When Do You Inspect Cases?

[berettaprofessor]

How many of y’all inspect bottleneck cases as a separate step versus just watching for bad cases while you’re decapping, sizing, trimming, etc? And if you do it as a separate step, please add a comment to say when and why, such as “I do it before anything else so I don’t waste effort on a bad cartridge” or “I do it after tumbling so defects are easier to see.”

it occurred to me tonight that I haven’t seen this discussed in this forum and I’m always looking to better my reloading processes.

 

[Pivot Dr]

I rarely inspect as a separate operation. I’m a pretty observant guy, I get the opportunity to handle and look at my cases several times before seating a bullet. It’s rare that I have a bad case make it into a loaded round and dropped into a box! I load on single stage presses, if I was loading bu coup on a progressive I most likely would inspect as a separate operation and probably before they make it into my tumbler.

 

[peels]

I use wet stainless media tumble, and I decap before tumbling. The most opportune time to spot case head separation is to keep an eye out for light color ring around the brass (before tumbling). It is important to look for the ring before tumbling because after wet media tumbling, the ring is very hard to spot due to the shinny brass. It's another benefit to decap before tumbling.

Post tumbling, it is best to feel for it using a dental pick or a sharpened bent paper clip.

 

[AJC1]

I inspect multiple times. I do my first check as I decap. If I have to handle each piece why not check them over. Then I wet tumble. As anyone who tumbles knows those pins are sneaky. I inspect them out of the tumbler for problems or pins.Then go through a standard loading process, carefully checking at each step. I find cracked rims when sizing a lot. Expanding is usually pretty uneventful but I have found a few to reject. The final step is a case guage and visual inspection as I bag/box them up. I have very few issues.

 

[PWC]

I use single stage press; they get inspected after cleaning, before / after deprime, anneal, dimensions after sizing. Once the powder goes in, the case doesn't leave my hand until the bullet is seated.

 

[entropy]

I voted 'as a separate step' because I do that, but I also am constantly inspecting throughout the case prep/loading process.

I use single stage press; they get inspected after cleaning, before / after deprime, anneal, dimensions after sizing. Once the powder goes in, the case doesn't leave my hand until the bullet is seated.

That's how I do it too.

 

[ballman6711]

I only load straight walled pistol cases using a single stage press, so my process may not be relevant.

Quick glance at dirty brass before tumbling. Anything that catches my eye gets a close look at the entire case.

Another quick glance after dry tumbling.

Thorough inspection after size/deprime. I have found media stuck inside cases.

Thorough inspection of primer after flare/prime, quick look at case.

Drop powder and seat bullet. (I also don't let go of a charged case until the bullet is seated.)

Thorough inspection after seating bullet.

Thorough inspection after crimp.

Final quick look before boxing and labeling.

This series of inspections at each stage allows me to find and fix any potential problems with my die setup or some operator induced error.

chris

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I inspect all my rifle brass as a single step, I always have. I check for split cases, check the case heads for seperation, and look for any funny marks that don't belong on there.
I'm always looking even after the initial inspection.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

Generally I inspect things either at the bench, or on the line, after something goes wrong. And I still have 9.5 fingers. That's why I often introduce myself as an internet expert.

 

[Metal God]

When I first started I inspected in a separate step and even pulled out the magnifying glass to inspect.

I handle the cases so much during case prep I’ve found there is no need to check before hand . In actuality the inspection process starts right after firing . If I see or feel something no matter how small the case gets put back in the box upside down to remind me later to take a closer look . And the inspection process continues through seating the bullet . Although I can’t think of any time I’ve seen anything when seating a bullet but have when priming a case .

 

[Archie]

Like others, just about every time I handle them. I have noted clean cases are easier to inspect for cracks or splits.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Quite helpful, thank you all. From the responses, I guess I’m doing okay observing as processing on a single stage, but may want to change to an “inspection phase” if I go more progressive or turn to wet tumbling.

 

[mdi]

Maybe I'm anal, but I inspect every case I reload, closely twice and a quick glance after every step. I check my range pickups at the range (mine and any others I pick up), mostly looking at the head/primer. If I find any undesirable headstamps, flattened primers or bulged cases, I'll toss it tn the trash. First step is case cleaning, whichever method I choose; wobbler, rotary or liquid (very rarely shine/polish). Then I closely inspect the case looking for anything out of the norm. After each step I check the case (after sizing a quick glance to make sure the case isn't bulged or crumpled, if I'm priming, I'll glance at the primer to make sure I had no faux pas, etc.). Sounds like a lot of time just looking, but it really isn't and just my method, and I can't remember a screw up getting into the box when I was done...

 

[Bandit67]

I decap before wet tumbling so everything gets an initial inspection then.
Rifle brass gets a thorough inspection with paper clip or dental pic before sizing so I don't waste my time sizing and trimming a bad case. After that I pay attention during normal handling with each process.
Since I prime off the press, pistol brass gets a good look before priming and then during normal handling.
Then every loaded round gets a once over before boxing up.

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I just separated a bunch of brass this morning so I finger printed and gave a cursory examination of quite a few hundred cases.
Next examination will be when I pull them out if the tumblers.

Then they will be inspected more carefully when I resize and deprime them.

Then another inspection when I flare them.

Then again when I prime them.

And once more when I charge the cases and seat the bullets.

That is my procedure for any cartridge I load on a single stage press.

For the rounds loaded on the progressive presses, they are given a cursory exam when separated and again after tumbling.

Then they are examined again when they get to the bench to be reloaded.
After running through the progressive press, they get checked once more before being dumped in an ammo can.

 

[kmw1954]

I only shoot pistol and every time I go I shoot multiple calibers and all spent cases get dumped into a common container. First inspection comes as soon as I get home and caliber sort the brass, damaged or the stuff with the step gets tossed. Next inspection comes after I get a large container of one caliber and I go to sort by headstamp. I inspect again as I wash or tumble. Finally as I normally load on a Lee progressive I do so in no hurry and inspect each round as it comes off the press and then put into a storage box. I don't let a bunch of rounds to stack up in a bin as I am reloading.

 

[Middletown]

I only load on a single stage press, Rock Chucker. I deal with most in bulk until I resize and decap where I visually inspect but get good info with the feel of the press during resizing and decapping. How the press feels during bullet seating is I think is even more important for neck tension and possible split necks. Especially for semi auto ammo.but also important for all ammo.

 

[mokin]

I look at handgun ammunition as I put it in the machine. Rifle ammunition, especially .303 British, get a separate step with a paperclip.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I don't inspect in a specific step of the process.
I tumble brass and store it in zip baggies in certain quantities (20 for rifle cases and 50 for handgun cases).
When I want to reload a box, I grab a bag of tumbled cases and if it's rifle cases, when I measure them to see if they require trimming, I give them a once over to make sure they're in good reloadable condition.
With handgun cases that don't get trimmed, I give them a visual inspection prior to sizing.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Before ,during and after loading.

 

[Ironicaintit]

After tumbling, I size. At that point, I give each a good once over and do the interior scratch test. I still may shine a light up through the flash hole, if any scratch test results come back inconclusive. my peace of mind is settled by making it a step in itself.
And then through the process of building the thing, it doesn’t pass through my hands without getting an “at a glance” assessment

 

[giggitygiggity]

My cases get inspected multiple times, albeit not formally or in great detail. The first is when I pick them off the ground at the range where I can detect most of the deformed cases, aluminum/steel cases, and other issues. The second is when I sort them; I usually find a few that aren’t suitable. The third is after I clean them and am getting the media separated; at this point, most of the garbage cases are gone and I might detect a few of the wrong caliber intermixed. The fourth is as I am loading; any remaining bad cases are certainly detected here and the vast majority of wrong calibers are detected. The fifth, and most detailed, is as I’m loading them into magazines/the gun itself; I check the headstamps and noses to ensure that I don’t have something like a 9x18 case that I mistook for a 9x19 and reloaded it. I also look for any splitting of the necks or bullet setback.

 

[whm1974]

I thought that your are supposed to check for damage to cases before you even start the process of reloading?

 

[splattergun]

Before ,during and after loading.

This.
Each case gets a looking at every time I handle it. Bottleneck cases get the paperclip test right before I trim them.

 

[AJC1]

I thought that your are supposed to check for damage to cases before you even start the process of reloading?

Some of us consider cleaning part of the process so if you inspect multiple times then your in the process and still inspecting.