What if I don't chamfer and debur after trimming .223/5.56 brass???

[valleyforge.1777]

I am getting ready to load 223/5.56 ammo for the first time. Have been doing a lot of reading, watched a bunch of YouTube videos. I have the dies, the primers, the once-fired brass, the bullets, the powder. I've got the Dillon super-swager thingie to get the military crimp out of the primer pockets and I've got the Dillon press-mounted trimmer.

My question is this: If I process my brass with that trimmer, what happens if I just go from there to removing the primer crimp and then reloading the brass, in other words, if I don't chamfer and debur?

If you guys convince me that I have to chamfer and debur, I'll probably buy either the Lyman case prep center, or the new Frankford Arsenal case prep machine. But can I get away without doing those steps?

The ammo I'm going to make is for range practice, not competition, not personal defense, not fighting wars, etc. Just range target shooting (without pressure of competition).

 

[R.W.Dale]

You will end up with a lot of bullet shaving and runout (bad for accuracy)

And very inconsistent crimping possibly so much so to buckle shoulders


But with true once fired I wouldn't expect to need to trim too many cases unless you got ahold of some severely mistreated brass (saw?) in which case it's just size, load and go

 

[valleyforge.1777]

I was thinking it would be easier in the long run, and would make crimping better/easier if I take all of my range pick up brass, (much is my own truly-once-fired, but much is who-knows-how-many-times-reloaded) and run it all through the trimmer to get all of it to a specific length before I start reloading it.

But for AR-15, I don't need much crimp anyway, right? The bullets all have a cannelure and I was going to use a light taper crimp into the cannelure.

So far, it sounds like I need to chamfer and debur. I don't remember where I got the idea that I don't need to do that. I think I read somewhere that the Dillon trimmer leaves the brass pretty much good to go, but maybe I am imagining that and never really read anyone saying it.

 

[R.W.Dale]

If your particular trimmer doesn't leave a burr then your GTG

The debur and chamfer step is really only needed to correct the damage a trimmer does.

It can help some flat based billets start into the case but with boat tail bulk grade bullets and no burr it's completely unneeded.



As to slight variations in length (under max case length) and crimping the lee "factory crimp die" operates independent of case length. So no worries about shoulder buckling or inconsistent crimp from slight case to case variation. Of course this ignores that crimping is completely unneeded if proper neck tension is achieved

 

[Fredo0621]

You really don't need to if you are using boat tail bullets. With flat bases you should since it will aid in bullet seating.

 

[RainDodger]

I guess I was always taught to do the job right...

 

[rcmodel]

Do it anyway.

If you don't chamfer you will get bullet jacket shaving when seating.

If you don't de-burr you will get tiny slivers of brass coming off the edges of the case mouth during crimping.

Plus, if you don't crimp, a left-over sharp edge on the case mouth to catch on things during feeding/chambering.

My old trimmer leaves a sharp edge on the case mouth you can cut yourself on!

rc

 

[medalguy]

I use a Dillon trimmer and as long as the cutter is sharp there's virtually no burr. All I do is tumble the brass for about half an hour to remove case lube and any burr at the same time.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO chamfering and deburring are necessary steps when handloading rifle cartridges. With all the other work you put into the case it seems like a waste not to do that simple step. You don't need an expensive prep station to perform that simple task, only a $6 to $20 hand tool and a few seconds of your time.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=96&newcategorydimensionid=11891

Of course there is another option. Forster makes a cutter that trims, deburs and chamfers all in one step. They are well worth the $62 each.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/22...-22-caliber-224-diameter?cm_vc=ProductFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/14...-30-caliber-308-diameter?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[ironworkerwill]

If you use BT bullets and the mouth is sharp 90deg angle it WILL shave the bullets bearing surface inserted in the case. I know this! Every now and then I find the one I've missed while seating.

 

[GLOOB]

Standard pull-thru bottleneck expanders don't put any flare on the case mouth. You will not be able to seat flat base bullets, at all. Well, unless you like to scar the base of the bullet and collapse every other case neck.

The outside of the case mouth doesn't really matter so much. Just kiss it with a crimp and it's good to go.

 

[Potatohead]

With flat bases you should since it will aid in bullet seating.

+1.

Youll have a time seating flat base bullets, if you can actually seat them at all.

You may wanna do some crunches or abdominal exercises because you're going to be bending over picking up bullets off the floor every 5 seconds.

 

[jwrowland77]

As stated, if you don't chamfer, you shave part of the bullet off while seating it.

If you don't deburr, well, there's nothing like getting a piece of a shaving of brass getting stick in your finger to send chills up your spine.

I was taught by my mentor to do all three, trim, chamfer and deburr every time. It doesn't take but maybe 2-3 seconds to do it with a hand tool.

 

[jmorris]

I use the Dillon trimmer for .223 and .308, I don't chamfer or debur inside or out, no problems with jacketed bullets.

If I am shooting my cast and coated bullets I run a cutter on the ID of the mouth.

This is what they look like after trimming with the Dillon trimmer, if any bur is present it is time to index the carbide cutter.

 

[shooter1]

I would guess the Dillon press mounted trimmer is designed to trim integral to the loading cycle. Otherwise it's just an overpriced, press mounted case trimmer. Hopefully the cutter is designed to leave a slight chamfer on the case mouth. A call to Dillon would answer that question. Now that I think about it, I think some have their Dillon trimmers mounted on a separate tool head-----. Yeah, call Dillon.
str1

 

[MtnCreek]

IMHO, it's not needed for blasting ammo (I use Hornady 55gr FMJ). I do chamfer / deburr for target ammo.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I chamfer and debur everything I trim. It takes 5 seconds, good grief. If I were that concerned about time savings, I'd just buy ammo.

That's my take on it anyway.

 

[Coldfinger]

So why spend all that money on a "station"? Lee makes an effective little tool for chamfer/debur mine coste 1.29 at cabellas. Not uniform case to case but for makin' holes in paper......

 

[ironworkerwill]

That's my take on it anyway.

Nicely stated Sir.

 

[rbernie]

One of the joys of neglecting to chamfer the inside of the case mouth and trying to load it with a flat-based bullet is that you'll occasionally buckle the shoulder and ruin the case instead of shaving the bullet down.

Yay.

 

[brody]

I deprime, size, trim and wet ss tumble. Pretty much removes anything there. Have had no problems loading my boattail .224 bullets.

 

[Comrade Mike]

You're a new reloader, the last thing you should be doing is trying to take short cuts.

I don't understand why "it's not for completion, war fighting, self defense, ect." Is always an excuse people give to try and cut corners. Reloading is a time and a monetary investment and it's not getting any cheaper. Might as well get a high quality product for your time/ money. If you really don't care that much and just want to make noise and put holes somewhere in paper you can buy wolf cheaper than you can reload .223

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I deprime, size, trim and wet ss tumble. Pretty much removes anything there. Have had no problems loading my boattail .224 bullets.

In that case it is chamfering and deburring I guess, just not in a dedicated step.

You're a new reloader, the last thing you should be doing is trying to take short cuts.

If I were a praying man, I'd say amen to that.

 

[joustin]

I like the RCBS 3 way case trimmer, does all at once

 

[FastCut]

I do exactly what you propose for my plinking ammo for all my AR's. I cut everything to length on my Dillion 1200. Starting with cleaned brass I cut the primer pocket with a countersink (just a 1-2 second kiss) and load them up on my Dillon 550. The one and only issue I have is if you try to use flat base bullets and not boat tails you will have to guide bullet all the way up to the seater die but boat-tails just sit nice and pretty and you can fly on your press. As far as shaving, I agree with most normal cutter but the Dillon 1200 cuts nearly burr free and the way I use it is I make a first roughing cut and rotate brass about 90 degrees and recut which gives a burr free (at 10x) cut. I have pulled a 10 or so bullets over time for various reasons and not seen anything more than light marks on edge of bullet similar to fully processed brass. Everyone's experience is different so I am just relaying what my personal experience is....with the right trimmer and a sharp cutter you can load without inside and outside deburring. YMMV