to use the primer listed?

Starline brass is fine. I have also necked down 308 Win brass by just using 7mm-08 dies and full length sizing. The merit is I have thousands of rounds of military 7.62 brass laying around. After all the 7mm-08 is a spawn of the 308 Winchester. Just size your brass according to your die instructions as well as trim as required and things should go fine.

Ron.

 

[lordpaxman]

I plan to use Hornady One Shot. I have used the cleaner product for many years as a gun protectant and lube, as well as on odd jobs around the house.

I hope you mean "Hornady One Shot Case Lube" as opposed to "Hornady One Shot Cleaner and Dry Lube". I use both for their respective tasks. However, I use their case lube for pistol cartridges even though I have carbide dies.
For rifle cartridges, I started with RCBS case lube on an ink stamp pad. In 1972 there weren't many options other than this. This does work, but, it's messy, easy to get too much lube on the case and inside the dies and you'll end up with shoulder bumps. I tried the RCBS spray case lube, but ended up with much difficulty on sizing and a stuck case. I now use the Imperial line of dry wax and neck lube combination pack. I prefer this and it's amazing how little you use, how clean it is and how easy it is to clean off.

Your combination of tools will be just fine for what you want to do. Don't sweat the die choice, until you get to the precision rifle stage, any of them will work great.

The replies have already given great advice - the specific manufacturer of components isn't critical. If you have saved any of the brass from any ammo you've already fired, use it! If you want to purchase brass (new or once fired), that works, however, I purchase factory loaded ammo, fire it, and then reload that brass. The cost is approximately a wash for that first time.

 

[bbqreloader]

I plan to use Hornady One Shot. I have used the cleaner product for many years as a gun protectant and lube, as well as on odd jobs around the house.

There are detractors and haters of this product out there. I will do my best to use it in the proper method as posted by the people who like the product, and see if I become a "stuck case" statistic or not!

Hey Doc, will tell you I have used the Hornady Case lube with great success on my 223 brass (bag method) and still continue to use it. However I did try it with my 30-06 cases and became a "victim" on multiple ocassions of the stuck case. Switched to Imperial sizing wax for 30-06 and no problems after that. Hope you have better luck with it on bigger cases than I did.

 

[Skipmeok]

You should consider an annealing machine as well Doc to extend your brass life...www.annealeez.com (watch a video here ).
For a really good, inexpensive case lube I use 4oz of liquid lanolin with a 12oz bottle of 99% alcohol... Throw it into a spray bottle with a used bullet for shaking purposes. Place the cases in a large tin foil pan and spray with the mixture. Let them dry, about 5 minutes when I do some other tasks, then run them through your press. I've had one maybe two stuck cases since I started using this. CCI primers are the best, Federal are more sensitive which is why they come in such a large box, to protect the consumer. Good luck and happy reloading...
Skip

 

[lordpaxman]

You should consider an annealing machine as well Doc to extend your brass life.

Nice looking machine, but I would suggest annealing is beyond a beginner's needs. When I started, the one item I didn't have and wished I did, was a chronograph. Even that's would be a bit much but it would be advisable to reach out to locals or clubs and see if someone could chrono your loads.

 

[lightman]

I loaded for many years and never annealed a case until the 2008 shortages started. It seems as though everyones QC went way down at that time. I had many new Winchester cases develop neck cracks on the first firing. Now 223 and 308 cases were pretty cheap up until that time and then they not only got much more expensive but scarce. But other cases like 300 WSM or 300 Winchester Magnum were more expensive and even more rare. I also put a good bit of work into my brass, too much to junk it after one loading. So I bought a Giraud annealing machine.

 

[Doc7]

Well, isn't this awesome! 1c HazMat + free shipping today at Brownells.

I bought 1 Lb of Varget, 1 Lb of IMR-4895, 200 cases of Starline 7mm-08 brass, and 1000 Remington 9 1/2 Primers. Loads for IMR-4895 are in my Lyman 49, and IMR-4895 and Varget are both on the Hodgdon Website as well as the Nosler and Speer website.

I think my plan is to work up cheaper practice loads with Speer 145 Hotcor, which can also be good deer loads. I shoot a 150 Federal blue box load in my rifle now with what it says is a 150 Hotcor but I don't see that for sale. It is easily sub-MOA factory load and reloading will drop the price significantly. The Varget is because I've also heard that Varget and Nosler Ballistic Tip 120s, with the thicker jacket, are some kind of amazing white tail load also, just seems more expensive to plink/practice with.

Lyman and Nosler both list the Remington primer so that is what I selected, Speer lists a CCI primer.

I am excited to get started loading! My birthday wishlist has dies, etc on it, so it will be another 2 weeks before I order anything else (bullets, dies) as I don't know what if anything the wife and kids did with my MidwayUSA wish list...

 

[Doc7]

I hope you mean "Hornady One Shot Case Lube" as opposed to "Hornady One Shot Cleaner and Dry Lube". I use both for their respective tasks. However, I use their case lube for pistol cartridges even though I have carbide dies.
For rifle cartridges, I started with RCBS case lube on an ink stamp pad. In 1972 there weren't many options other than this. This does work, but, it's messy, easy to get too much lube on the case and inside the dies and you'll end up with shoulder bumps. I tried the RCBS spray case lube, but ended up with much difficulty on sizing and a stuck case. I now use the Imperial line of dry wax and neck lube combination pack. I prefer this and it's amazing how little you use, how clean it is and how easy it is to clean off.

Your combination of tools will be just fine for what you want to do. Don't sweat the die choice, until you get to the precision rifle stage, any of them will work great.

The replies have already given great advice - the specific manufacturer of components isn't critical. If you have saved any of the brass from any ammo you've already fired, use it! If you want to purchase brass (new or once fired), that works, however, I purchase factory loaded ammo, fire it, and then reload that brass. The cost is approximately a wash for that first time.

Yes i mean the case lube.

I do have 100-200 or so brass from my factory ammo but I have heard enough complaints about primer pockets in Federal brass, which mine is, that I figure it'd be painless to just start out with Starline. Maybe I can sell off my once-fired federal at some point.

 

[Doc7]

I just did the math and for Speer hotcor loads I will be in for 51 cents of components (counting each case as reloadable 5 times)....that is over 66% off factory ammo pricing for the same bullet in my most accurate storebought load I've shot! I am really excited, guys,

 

[George P]

And another crack addict joins the ranks................just watch out, this addiction can grow out of control!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I plan to use Hornady One Shot. I have used the cleaner product for many years as a gun protectant and lube, as well as on odd jobs around the house.

I plan to use Hornady One Shot. I have used the cleaner product for many years as a gun protectant and lube, as well as on odd jobs around the house.

Not a hater but I am a realist. While One Shot has its uses like with 9mm cases of small diameter rifle cases but for larger cases like the 30-06 Imperial Sizing Wax is the product to use IMO. It goes on very easily and wipes off even easier with a rag and it gives you one more chance to inspect the cases before loading. A 2oz tin seems to last forever too since you need very little on each case.

There is no compelling reason to match primer brands when loading. The powder range will compensate for and slight difference in primer brisance. (primer power or heat)

Starline brass is a very good choice. Like said already, most brands of brass are interchangeable, again small differences in case capacity are negated by starting low and working up.

Good luck and don't forget to have fun loading.

 

[Reloadron]

Yes i mean the case lube.

I do have 100-200 or so brass from my factory ammo but I have heard enough complaints about primer pockets in Federal brass, which mine is, that I figure it'd be painless to just start out with Starline. Maybe I can sell off my once-fired federal at some point.

I think you will find all brass be it Federal or another manufacturer can vary from lot to lot. Now as to primer pockets while I have used pin gauges and depth micrometers to measure them awhile back I popped the $20 and bought a set of Small and Large Primer Pocket Swage Gage ® Set made by Ballistic Tools. Each gauge (set of two) has a Go and a NoGo side. While I am not an advocate of having a dozen gauges to make good reliable basic ammunition in this case it was $20 well spent. Saves me dragging out my pin gauge set when my primer insertion simply doesn't "feel" right, as in they seem to be going in to easily.

Primers and the pockets they need to fit into have specifications and things either are or are not within those specifications.


Ron