Chamfering with Boatails

[PocketRocket]

Is there any advantage or necessity to chamfer cases when loading boatail bullets?

 

[Jim Watson]

I think so. The case is still harder than the jacket and expecting the boattail to wedge its way in without damage is asking a lot.
You can get a VLD reamer that puts a very gentle chamfer on the case mouth.

 

[kingmt]

Yes. It will cut the jacket if you don't.

 

[BADUNAME37]

How much longer does it take to take several quick turns with the reamer?
Perhaps it might take five minutes to run through a batch of 50 or 100 cases that were just trimmed (at 10 to 20 cases per minute).

I think, if five minutes worth of my time is too long, perhaps I would be better buying commercial ammo and forget the reloading altogether.

But then, there are those who say they have never trimmed a case in their life. I am not sure if they are telling me that they are doing shoddy work or they are proud that they could figure out shortcuts to reloading.

 

[Walkalong]

I agree, de-burr and chamfer the brass. I even tumble again afterwards to get rid of/smooth tiny little pieces clinging on the rough edge.

 

[T Bran]

I like and use a Lee case trimmer chucked in a cordless drill. To simplify things I have an inside and an outside champher tool mounted beside the trimming pilot. Before unchucking the case I just give it a zip on each champher tool. Only takes a couple seconds and it is done in one quick operation.

I champher for everything I trim after learning the hard way.

 

[beatledog7]

If one decides that chamfering shouldn't be necessary when he's going to load boattails, then he decides to use a flat-based bullet, he's now looking at brass that wasn't chamfered because he thought it was going to be loaded with boattails. And he has to chamfer it anyway.

Chamfer it all, inside and out for all but semiauto handgun brass, and for that just inside.

Would anyone trim a piece of brass, not chamfer and deburr, then chamber that ragged brass in his firearm?

 

[Walkalong]

People do it.

 

[beatledog7]

I guess they do.

 

[MtnCreek]

Would anyone trim a piece of brass, not chamfer and deburr, then chamber that ragged brass in his firearm?

Yes, but I would not describe it as ragged; more like clean cut. That said, there is a fine dust of jacket shavings on my shell plate right now. This is for 55gr FMJ's; I would take more steps for better ammo.

 

[beatledog7]

When I trim a neck more than a few 1/1000s, it sometimes leaves a ring of brass that when chamfered away resembles coiled wire. That is the raggedness to which I referred.

 

[MtnCreek]

I've seen the same w/ either a dull cutter or trying to cut too fast. A good cutter will give a clean cut, but it will have sharp edges.

 

[beatledog7]

Sounds like I need to go cutter shopping.

 

[winterhorse290]

you can try it without doing it( i did) and watch the little copper shaving make a mess on you press base. i know it,s a pain, but it,s just something it,s best to do

 

[MtnCreek]

Depends on the goal. If looking for volume, trimming w/o chamfer / debur can make since. A 55gr fmj from a short barrel is not what I would call accurate, no matter what additional steps I make in brass prep. I tumble after trimming and tumble after loading, so there shouldn't be any (or many) loose pieces of jacket or brass it the finished product. I've never had any feeding issues associated w/ not deburring and if there is reduced accuracy, I wouldn't see it in this cartridge.

 

[Walkalong]

I trim, de-burr, chamfer, and tumble my cases even for cheap 55 Gr FMJ-BT blasting ammo.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

i do my trimming/chamfering/deburring on a precision lathe and then i wet tumble in titanium pins, holy water, and handmade French soap.

 

[moxie]

How many ways are there to skin a cat?

I clean/tumble, then size/deprime. Then I measure. If over 1.760" I trim back to 1.750" or so. Those I trim I also chamfer and deburr with a thumb and finger operated tool. Easy to do.

Cleaning usually consists of a water bath in a colander and bowl. Ranges I use I bring back a lot of sand and other crud. If .223 cases are left overnight spiders like to make homes in them.

 

[Sniper66]

Chamfering cases is a vital part of bullet seating. Even though there are some steps you can probably skip from time to time and not have any problems, I never do it. I have power tools including an RCSB case prep center that makes chamferring easy.

 

[dragon813gt]

Forster makes a three in one head that does all the steps at once. It's not cheap but if you hate doing all the steps then it might be for you. I have not used it so I can't tell you how well it works.


Brought to you by TapaTalk.

 

[rodregier]

Giraud does it all in one pass (trim, inside and outside chamfer). Operation is just like using an electric pencil sharpener.

I *really* like mine.

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

 

[Jaxondog]

You only have to do it once and it's over with till you get new brass. Does'nt really take that long.

 

[edfardos]

I chamfer after a trim only. One in 50 might shave a bullet a bit, but I don't sweat it.

 

[GLOOB]

How much longer does it take to take several quick turns with the reamer?

Wow, if you need several turns you're doing it wrong. I do a single, light 1/4-1/3 turn with my inside chamfer tool (which has 6 cutters on it).

 

[Naterater]

ugh... My LEE chamfer tool has only 2 cutting edges. Quite a workout of the wrists.

Time for me to upgrade. What brand has 6 cutters on it rc?