Pre-Beginner Questions

[Cribbage]

Pre-Beginner Questions

It has been about fifteen years since I did any reloading, so I have forgotten most of what I knew. I haven’t even bought a manual yet (it will be my first item purchased), but from reading and researching I have a pretty good understanding of the process and the requirements. I will be reloading straight-wall revolver cases only (.44, .38 and .357), and will start with a single-stage press (due to cost and low volume needs).

I do have a few niggling questions, though, so please be patient (and maybe humor me a little).

What is the best way to de-cap your brass? Is this done with one of the dies in the set, or a separately purchased die?

What is the order of steps in case prep? Do you re-size, then clean/tumble, then de-cap?

Which method of priming do you all prefer? I have looked at a separate priming die, which seems like a good method, or a hand primer.

And finally, how about some opinions on brands of dies you prefer, and why you like those in particular.

Thanks in advance for the info.

 

[The Bushmaster]

And the brand wars start again.. ..As you said...get and read at least two manuals. They will be the best way to determine the best equipment and brand for you.

decapping is done with the resizing/decapping die in the set of three or four die set.

I clean, resize/decap, clean (tumble) again, trim if needed, catolog and store. Order of loading is to prime, charge case, seat bullet and crimp if required.

All my work is done on a single stage and a turret press. I use no hand
presses.


The above is a rather abreviated list of reloading. Everything changes if you are loading rifle or handgun. I HIGHLY recommend you read the manuals then ask your questions. Lyman 48th Reloading manual and maybe the ABC's of Reloading or an equivalent...

 

[WayneConrad]

I'm a beginner, so everything I think I know will change as I finally learn that the experts were right all along. That said:

Q: What is the best way to de-cap your brass? Is this done with one of the dies in the set, or a separately purchased die?

A: I like decapping separately, but that's leftover from when I thought primer pockets needed to be cleaned. I decap first, then tumble so that the tumbling cleans the primer pockets. Any media that gets caught in the primer pocket will be pushed out by the depriming pin during resizing.

I could just as well decap during sizing. Decapping separately has just become a habit.

Q: What is the order of steps in case prep? Do you re-size, then clean/tumble, then de-cap?

A: Decap, tumble, resize. I use carbide dies, so no lube needed, and no lube to be cleaned off after sizing. If I've got a kink in my arm and want resizing to be easier, I'll use a lube like Hornady One-Shot that doesn't need to cleaned off.

Q: Which method of priming do you all prefer? I have looked at a separate priming die, which seems like a good method, or a hand primer.

A: I like my RCBS ram priming die. Priming on the downstroke is nice.

I got it because I was encountering some cases that were very difficult to prime, and I got tired of lifting the bench off of the ground when priming on the upstroke. I wanted gravity working for me instead of against me. I'm pretty sure that my real problem was that I was running into crimped primer pockets that needed to be reamed. I may never know, because the ram priming unit seems to be able to... well, ram... a primer into any case I throw at it. It may be that I'm priming the occasional crimped case. I don't know.

Another advantage: You can, if you want, adjust the ram priming unit to always seat to a certain distance when you run the press to full stroke. I don't do that, because I switch calibers often and don't want to recalibrate the unit when switching. I just go by feel, which works pretty good.

I've learned that with a little slight of hand, I can pick up a case and a then a primer with my left hand and move them to the priming unit in one movement, and then return the primed case to the case block where my hand is positioned to pick up another case. Priming goes pretty quick this way.

 

[Cribbage]

Thanks for the recommendations on manuals; I was wondering which ones to start with.

Yes, it makes sense to clean first before running a case through the dies. And then to clean again once the brass has been de-capped.

Yeh, I've been reading the brand wars here; even if you take them with a pound of salt, there is some usefull info there. I've been researching on the net long enough and over enough different subjects to have a good idea on how to read a series of posts, and how to determine the bias inherent in a post.

The very basics of charging the case are logical. It was confusion on my part as to the steps involved in cleaning and prepping the case.

Reading different opinions on dies is the most confusing; with presses not for behind!

Thanks again for the info!

 

[TooTaxed]

If you decap before tumbling, watch out for media jamming the primer flash hole. I tumble, decap/resize in one operation, then inspect and condition primer pockets as necessary before priming.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Or, better yet. Use a media that is fine enough to pass through the flash hole like:
Olson's Media
5040 Cornell Road
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Ph # 818 706 1710

 

[Ol` Joe]

Here is some condensed beginners and advanced reloaders info from Alliants web site.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/beginner/beginner_reloading.htm

http://www.alliantpowder.com/advanced/advanced_reloading.htm

As for manuals I like the Lyman and Hodgdon books. They both have good "how to" sections and data is compiled with various bullets and not just limited to one brand.

 

[WayneConrad]

Does media in the flash hole matter? I'm sure I read that someone chrono'd some loads with and without stuff in the flash holes, and got no detectable differences in mean velocity and standard deviation. Or did I imagine that?

 

[P-32]

Like Bushmaster said let the brand wars start again. While the manuals already listed are good ones, I like the Speer book as the loading data is developed from the use of real firearms, not universal recievers. The Speer book also has a great "how to" section as well. IMHO, the Speer data is pretty close as well.

De-capping is done with your size die. I use RCBS carbides so no lube is required. I load some of the same cartridges you plan on reloading and it is rather straight forward. Most pistol dies come in a 3 die set. One for de-priming/sizing, one for belling and the 3rd for seating the bullet/crimp. Rifle cartridge dies come in 2 die sets for the most part as there is no need for belling the case, thats why we chamfer.

I tumble my brass first in my large Dillon tumber and then de-cap/size. sometimes the primer pockets need to be cleaned. I use a primer pocket brush for that or if my primer pocket uniformer is set up for the primer pocket, I'll use that. I shoot 308 and 223 for matches and those primer pockets are always cleaned where as the pistol for plinking might not require cleaning every time. Rifle cases will need to be lubed as carbides are not available.

I also keep my pistol brass in various stages of repair, there is de-capped and sized brass, some is already belled, some is already belled and primed.

For priming I like the Lee hand primer as I like to feel the primer seat. It's cheap and easy to use. If it breaks, oh well, its only $10 to 15.00 depending on where you get it. I have 2 one set up for small primers the other set up for large primers. They do come with both trays and rams for either, easy to change out, but if one breaks I'm still not out of business. Down side is they require their own shell holders but they are not expensive either.

It's OK to mix and match reloading equipment. I have at least something from about all the different colors, but my gear is mostly Green.

 

[nvshooter]

Tumbling media in the flashhole

I think you imagined it would cause no problems, Wayne. The flash shoots its way through the powder in, well-- a flash, to ignite it. If there is a blockage in the path, it will slow down the ignition and cause global warming to wipe out the common housefly in 10,000 years-- maybe even longer. We don't want such a tragedy, do we? So clean the flashhole and rest assured you've kept billions of flies alive and well.

 

[WayneConrad]

wipe out the common housefly

I'm ashamed that my habits are endangering these fine little critters. I will change my ways so that I won't make mother Earth cry.

Do you suppose it would suffice to switch my media from corn cob to organic corn chips?