New case prep

I recently picked up some brand new 6.5x55 brass cases (new in bag never fired), and I was wondering what preparations should I do to the cases before loading? Im know to check col and the main measurements of the case but ive never dealt with brand new casings. Should I full length size the brass or see if it fits in the chamber? What all should be done before loading?

Thanks-Thequickster

 

I full length size all new brass before loading it. The sizing die probably won't touch the shoulder but it will make all of the case necks the same and will iron out any dents. Then I trim it and do whatever I want with the primer pockets.

 

I resize all mine to. Pretty much what lightman said. ^^^.

 

I’ll third @lightman.
Especially if they came in a bag.

 

In addition to full length sizing, look through the cases against a white background. A sheet of paper on the table works for me.

I do this step as I’m hand priming. Look for brass burrs in the primer flash hole and clean out any you see. With the white background, they will make the flash hole appear non-round.

 

I resize, trim length (Lee trimmer), clean out and uniform primer pocket and flash hole. Some times I anneal necks if the equipment is handy.

 

Most new brass has a note in the bag to tell you at a minimum to run a expander through the necks to remove any dings that accorded during shipping. And to remove a preservative that's keep the brass from corroding. I also deburr the flash hole, and run a primer pocket uniformer if its for my match grade brass.

 

I treat new cases just like used ones, except I might not have to clean them first. It's not uncommon at all to have dinged up mouths etc.

 

Any time some "new to me" brass comes into the shop I give it a good inspection, and full length size. This included brand new, once fired, and range pick ups. Besides checking the general condition (even new) I am starting from a known good point...

 

Thank you all for the advice, I have only been reloading for a short time and have only had experience with once fired brass.
-thequickster

 

This question has come up on this forum about every two months for YEARS. I will also tell you I'm in the minority regarding prepping new brass. Give it some thought; do you ever buy a box of cartridges and resize them to make sure the ammo company did it right? Do you weigh the powder and the bullets of said cartridges? Do you think the ammo company makes the brass they sell you for reloading any differently than that with which they assemble loaded rounds? For the record, I have NEVER resized, trimmed or otherwise messed around with new brass with one exception. It is a myth that you, by resizing and trimming new brass, will somehow enhance its accuracy. If anything, accuracy will be affected negatively.

I do inspect all brass I load. I've found some instances of very eccentric primer pockets, very dented cases, etc., in new cases that needed attention but that is the minority of cases. I usually load boat tailed bullets and when loading them, don't even round out case mouths unless very deformed.

The one exception is loading full house 460 S&W Magnum cartridges to be shot in a revolver. If those cases aren't sized before loading and if the bullets aren't then crimped, they will move under recoil.

For all those who mess around resizing new brass, I fully endorse your privilege to do so if it makes you happy and I don't respect you any less.

 

The biggest reason that I'm in the habit of resizing my new brass is back when I was buying new rifle brass in the early 90s for 30-06 and .308, the only Winchester brass we could buy in bulk was called raw brass and it had to be resized before it could be used.

I used it because it was what our LGS carried and Winchester, back then, was some of the best brass you could buy in the common brass price range and I could make these fit my chamber before they were fired the first time.
I still have an un-opened bag of 100, 30-06 Winchester raw brass that I haven't opened yet.

Then couple that with some rifles I have that are at or under minimum chamber spec from SAAMI and a lot of factory rounds won't chamber in them.

I don't have any choice but to resize new rifle brass if I want them to fit the two rifles with tight chambers.
Those two rifles are the most accurate rifles I have also.

 

If I could be assured every new case I would buy new was perfect, without shipping damage, burrs, or plain old human mistakes, I probably wouldn't do anything but reload them. I have purchased brand new Starline 44 Magnum brass and have had dinged rims, case mouths bent and/or out of round. I bought some Hornady 30-06 cases and case lengths varied several thousandths. Most defects are minor, but like any mass produced product, thousands fly off a machine daily, a few OOPS! get buy. I don't process my new brass for precision accuracy, but I like to know exactly what I start with; good brass with no defects/deformities. I don't think my "standards" are over the top or obsessive...

 

The one time I did not bother to resize it first was on a run of 300 SAV brass, the third one in crushed the neck. After seating two more it happened again. It was with flat based 180 grain bullets. Looked at a sample of others and found 1/3 had a flat spot at the mouth. I sized the rest of the 100 and no problems.

 

Priemum brass like alpha, Peterson and lapua I mandrel the neck for tension only. Everything else gets the full monty.

 

I prime and load as is. I used to take the time to size, but I've seen enough research to come to the conclusion that at best it is a waste of time. And may in fact be a detriment to accuracy.

 

Since we’re just chatting around the campfire I’ll add a thought;
I think of a SAMMI chamber as closer to max and most off the shelves dies as min , I may be wrong on the percentage but anyway the point being that most hunting rifles wouldn’t benefit from extra brass prep whereas a person using custom chamber has incorporated the extra brass prep as something that goes with the territory so to speak.
Now that I’m down the Rabbit hole I do the same prep on all the rifles on the ranch.
One thing I start with is measuring and making notes /diagram of the new vs fire form vs resized brass.

 

I go through the whole process for all brass. That way the cases are all prepped the same. When shooting I am compareing apples to apples.
I have seen some new cases in the plastic bags out of round bought new from the gun store.

To each thier own, what ever works for you. That's all that matters.

 

I think the SAMMI specs are right for the chamber but brass mfg have now gone to min wall thickness. I have some 308W brass that is 0.015" -0.018" wall thickness. Now every things seam to run 0.013". Saves in material cost but makes all of the chambers seam over size.

 

I recently picked up some starline brass, and their instructions indicated they use a lube/grease on the necks of the brass which needs to be ran through an expander to remove and round out any bent cases. They didn't need to be resized however.

Not sure if that's specific to Starline or not, but that was my first time seeing that.

 

I load on a progressive and since the sizing die is there ..., why not. The things I do to new brass is check length, uniform the primer pockets, and deburr the flash hole.

 

I always resize my jew brass, but no other prep.

 

I purchased some new 6.5 grendel brass and found about 10% needed trimming so I suggest sizing and trimming before loading.