Two questions for you Progressive press users

[RealGun]

If you tumble to remove the lube, after sizing and before loading, with corncob or walnut, you will more than likely have to run them through a decap die again or pick individual pockets clean with something. Little bits like getting stuck in the flash hole.

Any problem in running the case through the neck sizer again with its decapping pin on the way to the priming station? My die set includes both neck sizer and full length sizer. I have tried several cases and don't see any requirement for lube to just do necks on 223. A case will already be properly sized by the full length sizing done earlier.

 

[jmorris]

Any problem in running the case through the neck sizer again with its decapping pin on the way to the priming station?

Not that I have seen or measured. Only way to know for sure is to try though.

 

[RealGun]

Not that I have seen or measured.

I guess there could then actually be some trace media mixed with the powder, but I don't know if that is a real problem.

 

[Walkalong]

And even if a piece of corncob in a flash hole gets missed, it doesn't stand a snowballs chance in summer of stopping the primer form setting off the powder. If you leave any real amount of media in the case the powder level will show it.

 

[RPegram]

This is my way, your mileage may vary. I decap on a single stage. Wet tumble, with detergent, Lemishine and SS pins. Dry. Full length size on a single stage. Trim to length. Tumble in dry media to remove lube (ballistol for resizing). I then drop powder, seat bullet, crimp (yes, I crimp), on my Dillon RL550B. I do inspect flash holes to make sure no media gets stuck when dry tumbling, but it makes me sleep better at night.

 

[Dudedog]

I didn't at first but I like to flair in the deprimeing/resizing pass.
That way station
1 Powder
2 Powder check die
3 bullet feeder
4 Seat and Crimp
5 FCD (if I am using it, which I do for 9mm)

As a side note I made a stupid mistake in setup at first and had
1 powder
2 flair
3 powder check
....
The issue with that if you think about is if you had a double charge the flair die compresses it before it gets to the powder check die.--Bad die sequence, Powder then powder check then flair (before I was flairing in the deprime/resize pass)
(probably everybody in the world knew this but me)

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

.223 is the only rifle round I load on my 550. I resize them on a single stage, then tumble off the lube and do any necessary case prep. The prepped brass waits in big containers until I'm ready to load. Then I prime, charge, seat a bullet, and crimp (if I take a notion) on the 550. 2 pulls of the press handle for each round. Maybe a third pull it it requires crimp swaging.

Handgun brass comes home from the range and waits in big containers until I'm ready to load, then I tumble however much I want to load and run it through the 550 from start to finish. 1 handle pull per round.

 

[shooter1]

I clean my brass in tumbler, then dump them in the case feeder and run them thru the 650 with a small base sizing die only in the tool head. I trim and swage primer pockets off the press. When I'm ready to load, I dump the brass back in the case feeder and complete all the loading operations. Works great for me.
str1

 

[RealGun]

Several mentions of tumbling in corn cob to remove sizing lube. That sounds like it would foul up (lube) the media in short order. How much use would I get from one tumbler full of media?

I have most of my first rifle (223) reloading equipped and figured out, now that I know my case feeder won't usually come into play until lube is removed (cases are decapped and resized). I will decide on the priming question after I try it on the case fed LnL.

I broke both of my Redding decapping pins using a neck sizing die to decap a mixed batch of fired brass that I bought. I switched back to the Lee universal decapping die, feeling for the crimped primers causing the problem, stopping to pull those out and set them aside. Am now going through the 1000 cases culling the crimps, most LC head stamps, which I gather is Lake City. In terms of using bought fired brass to get my reloading established, I believe I will start by just decapping everything as a separate operation, culling any difficult cases. That is were the case feeder comes in handy, prior to actually charging and seating finished rounds on the case-fed LnL. As I mentioned, I hope to include priming in that loading of prepped cases on the progressive with case feeder.

I have 300 new Remington cases and could have simplified my first outing by using those, but dealing with someone else's fired brass of mixed head stamps seems like valuable, real world experience.

 

[RealGun]

I clean my brass in tumbler, then dump them in the case feeder and run them thru the 650 with a small base sizing die only in the tool head. I trim and swage primer pockets off the press. When I'm ready to load, I dump the brass back in the case feeder and complete all the loading operations. Works great for me.
str1

How do you lube when sizing with a case feeder?

 

[Blue68f100]

How do you lube when sizing with a case feeder?

I make sure my hopper is clean to start with, free of tumbler media. I use OneShot as the lube, applied in a bag then dumped into the hopper. I wait 10 min after the last lubed brass is dumped before starting the sizing. I tried using the Lanolin spay lube but it way messier than the OS. With OS you do not have to clean off after sizing like other spray lubes.

 

[RealGun]

I make sure my hopper is clean to start with, free of tumbler media. I use OneShot as the lube, applied in a bag then dumped into the hopper. I wait 10 min after the last lubed brass is dumped before starting the sizing. I tried using the Lanolin spay lube but it way messier than the OS. With OS you do not have to clean off after sizing like other spray lubes.

I was cautioned about sticking cases with One Shot. Perhaps that was an issue of exactly how the OS was applied. Your bag method sounds best. My context is sizing cases that are not from my rifle. I am FL sizing.

 

[jmorris]

Several mentions of tumbling in corn cob to remove sizing lube. That sounds like it would foul up (lube) the media in short order. How much use would I get from one tumbler full of media?

I use a lanolin/alcohol spray lube and I might change my media every leap year.

How do you lube when sizing with a case feeder?

When loaded with a progressive, I have a bankers box lid that I dump a few hundred in at a time, then give a few squirts of a lanolin/alcohol based lube like the one Dillon sells and give it a shake, like a primer flip tray, so they all roll around and get some on. Dump them into the case feeder, they will be dry before they get the the shell plate.

 

[RealGun]

I use a lanolin/alcohol spray lube and I might change my media every leap year.



When loaded with a progressive, I have a bankers box lid that I dump a few hundred in at a time, then give a few squirts of a lanolin/alcohol based lube like the one Dillon sells and give it a shake, like a primer flip tray, so they all roll around and get some on. Dump them into the case feeder, they will be dry before they get the the shell plate.

Chuckle, I learned right away to vacuum my case feeder hopper before dumping in lubed cases.

I have sized my first batch of 50 of the 223. Learned a couple things. Sizing on the LnL can work the sizing die or even the LNL insert loose, affecting precision of the sizing with variable results evidenced by the cartridge gauge, while checking the case head level.

One Shot instructions are correct that the die should be cleaned of any other type of lube and should be prepped with a coat of OS. Runs much smoother.

To get the gauging right I have to completely withdraw the decapping pin in the Redding FL sizing die when using the LNL shell plate. The sizing station is preceded by a Lee universal decapping die, so no matter. These first 50 had actually been decapped earlier.

I am now running the cases in corn cob media, but One Shot is not messy. Next time I won't put on such a heavy coating.

 

[Laphroaig]

Next time I won't put on such a heavy coating.

Sounds like a stuck case is in your future. I spray my one-shot in a shoe box lid with vigorous shaking. What I have "learned" is, when I think I've sprayed enough, I give it another squirt. Then another one just to be safe. When it dries it just leaves a thin film that isn't very objectionable. I'd rather be safe than deal with a stuck case. That's the secrete to one-shot.

 

[RealGun]

Sounds like a stuck case is in your future. I spray my one-shot in a shoe box lid with vigorous shaking. What I have "learned" is, when I think I've sprayed enough, I give it another squirt. Then another one just to be safe. When it dries it just leaves a thin film that isn't very objectionable. I'd rather be safe than deal with a stuck case. That's the secrete to one-shot.

Thanks. I used a loading block that holds 50 and sprayed using a turntable in the spray room of my shop. I sprayed from all angles but might have been too close.

 

[cfullgraf]

Several mentions of tumbling in corn cob to remove sizing lube. That sounds like it would foul up (lube) the media in short order. How much use would I get from one tumbler full of media?

I generally use walnut hulls for my dry tumblers. I run the media until it stops cleaning. Most frequently, tumbling leaves some black like goo on the cases, probably dust mixed with lubricant.

Life is somewhat dependent on how much I shoot and have cases to clean. I probably change media about once a year but if I shoot alot, changes will be more frequent. I average about 5000 rounds per year most of the time.

 

[GaryL]

Looks like lots of different methods. For pistol, using a 550b, depriming and priming are simply part of the routine for me. For long cases, like 38spl, I lube each with a very small amount of Imperial Wax. I also use a bit on every 5th to 10th case for everything else.

Rifle is a bit different. Have a Lee SS for depriming cases, before processing. For something that is occasional, it also gets loaded on the SS. Higher run rifle gets loaded on the 550b. Always use Imperial Wax for rifle brass sizing.

 

[jmorris]

To get the gauging right I have to completely withdraw the decapping pin in the Redding FL sizing die

The sizing station is preceded by a Lee universal decapping die, so no matter.

No expander, ever?

 

[RealGun]

No expander, ever?

No, I messed up and had the FL expander in a station that did not have the spent primer catcher and cavity to accept the decapping pin. I did not remove the pin but just withdrew it, so the expander is farther up inside. I now understand that the decapping pin cannot be lowered unless in the decapping station. I also know the pin can be removed so that the expander can be lowered to better guide the case on center during sizing. All 1000 cases are now decapped so that I could settle which head stamps were going to give me trouble without dealing with sizing at the same time in another station. It's all case feeder, so there wasn't a lot of handling. It took hours though to run through them all.

I don't find any cases where the neck extends beyond the MAX point on the cartridge gauge, so I don't recognize any need for trimming. Good chance these are once-fired.

 

[RealGun]

My holiday project was loading my first rifle rounds. I have 30-30 and 223 in necked cartridges and decided 223 was the place I wanted to start. My New Year's resolutions include getting better acquainted with my AR, an S&W M&P Sport. I had 1000 fired cases, so getting those prepped was part of the project. This evening I completed my first 66 rounds without any real drama. I have only a few hundred cases ready.

I primed, charged, and seated on an LnL AP utilizing the case feeder. Worked fine, but I finally came to appreciate the investment in a Hornady Powder Cop Die, which I had set aside in my handgun reloading. I don't currently have any other way to check powder charge in a case opening as small as 22.

One problem I continue to have is cases pulling out my Redding die's decapping pin. I surmise the flash holes are tight. I haven't found any way to more securely capture the pin in the expander ball. Any insights? I settled for decapping as a separate operation using a Lee universal.