Deburr-Chamfer, Chamfer-Deburr, Doesn't Matter

I trim all my cases first.

Then I chamfer & deburr.

Then I deburr & chamfer.

Then I chamfer & deburr.

Then I deburr & chamfer.

. . .

I use separate tools, so when I grab the next piece of brass, it first gets whatever is in my hand from the last one ;)

Oh, forgot to answer your question :D . . . I don't know if it matters. I've sometimes wondered the same.
 
Last edited:
Tumble clean, lube and size, clean lube off in tumbler, check length in gauge,trim all that are too long in the gauge,chamfer, deburr, and then swage primer pockets since I only shoot .223 and 7.62x39. Seems like a lot of work but my setup isn't too bad and I usually do small batches of 50 or less at a time so no biggie.
 
Getting technical.
Oh I'm sure there is a proper procedure which is done first._ So to accomplish the dressing of a case mouth._ Although I've done it both ways._ I'm quite sure I'm following that correct procedure at least 1/2 the time. ~~~ then again maybe not? _:o
 
Come on! After you trim a case mouth the brass is squared off and sharp with small burrs inside and out. If you don't remove the burr the case will be wider at the mouth do to the burr when you feed it into the die. So put a light camphor on the out side of the mouth. Giving a clean lead into the die and chamber.

When you have a sharp burr on the inside of the case mouth. Seating the bullet will cause shaving of the bullet.

Either way the sharp edges of the case can cause irregular friction or pressure spikes...

Understand what and why you do what you do. Think about it.

It must be the cloudy weather getting to some of us. Give me sun shine.:)
 
This brings up the question, what is your definition of chamfering as opposed to deburring? Chamfering is generally considered to be forming a bevel on the inside edge of the case neck while deburring can refer to just removing the burrs from either or both the inside and outside edges but not removing enough from the inside to thin the case neck. I never "chamfer" per the above definition and very seldom find it necessary to debur the inside since the pressure from the case trimmer pilot usually prevents any inside burrs from forming. If a flare is needed use a Lyman M die to keep from removing metal from the inside neck, possibly leading to a knife edge ridge, with a deburring tool. Some probably just use the term chamfering to deburring the inside of the case necks.
 
I tumble, deprime, trim, camfer inside, deburr outside, check trim(as the act of camfering & deburrring can actually cause neck to stretch ever so slightly, also ensures no knife edge at case mouth), clean primer pocket, neck size, prime.

But thats just my version of being anal...
 
When switching from one shot, rest/cool, then next shot (bench rifle),
To more or less rapid fire...

Trim to length, inside, outside, REPEAT ENDLESSLY...
Rapid trimmer instead of hand trimmer,
Power inside, followed by powered outside trim.

3 power units, moving cases from one to the other...

Now, one power unit, 3 way cutter that trims/champfers/deburrs in one process, and just one handling of the case.
Cutter tool, about $130, power drill motor (drive) about $35, mounting drill motor about $10,
Doing high volume of cases, as fast as you can feed the trimmer, PRICELESS!

The money you spend *Should* depend on the volume of cases you do, all things considered...
Accuracy of finished product certainly can be an issue, bench rifle brass would still be hand done if I shot bench rifles anymore,
But anything other than bench rifle it's the 3 cut power trimmer!

Some guys go on endlessly about length, angles, ect.,
In my experience, the neck simply holds the bullet (more or less) centered with the bore, and if it's smooth enough to give consistant grip/tension/release of the billet, the length/chamfer/deburr doesn't matter much (within reason).

Your findings may vary, just something to think about... or not...
 
I have a Lyman OD deburring tool, but it's dull enough to raise a burr, small but still a burr. I haven't the means to sharpen the tool so I've been trying different methods to remove the burr. I've chucked the case in a Lee trimmer shell holder in my drill and spun the case. I've tried a small file and/or emery cloth with varying results. So, I have been tumbling the trimmed, deburred and chamfered brass in some hard plastic media (from H.F.) in my rotary. This will knock of most of the small burrs on the OD of the case mouth. Yeah I know, added work, but I got the time...:D
 
Chamfering cuts a slight angle on the inside of the case mouth. Deburring removes the wee tiny burr left from trimming. Two different things.
"...it's dull enough to raise a burr..." Not from being used as intended. It's steel. Steel is harder than brass. No way brass will dull steel.
 
..."no way brass will dull steel".

Brass is abrasive, way more abrasive than most think.
Chrystlline structure is the reason.

Copper/Brass has been used for centuries to shape/sharpen materials MUCH 'Harder'.
It's only until the chemistry age, synthetic materials, copper/brass, bronze was discarded.

Anyone that has worked with drawing dies knows how fast copper/brass dies wear, actually hard to keep up with even with modern lubricants.
 
Wif all due respect, brass will dull tool steel. As mentioned by Mr Hammer, the abrisive quality of brass will tend to wear steel and while not a quick process, dull a cutting edge (as a machinist, I had to sharpen tools that were used on brass almost as frequently as tools used on steel)...

And I had the tool in my hands yesterday, and I used it at high speed (got chatter) and at low speed, and "hand speed". The tool would cut the brass, but it was still dull enough to push up a small burr (kinda like when sharpening a knife)...
 
Lubrication is funky on brass, about anything will work on steel, but non-ferrous is an entirely different game.
There are so many different recipes for brass lube it's not funny and crazy hard to keep up with...

My trimmer throws lube around, I drool lube down it to the cutting head and that keeps the cutting edge alive a lot longer, but it still does with amazing regularity.

The drool is annoying, but it keeps the tool edge alive about 3 times longer.
There is a reason I keep rotational speed reasonable, with a Datum Line index trimmer it's about 200 RPM optimal for 5.56mm brass,
A little faster for .30 cal brass.

Since my particular trimmer head has a flat on the drive (D shape shaft) it's easy to drool lube past the protective housing to the cutting head.
The drool/splatter is annoying, but any machinest is used to it.

It's up to anyone to decide what they want to do, and how they want to do it.
Cut one at a time by hand, powered, head or Datum Line indexed, etc.
Just don't buy into the old wives tales...
 
I chamfer the cases after trimming to help the bullet seat easier.
I deburr the outside of the neck so it crimps cleaner and chambers without drag. Burrs on the outside of the mouth can cause problems when the brass is fired as any burr is pressed back into the neck or broken off and left in the chamber.
 
Deburring the outside of case necks is completely justifiable, but I fail to understand why so many do not object to thinning case mouths by beveling the inside by chamfering, especially when there is a better way to apply a flare when needed. Those who support chamfering usually do not say whether they are referring to rifle or handgun. My presumption is that the majority are referring to rifle in which case the Lyman M die is the better way to go for providing a flare. For handgun where flaring is usually needed and a progressive press like a Dillon is being used, flaring can come by the way of the powder die. So why is chamfering and thinning the case necks preferable to using a flaring die, and are you referring to rifle or handgun?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top