Sizing pistol brass

[callgood]

In reloading for 9mm, 10mm, .45ACP I have been:

Depriming with a Lee univeral de capping die

Sizing with a Redding carbide sizing die

Expanding the mouth with a Lyman "M" die

Seating the bullet with a Redding Competition seater

Crimping with a Lee FCD

This is the way I started with 10mm thanks to my bro who gave me this United Nations of dies for that caliber. Since it worked and in order to standardize/simplify my reloading experience I kept this setup as I took up reloading for other calibers.

Recently, this question popped into my mind-

If the Lee FCD resizes after crimping, can I skip the resizing with the Redding prior to expanding the mouth? If anyone has tried this I would welcome your input, pro-con.

 

[GunAdmirer]

No, you can't. The Lee FCD only resizes the case if there is a slight bulge in the case from bullet seating or crimping. You must resize before seating and crimping to get the proper neck tension on the bullet.

 

[bakert]

GunAdmirer has it rght.

 

[dodgestdshift]

Many times after firing the case has expanded too far to hold the bullet properly. It must be sized before seating the bullet or the bullet could slip and change the length overall before you crimp/size with the Lee die.

 

[callgood]

The "Nays" have it.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Why do you deprime with a separate die, rather than use the decapping pin in the sizing die? If you want to add a separate step, make it cleaning primer pockets before repriming.

Just a thought.

Fred

 

[The Bushmaster]

I believe this has been answered...No. You must resize/decap first...

 

[GunAdmirer]

I didn't start the thread but I also use a separate depriming die (Lee) and clean the primer pockets before tumbling. I know it isn't necessary but it gives me something mindless to do after a long hard day. I actually like the case preparation work and take pride in my clean shiney cases.

 

[The Bushmaster]

GunAdmirer...I bet you and I could sit on the varanda, sip whiskey and clean cases together in peace and harmony all day...I take special pleasure and pride in case preperation and appearence. I just beam when someone at the range notices my shinny rounds laying out on the bench glinting in the sun...

 

[donkee]

I deprime mine first too. I like to have completely clean brass before I run it through the sizer....

 

[GunAdmirer]

Bushmaster, I would enjoy sipping sweet tea on the veranda and cleaning cases with you. You can drink what you want. I find the process relaxing and take pride in my reloads.

I love it when someone comments, "Those are your reloads?...they look better than the factory stuff I buy." A friend told me that once and it made my year. I've had others at our gun club make similar comments.

Because of the cheap smokey lead reloads I had ocassionally purchased before I started reloading, I thought most or all reloads were of inferior quality and performance. I didn't know you could clean the cases and use high quality powders and bullets. I am confident that my reloads look and perform better than most factory stuff.

I only reload about 300 rounds a month. If I reloaded more I would have to lower my standards a little (maybe). Reloading is part of my shooting hobby. I don't just reload to shoot, I shoot to reload!

Need a refill?

 

[caz223]

I was warned about 'those people'.
People who reload in order to shoot.
Joking aside, there's no way I'm aware of to post-size and get the appropriate neck tension.
I've been known to spend as long on case prep as the rest of the loading process (or longer.).
I got a dillon 550 in the hopes they'll come out with the case feeder for it, so I can manually do case prep at a higher rate of speed.
You know, so I can have more shiny rounds in stock.

 

[Powderman]

I also make sure that my brass is well prepped, clean and gleaming before they get reloaded.

Here is a recipe for cleaning media that I have been using; works wonders, and the gleam it puts on cartridge brass is unbelieveable!

1. Corn cob media--untreated. You can save money by buying it from a feed store. Run it through a coarse strainer to get the huge lumps out.

2. One-half of a tube of Simichrome polish. Put the media in the tumbler, start it up, and squeeze the half-tube in all around the media. Let the tumbler run for a half hour, or longer if necessary to eliminate the clumping.

Works great! It also does a good job of cleaning the inside of the cases, too.