About to Start - Will be asking for advice

"Another question, should I deprime before cleaning brass?"

Sorry, I'm just catching up from yesterday. I clean the brass before depriming just to make sure I don't accidentally scratch the die or let carbon deposits potentially block the air relief hole you'll see in the die between the threads. I have 2 small plastic buckets, one with treated media used to clean before depriming, and the second with plain cob media to tumble the deprimed cases to get the lube off. Both buckets hold the desired volume of respective media. I routinely look at all the primer pockets as noted above for cob media that is stuck in the primer pocket hole. I knock any out with a small jewelry screwdriver or a piece of appropriate gauge wire. It gives me an opportunity to examine the pocket and clean it out of it looks too crummy.
 
One more thought. 44 AMP mentioned a colander and a bucket to separate the brass and media. Many moons ago I bought a very useful tub and case separator from Dillon. You dump the tumbler contents into the case holder which fits into the tub, roll it around a few times until all media drops into the tub, then dump the cases on the towel that I previously mentioned. Empty the tub into the small storage bucket or back into the tumbler.
 
One more thought. 44 AMP mentioned a colander and a bucket to separate the brass and media.
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Plastic, colander and 2.5gal pail, bought at local grocery store decades ago, cost <$5 then, works as well as and was way cheaper than any "media separator" sold by anyone selling reloading stuff. The Dillon is a nice unit, but simply not needed.

Also, at need the bucket (and even the colander) can, at need, do other jobs as well, something the dedicated media separators usually can't do.
 
ammo.crafter said:
You are entering the intricate yet satisfying world of reloading. This should be a hobby that is enjoyable and satisfying to you as well as relaxing.
After 60+years of same I still enjoy the process of constructing the most accurate loads for specific firearms I can.
A few suggestions:
Hornady and/or Redding dies
Walnut media and a vibrating cleaner
Lee powder measuring dippers
Powder scale
Powder trickler
Resize one shell and see if it will drop effortlessly into your rifle chamber. If not adjust your does accordingly until a round will simply drop into the chamber and the bolt closes without effort. This shell can be used as your sample going forward.

Good luck!
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Thank you! Just ordered a vibratory tumbler and walnut media. I have everything else. Looking forward to it.
 
DMY said:
No one mentioned a 1/2 cap of NuFinish car polish (Walmart or Harbor Freight) and a cut-up, used dryer sheet. Run the NuFinish and dryer sheet for 30 minutes before adding brass. Comes out sparkling, at least on the outside.

Also, you should will need a case gauge (or digital calipers), trimmer, and deburring/chamfer tool as necked rifle cases stretch after firing. I like the Lyman EZ Trim chucked in an electric screwdriver.

Be careful with corn cob because it tends to stick in primer flash holes. I've been using reptile bedding from PetSmart which is very inexpensive. I tumble for 2 - 4 hours depending on the number of cases. My suggestion is about an equal weight of cases and tumbling media, which is probably about 1/3 cases and 2/3 media.

There are several videos on reloading rifle and pistol calibers. Watch several. It sounds like you already have at least one reloading manual, but multiple manuals doesn't hurt because the maximum amount of powder varies between manuals.

Welcome to the rabbit hole.
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Thank you. I got an RCBS case trimmer, calipers and I have the case gauges on the way. The rest of the stuff came with the RCBS Master kit.
 
cdoc42 said:
One more thought. 44 AMP mentioned a colander and a bucket to separate the brass and media. Many moons ago I bought a very useful tub and case separator from Dillon. You dump the tumbler contents into the case holder which fits into the tub, roll it around a few times until all media drops into the tub, then dump the cases on the towel that I previously mentioned. Empty the tub into the small storage bucket or back into the tumbler.
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The vibratory tumbler I bought comes with the media separator. It is a small Franklin Arsenal, but it will get me started. I also have the wet tumbler. May play with some suggestions folks put on here and see what works best.

I have some Lowe's 5 gallon buckets in the garage.

Thanks.
 
I just read all the answers to all your questions and then some, all excellent information. Have a great time reloading and shooting your own reloads, there are a few other things you will hear about but I think that will come later ie: bullet jump to the lands to name 1, something I find important in my reloads..
 
USAF there are a few universal deprimers, and actually a few hand held primer systems, I have both the LEE, and the Lyman. About the only difference in the two, is the Lyman uses standard shell holders that fit most standard presses, and the Lee has their own shell holders for the primer tool. They both work fine.
I started loading when I was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, was hard to find ammo, and the stores in town only carried the most common ammo.
I stopped loading until covid hit, and then ammo prices went thru the roof. When you could find it that is. So I started loading again.
I retired from the US COAST GUARD after 20. Am disabled and on a fixed budget, so it pays to reload. I also have a very understandable wife. That makes it a lot easier.
 
Another question, should I deprime before cleaning brass?
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I tumble first, then deprime.

I use a vibratory tumbler with dry corncob media. I found that if I deprime first, there's a tendency for bits of media to get caught in the flash hole, necessitating a careful inspection of each case to be sure that hasn't happened -- or a nuisancy probe to clear it when it did happen. Cleaning first removes that issue entirely.
 
oldbear1950 said:
USAF there are a few universal deprimers, and actually a few hand held primer systems, I have both the LEE, and the Lyman. About the only difference in the two, is the Lyman uses standard shell holders that fit most standard presses, and the Lee has their own shell holders for the primer tool. They both work fine.
I started loading when I was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, was hard to find ammo, and the stores in town only carried the most common ammo.
I stopped loading until covid hit, and then ammo prices went thru the roof. When you could find it that is. So I started loading again.
I retired from the US COAST GUARD after 20. Am disabled and on a fixed budget, so it pays to reload. I also have a very understandable wife. That makes it a lot easier.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input and thank you for your service. I ordered the Lee universal deprimer. Should be here in the next few days.

Kodiak must have been a great tour. I was stationed at Elmendorf AFB in the late 90s. Now JBRE. That was an amazing assignment. I got to serve as a Military Conservation Officer on base. We were all volunteer. Basically a military game warden. Back in my early 30s. I would do a shift, find out where the fish were biting and then take my son and go fishing after my shift. That and being stationed in CO at Cheyenne Mountain were the best assignments in my career. All downhill after that.

I am also a disabled vet. Retired after 20 in 08. I can say, this has not been a saving money experience for me so far, as I am pretty much getting everything up front and all at once. I am blessed that I am still able to work because I have a job that allows me to work from home and sit in front of a screen.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
I tumble first, then deprime.

I use a vibratory tumbler with dry corncob media. I found that if I deprime first, there's a tendency for bits of media to get caught in the flash hole, necessitating a careful inspection of each case to be sure that hasn't happened -- or a nuisancy probe to clear it when it did happen. Cleaning first removes that issue entirely.
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Thanks. I have the corncob media as well as some walnut coming in. Just waiting on my Frankford Arsenal tumbler. I will definitely be inspecting for bits left on the flash hole.
 
NHSHOOTER said:
I just read all the answers to all your questions and then some, all excellent information. Have a great time reloading and shooting your own reloads, there are a few other things you will hear about but I think that will come later ie: bullet jump to the lands to name 1, something I find important in my reloads..
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
Aguila, every time I find a primer hole blocked with corn cob media I ask myself if it really matters, suspecting the intense heat from the primer blast will burn off the corn dot. But my overriding concern has been that the efficiency of the primer may be impaired, leading to an irregularity of the powder ignition and maybe even incomplete burning. But I have not been able to find any information one way or the other. Do you have any thoughts on it?
 
cdoc42 I have had the same thought myself, I do tumble before sizing and depriming but then I tumble again to remove the case lube, I try to inspect every case but I do think its possible I have missed a few in the years I have been reloading. Havent had a issue yet and I feel the same as you, the primer ignition would burn up that little spec..
 
The primer should be able to blow the media granule forward in the case, but that does have the possibility of delaying ignition slightly. When that happens, it requires perfect follow-through to be sure the point of aim doesn't start to move before the shot gets out of the muzzle. Even then, any mechanical disturbance from a trigger slap or hammer fall will have more time to move the gun, so it tends to open groups up. So it might drop a point on a target, that sort of thing.
 
Well, deprimed and cleaned. Next step, resizing and trimming.

Thanks Shadow9mm for all the great advice.

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Cases sized and trimmed. Started with 6.5 Creedmoor. Trim size is 1.910 with a maximum case length of 1.920. Not too keen on my ability to get cases all uniform right at 1.910, so my cases are averaging between 1.913 - 1.916. Had about 6 cases that were over 1.920 and trimmed them back to 1.915. So, about .003 of tolerance. Out of it all I screwed up one case, trimmed too short trying to figure out the trimming tool. And destroyed the garbage disposal when I was rinsing brass in the sink and one accidentally got away. Wife just laughed at me.
 
USAF Ret said:
Cases sized and trimmed. Started with 6.5 Creedmoor. Trim size is 1.910 with a maximum case length of 1.920. Not too keen on my ability to get cases all uniform right at 1.910, so my cases are averaging between 1.913 - 1.916. Had about 6 cases that were over 1.920 and trimmed them back to 1.915. So, about .003 of tolerance. Out of it all I screwed up one case, trimmed too short trying to figure out the trimming tool. And destroyed the garbage disposal when I was rinsing brass in the sink and one accidentally got away. Wife just laughed at me.
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I picked up a cheap plastic colander at the dollar store and set it in the sink to strain the water off and then rinse the brass.
 
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