shootshotguns870
Inactive
I want to start reloading my own ammo and I'm going to start with .223 and i want to know if i have to tumble the brass and will i have to trim the brass?
Reloading .223
- Thread starter shootshotguns870
- Start date
For an AR15, the brass growth from full length sizing and and the resultant need for trimming are hard to avoid.
But for single shot or bolt action 223s, the Lee Collet neck Die will do many reloadings with little effort.
1) Run the case through the collet neck die in the press and shellholder that sizes the neck and deprimes. Note that the brass did not grow much in length and will still fit in the chamber.
2) prime the case with a priming tool or a press that can prime
3) Fill the case with the appropriate amount and type of powder for the bullet.
4) Put the bullet in the case with a seating die, press, and shell holder
5) Label that batch of ammo with bullet weight, powder, powder weight, and over all length of cartridge.
6) Immediately after shooting that ammo, write up a range report documenting how well the ammo performed.
But for single shot or bolt action 223s, the Lee Collet neck Die will do many reloadings with little effort.
1) Run the case through the collet neck die in the press and shellholder that sizes the neck and deprimes. Note that the brass did not grow much in length and will still fit in the chamber.
2) prime the case with a priming tool or a press that can prime
3) Fill the case with the appropriate amount and type of powder for the bullet.
4) Put the bullet in the case with a seating die, press, and shell holder
5) Label that batch of ammo with bullet weight, powder, powder weight, and over all length of cartridge.
6) Immediately after shooting that ammo, write up a range report documenting how well the ammo performed.
shootshotguns870
Inactive
All the ammo will be for a bolt action. Thanks!
1. Tumble if/when brass gets range dirt on it. Tumbling is not required in
most instances for several reloadings.
(and with a bolt action, you control where the brass lands
)
2. Trim if/when the case dimension grows to exceed 1.760" after resizing.
Check each time, but trim probably not req'd each time.
(especially w/ a bolt action)
postscript: Don't bother to crimp. Not needed... and it saves brass stress
most instances for several reloadings.
(and with a bolt action, you control where the brass lands
)2. Trim if/when the case dimension grows to exceed 1.760" after resizing.
Check each time, but trim probably not req'd each time.
(especially w/ a bolt action)
postscript: Don't bother to crimp. Not needed... and it saves brass stress
You have to clean the cases every time(not just if the brass gets range dirt on it.). Tumbling is just one way of doing that.
There are liquid cleaners that do not require any but a bucket, a cookie sheet and your oven. One of 'em is plain hot water and no bleach dish soap. Another is boiling white vinegar, soak the brass 5 minutes and rinse.
The oven is for speed drying. 15 minutes in the oven set on 'Warm' is enough.
Like mehavey says, trimming is only required when the case get longer than 1.760". Trim 'em to 1.750", chamfer and deburr. Isn't an every time thing. Checking case lengths is though. No big deal. Your digital vernier can be set to 1.760" and used as a gauge.
There are liquid cleaners that do not require any but a bucket, a cookie sheet and your oven. One of 'em is plain hot water and no bleach dish soap. Another is boiling white vinegar, soak the brass 5 minutes and rinse.
The oven is for speed drying. 15 minutes in the oven set on 'Warm' is enough.
Like mehavey says, trimming is only required when the case get longer than 1.760". Trim 'em to 1.750", chamfer and deburr. Isn't an every time thing. Checking case lengths is though. No big deal. Your digital vernier can be set to 1.760" and used as a gauge.
I loaded across more than a half-dozen different chamberings (including .223) for many years before I ever decided to buy a tumbler. Shortly after
I did... I began the process of kicking myself for being so short-sighted.
Tumbling the brass doesn't just get the brass clean, it removes colossal volumes of filth from your life. It takes dirt off your bench, off your ammo boxes, off your dies, anything that goes near your ammo, and it takes so much filth and schmutz off your hands and out of your life that I would suspend 100% of my loading activities if I were not able to tumble my brass.
So yes, you certainly can handload ammo without a tumbler (or more advanced case cleaning methods) but knowing what I know now... I would never consider that ever again.
As for trimming...
If you are loading bottle neck rifle, you will HAVE to come up with a method of trimming. The only possible way I could see successfully skipping case trimming for bottle neck rifle is the one weird scenario that I would guess you couldn't pull off:
If you had LIMITLESS amounts of once-fired brass, I mean thousands and thousands of pieces of the stuff, it would be possible to size brass, measure it, and see WHICH of the pieces stay within trim length tolerances and use only those. But that is a ludicrous answer to what is a very necessary step in handloading.
I will close this with:
If what you seek is to make decent, working ammo on an absolute shoe-string budget, we can help you with that! There are plenty of ways to skin these cats and doing it on a tiny budget is absolutely possible. Ends up being slower, more tedious and far more labor intensive, but you can totally do it and make very good ammo along the way. I made my ammo while I was in college on a budget that covered fast food, beer and gas money. It was the definition of a shoe string budget.
I did... I began the process of kicking myself for being so short-sighted.
Tumbling the brass doesn't just get the brass clean, it removes colossal volumes of filth from your life. It takes dirt off your bench, off your ammo boxes, off your dies, anything that goes near your ammo, and it takes so much filth and schmutz off your hands and out of your life that I would suspend 100% of my loading activities if I were not able to tumble my brass.
So yes, you certainly can handload ammo without a tumbler (or more advanced case cleaning methods) but knowing what I know now... I would never consider that ever again.
As for trimming...
If you are loading bottle neck rifle, you will HAVE to come up with a method of trimming. The only possible way I could see successfully skipping case trimming for bottle neck rifle is the one weird scenario that I would guess you couldn't pull off:
If you had LIMITLESS amounts of once-fired brass, I mean thousands and thousands of pieces of the stuff, it would be possible to size brass, measure it, and see WHICH of the pieces stay within trim length tolerances and use only those. But that is a ludicrous answer to what is a very necessary step in handloading.
I will close this with:
If what you seek is to make decent, working ammo on an absolute shoe-string budget, we can help you with that! There are plenty of ways to skin these cats and doing it on a tiny budget is absolutely possible. Ends up being slower, more tedious and far more labor intensive, but you can totally do it and make very good ammo along the way. I made my ammo while I was in college on a budget that covered fast food, beer and gas money. It was the definition of a shoe string budget.
Bucksnort1
New member
shootshotguns870,
I'm not trying to be disrespectful to Sevens by any means but sometimes the only answer you need, for your question and some others is as simple as what MarkCO wrote. In fact, Mark's response is right on and just a bit funny that is, funny in a good reloading way.
I'm not trying to be disrespectful to Sevens by any means but sometimes the only answer you need, for your question and some others is as simple as what MarkCO wrote. In fact, Mark's response is right on and just a bit funny that is, funny in a good reloading way.
Bucksnort1
New member
870. One quick comment about tumbling 223. Case mouths are small so sometimes removing media can be problematic, depending on media type.
shootshotguns870
Inactive
Modern reloading 2nd edition by Richard Lee
603Country
New member
You don't need to tumble brass. When I fire the bolt action, I pull the bolt back gently, grab the brass, and put it in my pocket (if hunting) or back in the MTM box if punching paper. Prior to reloading I will:
- twirl the neck of the case in steel wool to get the carbon off the outside of the neck.
- size brass
- trim brass
- prime
- reload
When and if the brass just gets super tarnished I will then tumble the brass.
For pistol brass, I always tumble.
- twirl the neck of the case in steel wool to get the carbon off the outside of the neck.
- size brass
- trim brass
- prime
- reload
When and if the brass just gets super tarnished I will then tumble the brass.
For pistol brass, I always tumble.
jetinteriorguy
New member
Simple, easy cleaning procedure. First deprime with a universal depriming die. Then mix 2 tablespoons of citric acid (available at WallMart in the canning section) in a gallon of hot water in a plastic container. Put the dirty brass in the solution and stir around every few minutes for about 15 minutes. Then drain and rinse in cold water. Then shake out as much water as you can using some sort of strainer/colander. Then roll the cases on a towel to dry on the outside, and put them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 250 degrees for a half hour. Then size them, get a Wilson case gage and trim any that are too long for the gage. A cheap easy and accurate trimmer is the Lyman easy trim. I know it sounds complicated but once you do it, it's very easy and gives excellent results without investing in a bunch of costly equipment. Later you can add a vibratory tumbler, I use mine with crushed walnut and add some Nushine for an added shine and a protective layer to keep from tarnishing later.