Reloading since the early 80s on a small basis and now a larger scale with both pistol and .223 brass usually 1000 at a time. I feel your rifle prep videos and methods are tops. Spend the time preping the rifle even the pistol brass, saves tons of time and problems with any of the progressive machines. I dont have any dirty brass run through my machines anymore. Your washing in a wet tumbler is the ticket, I have been washing the brass with water and laundry soap.
Hey! Nube alert...Sorry if you have already answered this, but does your oil contaminate your media? I mean I guess you use the same media for cleaning and then for removing the oil? That would be a lot easier than wiping down each individual brass like I'm doing now...
@thegangvault2 Yes, the resizing lube does eventually load up the media and it must be replaced, but it gets dirty too so that also requires replacement. A used drier sheet in the media absorbs the dirt and oil and prolongs media life. Some people still prefer wiping the cases by hand. There is so little oil used to resize that it doesn't load up the media very quickly. I'm swapping to stainless pins, soapy water and a rotary tumbler, so media life won't be a problem.
Here is the best thing to use and is recommended by Hornady.The expander on a size die will not come out of the case, what can I do?
You can use black graphite from your hardware store as a neck lube. Just dip the neck in it after you lube the outside of the case. The powder already has graphite in it, so it will not contaminate the powder.
I have reloaded from the 80's and you dont get motor oil near a reloading press or powder or primers it contaminates the powder and primers and can cause misfire.
@cybot63 All resizing lubricants are oils of one form or another. The heavier waxes, such as Imperial Sizing Wax, are less likely to contaminate a primer than liquid oil, but in any case, the resizing lubricant should always be removed from the case before the priming and powder drop operations.
BTW - Independent tests have pretty well proven that gun oil is very unlikely to cause a misfire with loaded ammunition.
i have a question and it prob sounds dum i reload 9mm and all i have to do is clean the brass lube it and start loading cant you do that with .223 and 5.56 because i have seenalot of people using a decrimping and resizing thing that spins lol BTW i have a dillon xl650
@S1PR0DUCTI0NS The processes shown in the video aren't added just for fun. Reloading bottle neck rifle brass is different from reloading straight wall pistol brass. You can use carbide dies and not need any case lube for pistol brass, although I mist a very tiny bit of lube on pistol cases. You'll get stuck cases resizing rifle brass without good lube. You'll probably lose pistol brass before you need to trim it.
@S1PR0DUCTI0NS I'm all about doing a task as easily as possible, and that's what I tried to show in this video. As Albert Einstein said, everything should be as simple as possible... and no simpler.
Question for ya: I heard that you really want to separate your different types of brass (ex: LC vs PMC... etc) before you use your primer pocket swager. This is because they are all slightly different crimps and/or internal dimensions. If you just did it to a pile of mixed brass, you would have to worry about the crimp still being there for some of the brass. Do you think this is correct, or to not worry about that?
@tjby54 It's definitely a good idea to separate the brass for a few reasons. The brass has different wall thickness, crimp, flash hole diameter, rim depth and thickness, etc., so a progressive press will operate differently with different brass. The difference can be enough to cause reliability problems with the press operation, and obviously, any variation will result in less accurate ammo. I don't separate the brass for plinking ammo.
@tjby54 The swager works by pushing a hardened button up into the primer pocket and displacing the softer brass to remove the crimp. After swaging, all of the crimp should be removed regardless of how much crimp had been applied, and any crimped pockets should all be nearly the same size. If a primer pocket was too large, the swaging operation won't make it smaller.
Gotcha. I plan on using a turret press to reload .223 and .40.
So you seperate it the brass when you are making special accurate rounds, but if you're just making bulk "go out to the range and squeeze some off" rounds, you don't worry about it?
@tjby54 If I want accurate rifle ammo, I'll usually start with NEW brass, usually from Lapua because they have very tight tolerances. The other option is all one manufacturer (military Lake City brass is actually pretty good). Then I'll fire form it to fit the chamber of that specific bolt action rifle. Then I'll trim to a uniform length and sort the cases by weight (particularly for non-Lapua brass). Turning case necks for uniform thickness helps too.
@tjby54 For plinking ammo, I'm not as fussy about the brass. I do use mixed brass for plinking. I use a bent paper clip feeler, dragged inside the case from the head out toward the shoulder. Brass loaded too hot or shot in rifles with excessive headspace will develop a thinned ring on the inside of the case near the head which can be dangerous because it's an incipient case head separation. I crush and recycle that brass.
@tjby54 Some foreign military rifle brass has an undersized flash hole. When resizing, the decapping pin pushes out the spent primer but it wedges in the small flash hole and is pulled out of the resizing stem on the return stroke. Major PIA! Once it happens, you can sort the brass by headstamp and drill out those undersized flash holes.
Liberty will the ejector button not fit on the lee press? I've seen it installed on the rcbs presses and it looks like it would make things a little smoother and faster.
@smaj100 The ejector on the RCBS swaging tool is a nice option, but it seems to be designed to fit the RCBS press and doesn't fit many other presses. It's not a big deal. It takes almost no more time or effort to rock the brass off the swaging button. In fact, I kind of like it better without the ejector. The brass stays in place and is less likely to fall off, and best of all, any piece of brass that doesn't need a little tug should be discarded, as it has an oversized primer pocket.
Excellent video. Just started loading .223. Have been a handgun cartridge reloader for many years, and I'm still learning great tips from folks like you.
@backwoods3214 All bullets I've reloaded contained lead. I have considered designing all copper bullets that are longer, for a greater ballistic coefficient,and the homogeneous structure would be more uniform as opposed to copper metal jacket over lead core. The point would be more accurate .223 ammo. These solid copper bullets would probably be target loads only, but the longer bullets may tumble soon after impact so they may actually be good for defensive purposes... maybe.
@Liberty4Ever Barnes already makes all copper bullets though. They're probably my favorite bullets...perfect expansion and weight retention every time.
@kamaujackson811 Yes, I like the RCBS Case Prep center. I wish it was a bit faster and more powerful to do the trimming, but it's held up well, and it's a lot faster than doing all of the operations sequentially, with all of the extra handling that entails, and the hassles of keeping up with all of the parts in all of the various stages.
@eschafer217 And as George Carlin pointed out, it's a good thing that gasoline trucks have FLAMMABLE in big letters on the side, so when you're involved in a wreck, careening out of control at 60 MPH, and you're headed toward a gasoline tanker truck, everyone will know to put out their cigarettes.
The case ejector for the RCBS primer pocket swaging tool works with the RCBS press, but not the Lee Classic Cast press, which is a bit too beefy. It's not much of a loss. Most of my mixed brass for plinking ammo doesn't need to be swaged anyway, so the saging button serves as a GO/NOGO gage. For the primer pocket that does need to be swaged, very little effort is needed to rock the brass off the swaging button.
Although I like the idea of swaging the brass, I now cut the primer pocket with the RCBS Case Prep Center and a Hornady primer pocket trimmer. The little brass shavings are a bit of a mess, but it's so darn easy to do almost every stage of case prep on the RCBS Case Prep Center.
223 is really annoying to reload I just started reloading it and ive loaded many other cases before but this one is really annoying haha with the primer pocket trimming etc
Most reloaders like their ammo to look nice and new. A little light tarnish on brass won't change the way it shoots.
If you have a semi-auto that throws brass into the mud, you need to clean that off before reloading. Even a small speck of dirt can scratch a polished resizing die and it'll gouge brass and possibly stick from then on.
Polishing is quick and easy enough with a tumbler, so I prefer to tumble every time. You can also use a Zip Trim and ScotchBrite to clean the brass individually.
I use Lee dies. I don't have anything bad to say about the others, but Lee dies have always worked well for me and they are a very good value. They may have some grit inside them from the final polishing operation, so I disassemble them, clean them, and use some gun oil to lube them prior to use. It takes about two minutes.
your videos are all very clear and your explainations are great. Between the loadmaster and Hornady Loc& load which do you prefer and why. Also on .223 brass if I have a little to much lube on resizing the neck may get a little kink. Is there any problem shooting those I had understood the kinks will pop out when you shoot them. Thanks for your snawer
I only own Lee presses (LoadMaster progressive and Classic Cast single stage). I talked a friend into buying a Hornady Lock-N-Load when there were no Classic Cast presses to be had. It looks nice.
The hydraulic dents in the shoulders will disappear when the rounds are fire formed when shot. Unless they're very bad, they won't cause a problem. They probably won't be very accurate rounds because the neck won't be as concentric as it needs to be.
The breech lock system is nice for quick die changes while maintaining the depth setting. I do something almost as fast using the Hornady locking die rings and the Hornady die wrench, and that works in any 7/8" threaded press.
The Lee Classic Cast press is much beefier than the Lee Challenger press. I'd get the Classis Cast if you ever plan on resizing rifle brass, especially .308 or larger. If you want to do low volume pistol loading, get the Challenger. High volume, get a progressive press.
Total noob here. Why do you swage the casing THEN clean the primer pocket? Is the amount of residue in the primer pocket inconsequential? Or are you ramming whatever debris is in the primer pocket into the casing when you press the casing onto the swaging button? I hate to make extra work, but couldnt you use the primer cleaning tool twice? Once before swaging to clean the primer pocket and then once after swaging to apply the chamfer?
If I'm swaging the primer pocket, I usually won't use the primer pocket cleaning tool afterward. There usually isn't much primer residue in the primer pocket. Lately, I'll use the swager to resize the primer pocket on match grade brass like Lapua for bench rest precision shooting. I think it makes a more uniform primer pocket, and there's seldom any swaging needed. I use the RCBS Case Prep Center to cut the sides of the primer pocket for plinking rounds as part of the overall case prep.
thanks very much for the quick response and for the clarification. while i'm waiting for New York State to issue my CCW permit - going on TEN MONTHS NOW - i thought i'd educate myself a bit about the process. your videos have been VERY helpful!
You are getting CCW in New York?? I'm surprised. Did you make sure that it actually for carrying a real pistol and not a slingshot?
Just kidding. welcome to the club when you get your CPL.
Those sissy NY politicians have made it ridiculously hard to get firearms LEGALLY for those who obey the law, unless someone is a criminal in that case he/she would not care where it came from, would not want to register it either...
Appreciate the helpful video, in part because this is the exact press I am thinking of buying. How have you liked the Lee Classic Cast press? Thanks again.
I've heard some criticism of the Lee progressive presses (LoadMaster and Pro 1000) because their primer tray feed system isn't as reliable, and I think that is a fair criticism, even though I think they're good values. The Classic Cast press is super primo. I use it to resize .50 BMG brass that was fired in a loose chambered machine gun. Do not try that with a lesser press. The Classic Cast is a very beefy and well made press. It's also Made In The USA. The Rock Chucker is made in China.
Probably about ten reloadings is a useful maximum for brass used for plinking rounds in a semi-auto, maybe six for full power loads, and maybe 20 for low power loads in a bolt action. There are three limiting factors:
1) Your semi-auto can fling your brass so far you lose it.
2) You'll get a neck crack. These aren't usually dangerous, but the brass is no longer usable. PROPERLY annealing ONLY the case necks will almost completely prevent neck cracks from starting.
3) Case head separations are dangerous (kaBoom!) and they occur when the brass stretches and a thin band forms inside the brass just above the case head, (just above the rim). You can't see this from the outside, but a bent paper clip feeler can detect the incipient case head separation on the inside. Excessive headspace increases this problem. Crush and recycle any brass with an incipient case head separation.
im new to all this and very interested in doing it myself and the only fear i have is using a case one to many times n well, having an incident at the range. i saw a guy at a guy store with a horrible story. is there a rule of thumb or a certain number of times a brass casing can be used before become dangerous? for example, if a 9mm case can be used lets say (for example cuz i dont know) 20 time, i would use it 15 times, way before its lifespan to minimize problems
In general, straight wall pistol brass can be reloaded more than bottle necked rifle brass, and the failure mode with pistol brass is usually more benign. Neck cracks aren't as bad, but case head separation can be very bad. If there's excessive head space on your rifle, the risk is greater. There isn't a set number of times that brass can be reloaded. It depends on pressure, how much you resize the brass, head space, etc.
To prevent case head separation when reloading bottle neck rifle brass, make a feeler with a paper clip and drag it inside the brass, along the case wall, from the case head up to the shoulder. You can feel a gap forming down near the case head that runs all around the brass in one thin annular ring. Crush and recycle brass that is demonstrating this incipient case head separation.
i am new to reloading and have recently finished up trial batches of .45 acp .44mag and .500 s&w. im wanting to reload .223 but cant find .223 bullets. do you just use the .22 caliber (.224) projectiles?
.223 Remington uses a .224" bullet. It's common for the actual bullet diameter to be larger than the nominal caliber. .50 BMG is one of the worst offenders. It uses a .510" diameter bullet.
You should have a reloading book that has this information in it. I like Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee. It's friendlier and more conversational than the typical reloading book, and also about half the price. The load data is excellent, including drawings with all dimensions.
".22 caliber" is different from .223. If you're reloading .223 Remington, aka ".223", which is nearly interchangeable with 5.56mm X 45 NATO, then you want .224" diameter copper jacketed bullets.
Search for "223 Remington" at Wikipedia for more info.
Again, I'd recommend a good reloading book with cartridge diagrams that clearly show all dimensions for the ammo, including the bullet diameter.
I want to help, but there are some questions that make me wonder if I'm helping someone to get hurt.
Thanks for the great Video, Do you think th emotor oil weight is a factor? You said 5w 20, but I have some high quality 5w 30 100% synthetic sitting around, think it will be fine? Thanks
For all I know, 3W30 might work better! I bet both work very well. I do think there's a significant difference in the shear strength of synthetic oil versus petroleum oil, so I'd stick with a full synthetic. I've been meaning to try some much heavier synthetic oil. I have some gear train oil that's around 80W, I think.
I tried automatic transmission fluid and it did a decent job as a case lube, but synthetic motor oil is much better.
Please let me know how the 5W30 synthetic works for you.
The only rifle ammo I reload on the LoadMaster press is plinking ammo for semi-autos, so I need to full length resize the brass, so it's not a neck sizing die.
The last stage, I use a collet die to crimp the bullet in place. It's the Lee Factory Crimp die, and I highly recommend it.
For a bolt action, I'd recommend full length resizing, fire forming brass to fit the chamber, and then neck sizing only after that for maximum case life and best accuracy. I'd use the Classic Cast press for that.
All of my dies are Lee dies. When they arrive, I take them apart and clean them and lubricate them with a good gun oil or the synthetic motor oil that I use for case lube. That's particularly important with the Lee resizing die, because they often have a fair amount of black grit in them remaining from the final polishing process. It might be fine silicon carbide. That abrasive grit is a good way to have a stuck case, no matter how much resizing lube you use.
The dryer sheet makes all my brass smell springtime fresh!
Just kidding.
The dryer sheet absorbs the resizing lube, dirt from the range pickup brass, black oxide crud, etc. It keeps the crushed walnut shell tumbling media from loading up with contaminates so it lasts much longer. A lint free shop-grade paper towel works too, but not quite as well, and the used dryer sheets are free if you have a wife or girlfriend. I don't know any guys who know why dryer sheets are used in dryers.
A set of large and small primer pocket brushes come with the RCBS Case Prep Center, but I use the Hornady primer pocket reamers. They index off the bottom. Spinning in the bottom, they will clean out primer debris on the bottom of the primer pocket, but they don't cut the primer pocket any deeper. They will cut the sidewalls, reaming out any military crimp if needed, and they will also cut a nice bevel entry to make sure the new primer starts easily.
I don't have ANY tumbling media packed into the .223 cases.
If you do, then you're doing something wrong. Your media is very contaminated with way too much case lube, although that probably isn't it because I've used tumbling media until it's disgusting black dust and still get clean cases and primer pockets.
If you add brass polish to the media, do that with the tumbler running and no cases in the tumbler, and let it run for 15 minutes to distribute the polish.
My tumbler is the rotary type and what I learned from using it is to keep my cases clean and avoid tumbling. It is occasionally used to clean up cruddy cases but in general I keep my brass clean and never tumble it.
Use crushed walnut shells (my favorite) or corn cob media. Some people try to use cat litter or Speedi-Dry or some other clay based media, and that will stick.
Make sure your cases and media aren't wet. Any moisture will cause the media to pack and stick.
I dump the tumbler into the media separator, spin the handle for about a minute and all of the media is in the bottom and the clean cases are in the basket.
I have added Nu Finish, mineral spirits and paint thinner (preferred) to walnut and have never had media clumped/stuck in 223 casings. I would agree you are doing something wrong. Too much of any liquid added to walnut will cause clumping. Always be sure to run the tumbler for 10-15 minutes after adding any liquid to the media, PRIOR to adding any brass. BTW, I've found that adding 2-3 tablespoons of paint thinner to walnut has turned out to be the best combination for cleaning brass.
You can probably create a .223 load with WIN760, but its burn rate is too slow to be optimal. It's more for heavier .308 and larger bullets. I use WIN748 for .223 and it's optimal for that caliber.
You could probably get a better answer by googling a little. There are websites that specialize in reloading data, although obviously, when you trust someone over the internet, it's a lot riskier than relying on the manufacturer's load data.
Thanks for the tip. I wonder how long it'l be before they ban powder and reloading supplies. Too bad Ron Paul isn't our next president or even McShame, but Paul is the only one up there pushing 100%.
Just another tumbling method... I use ground walnut and add a tablespoon of UNSCENTED mineral spirits, both available at Walmart's larger stores. The mineral spirits do the best job I've found of cleaning and polishing casings. Do NOT use regular mineral spirits or your media and tumbling room will definitely have an odor.
Will have to give the syn oil a try. Interesting idea....
I thought I explained it in the video, but I can't remember. I use synthetic motor oil in place of commercial case lube because it's better. It's also cheaper. $5 buys a quart which is probably a life time supply. It's easier to apply than most commercial case lubes, and it's easier to remove than most. Why WOULDN'T someone use synthetic motor oil?
If you were only depriming, there is no need to tumble clean the brass first, but that only works if you shoot the ammo in a bolt action rifle and want the brass to remain fire formed to the chamber. For a semi-auto or lever action, you'll need to resize the brass to ensure that it'll feed properly, and that's done with a die that resizes and de-primes at the same time. If you don't clean the brass before resizing it, the dirt from the range will scratch your resizing die.
Hi, very informative video. Can i use the Lee chamfer tool in the video for removing military crimp on my 223 brass? The dillon swage is quite expensive. Also, do you need a primer pocket brush, uniformer and deburrer? I notice you didn't use one in the video.
The Lee chamfer tool won't do a decent job of removing the military crimp from the primer pocket. It'll taper the entry to the primer pocket to get the primer started into the primer pocket, but it won't remove any of the crimp inside the primer pocket. I recommend the Hornady primer pocket uniformer. It's a small hand turned, straight sided end mill. It cuts the walls of the primer pocket and makes the primer pocket diameter uniform. It also cleans out the crud from the bottom of the pocket.
I prefer to seat the bullet in one stage and use the Lee Factory Crimp die to collet crimp the bullet in the next stage. If you don't have an extra stage (Lee Pro-1000 press or single stage press), you can adjust the seating die to seat the bullet and then do a little roll crimp at the end.
Feeding pistol ammo from a magazine can push the bullet in too far and cause dangerous chamber pressures, and recoil in a revolver can act as an inertial bullet puller. You need a crimp.
If the stuff you need to wipe off the cases is case lube, you may need to tumble longer, but 20-30 minutes is usually more than enough. If you're wiping off tumble lube, dust from the tumbling media, or a combination of both, your tumble media may be "loaded up". The conventional fix is to replace it, but I've found that adding a couple of used drier sheets to each load will clean the media as the media cleans the brass. Drier sheets make the media last longer.
Thanx for the info. I will change out the media and see if that helps. I've tumbled about 700-800 rds. with whats in there. I will try the pet bedding also.
700-800 rounds? I do that many at once now that I got a larger tumbler! You should be getting a LOT more life out of the tumbling media. I probably tumble 20 loads before replacing it and maybe twice that many if I'm tossing in the used drier sheets to suck up the crud that would normally load up the cleaning media. Your brass should come out looking better than new. You never said what you were wiping off the cases. Was it some dusty debris, an oily film...?
It is an oily and powdery coating, like a blackish film. Underneath the cases are pristine. But getting there involves an extra step. I have a lyman pro 1200 tumbler and do 100-200 at a time, depending on caliber. I also use Turbo Brite polishing paste. This happens on the first tumble because I use carbide dies and only tumble once. I have not reloaded rifle brass yet.
Reloading bottle nose rifle brass requires case lube, so it needs two tumbles, the initial to clean it and again after resizing to remove the case lube. Pistol, you should only need the initial tumble.
The black oily powder is the same stuff I'd get, but after a LOT more pieces of brass. The used drier sheets in the tumbler soak that stuff up and make the tumbling media last a lot longer. They also keep your brass from sticking together from static cling (just kidding).
One note: I counted the brass thats gone thru the tumbler and, my fault, the number is closer to 14-15 hundred. regardless, I changed the media and put a drier sheet in. Ran 200 cases thru for 5 hours and its a lot better but still some coating. Is it possible it's the polishing paste I'm using? Its Turbo Brite by Lyman. Should I just tumble with just the media? My fingers need relief from polishing. :)
I've used Dillon brass polish and now use Frankford Arsenal brass polish. Both are formulated for tumbling ammo brass, with no ammonia that might weaken the brass. Neither leave the sort of residue you're describing. I've read where other people use NuFinish car wax with good results. I bought some for that purpose, but the Frankford Arsenal polish may be cheaper and I bough a quart. As infrequently as I change the tumbling media, that may be a lifetime supply!
If you need to replace your tumbling media, a cheap source is a pet store or the pet department of larger Walmart SuperStores. They sell crushed walnut hulls and ground corn cob media as some type of bedding material for hamsters or something. I like the walnut hull tumbling media.
hia thanks ive been loading .223 for about a year, every now and then i get a case stuck in the die ,i thought it was because i was useing to much lee lube , i dont think i was useing enough,i tend to tumble the case's after sizeing to clean the lube off the case's ,but i see you tumble frist
Try the 100% synthetic motor oil as a resizing lube. I think you'll like it. I think it's better in just about every way - cheaper, easier to use, faster, less messy, doesn't gunk up the tumbler media as badly, etc.
I tumble the cases for 4-6 hours first to remove any dirt that could scratch the resizing die and make the brass nice and pretty, then I tumble for 20-30 minutes after resizing and depriming and trimming to length and neck chamfering, to remove the resizing lube.
only thing using motor oil-if you dont clean it all out and i mean all-itll deteoriate your powder inside the brass and cause misfires or low power loads you wont notice-best to stick with factory lube-it dosent do this.
All of the oil based commercial case lubricants could result in primer deactivation and might possibly have an adverse effect on powder. No matter what case lube you use, remove it from the inside and outside of the case.
Only a very small amount of synthetic oil is used, so it's less likely to cause contamination. Unlike spray on lubes, only a very thin film of oil is used inside the case neck and there should never be any oil inside the case if applied as shown in the video.
liberty-man what kind of powder do you load 223 autoloader-ar15 with im currently using h110-its allright-62 grain ss109 bullet.26 grains.have you any recipes for how much alliant reloader 10?its a new powder by alliant-used for 223.their online catalog dosent have any recipes yet.heard of anybody using it?someone said around 23-23 grains.i want to be double sure-not blow me up. thanks fella have a nice day. jr.
Sorry, I haven't used either of the powders you mentioned in .223, so I can't make a recommendation.
I use 25.4 gr of WIN748 for 62 gr FMJ and 26.2 gr of WIN748 for 55 gr FMJ. I've also had good results with 26.2 gr of Varget with 55 gr bullets, although Varget doesn't meter well.
Lately, I've been using X-Terminator and Tac powders from Ramshot, but don't have enough experience to make a recommendation. Ramshot likes Tac for .308 and X-Terminator for .223. So far, I like them a lot!
THANKS liberty,ill try these and let you know the results.thanks a lot man.748 is a good powder ive used a lot of it.everybody says reloader 10 is good i just cant find any info on it.thanks a lot guy.
Cases are Remmingtons and they are new and checked to 1.750. Thought it would be better to stay within the load data rather than appearance. Was a little concerned that the crimp may not be a solid in this situation. As I understand it the cannelure provides a recess to were the material at the end of the neck can be squeezed (not rolled) into the that void using the factory crimp die. Followed the install instructions to the T.
The Lee Factory Crimp Die does not need the cannelure. It makes a secure crimp, and if you adjust it for full crimping it makes a VERY secure crimp. Forget about pulling bullets with a kinetic bullet puller. You'll need a collet bullet puller, and the .223 bullets often start the taper just above the case neck so there is no straight side of the exposed bullet to grab, so a collet puller has a hard time pulling bullets too. That's some incentive to make sure your .223 reloads are good!
Just loaded 1st round. Using H335 powder and MOAL is 2.200. There is still a little of the crimp groove showing, unlike the store bought Wolf that I have as comparison. Is it better to not see the crimp groove as in Wolf or stick with the MOAL 2.200. I suspect that it is better to see some of the groove than go too much beneath that MOAL since it would increase the pressure. Your feedback from you experience is greatly appreciated!
I wouldn't go below the minimum overall length. Follow the load data. My load book calls for 2.20" minimum overall length for a 55gr FMJ bullet and H335 powder, and a cartridge maximum overall length of 2.26".
The bullet's cannelure (crimp groove) is a rough guide that should result in the correct cartridge length, but I've gotten into a situation like you describe where the minimum OAL results in a visible cannelure.
Your using walnut shells to clean your .223 brass and using the synthetic oil to lube your cases. Im starting out and using the corn media will that make the media sloppy or shorten its life significantly?
I've never used the corn cob media because it's often bigger chunks that seem more likely to clog flash holes or primer pockets, but I think the corn cob media should be able to absorb more case lube before becoming saturated.
One added bonus of the synthetic oil is the fact that so little is needed to prevent stuck cases. That means the cleaning media lasts longer.
Tossing in a couple of used drier sheets or even some of the low-lint paper shop towels keeps the media clean longer.
Nice video. It helps to give a general idea to those new to reloading, or considering reloading their own ammunition. I've never used synthetic motor oil, but it looks like it's working for you. Interesting how everyone adopts their own ways of doing things. :)
I have a lee classic breech press and a set of lee pacesetter dies in .308cal. When I go to deprime and resize the case it gets stuck on the deprime rod. The rod and the case come loose from the lock nut on top of the die. I dont know why it does that. I am kinda new to metallic reloading. Let me know what you think. Thanks
The first thing I do with Lee resizing dies is disassemble them, clean them with alcohol (Power Blast, or any good solvent). There is usually some black grit in there remaining from the grinding and polishing. This grit is high friction stuff. After it's clean, I immediately lubricate the inside of the resizing die and the expander rod (that's also the decapping rod) with 100% synthetic motor oil.
Lee case lube is good. Imperial sizing wax is better. Synthetic oil is by far the best case lube I've ever used. It's also not as messy and cleanup is easier.
Reloading since the early 80s on a small basis and now a larger scale with both pistol and .223 brass usually 1000 at a time. I feel your rifle prep videos and methods are tops. Spend the time preping the rifle even the pistol brass, saves tons of time and problems with any of the progressive machines. I dont have any dirty brass run through my machines anymore. Your washing in a wet tumbler is the ticket, I have been washing the brass with water and laundry soap.
vdsgw52 1 month ago
Hey! Nube alert...Sorry if you have already answered this, but does your oil contaminate your media? I mean I guess you use the same media for cleaning and then for removing the oil? That would be a lot easier than wiping down each individual brass like I'm doing now...
thegangvault2 2 months ago
@thegangvault2 Yes, the resizing lube does eventually load up the media and it must be replaced, but it gets dirty too so that also requires replacement. A used drier sheet in the media absorbs the dirt and oil and prolongs media life. Some people still prefer wiping the cases by hand. There is so little oil used to resize that it doesn't load up the media very quickly. I'm swapping to stainless pins, soapy water and a rotary tumbler, so media life won't be a problem.
Liberty4Ever 2 months ago
Here is the best thing to use and is recommended by Hornady.The expander on a size die will not come out of the case, what can I do?
You can use black graphite from your hardware store as a neck lube. Just dip the neck in it after you lube the outside of the case. The powder already has graphite in it, so it will not contaminate the powder.
cybot63 3 months ago
I have reloaded from the 80's and you dont get motor oil near a reloading press or powder or primers it contaminates the powder and primers and can cause misfire.
cybot63 3 months ago
@cybot63 All resizing lubricants are oils of one form or another. The heavier waxes, such as Imperial Sizing Wax, are less likely to contaminate a primer than liquid oil, but in any case, the resizing lubricant should always be removed from the case before the priming and powder drop operations.
BTW - Independent tests have pretty well proven that gun oil is very unlikely to cause a misfire with loaded ammunition.
Liberty4Ever 3 months ago
+1000 for the motor oil! so much easier!
negtopside 3 months ago
i have a question and it prob sounds dum i reload 9mm and all i have to do is clean the brass lube it and start loading cant you do that with .223 and 5.56 because i have seenalot of people using a decrimping and resizing thing that spins lol BTW i have a dillon xl650
S1PR0DUCTI0NS 10 months ago
@S1PR0DUCTI0NS The processes shown in the video aren't added just for fun. Reloading bottle neck rifle brass is different from reloading straight wall pistol brass. You can use carbide dies and not need any case lube for pistol brass, although I mist a very tiny bit of lube on pistol cases. You'll get stuck cases resizing rifle brass without good lube. You'll probably lose pistol brass before you need to trim it.
Liberty4Ever 10 months ago
@S1PR0DUCTI0NS I'm all about doing a task as easily as possible, and that's what I tried to show in this video. As Albert Einstein said, everything should be as simple as possible... and no simpler.
Liberty4Ever 10 months ago
Question for ya: I heard that you really want to separate your different types of brass (ex: LC vs PMC... etc) before you use your primer pocket swager. This is because they are all slightly different crimps and/or internal dimensions. If you just did it to a pile of mixed brass, you would have to worry about the crimp still being there for some of the brass. Do you think this is correct, or to not worry about that?
tjby54 1 year ago
@tjby54 It's definitely a good idea to separate the brass for a few reasons. The brass has different wall thickness, crimp, flash hole diameter, rim depth and thickness, etc., so a progressive press will operate differently with different brass. The difference can be enough to cause reliability problems with the press operation, and obviously, any variation will result in less accurate ammo. I don't separate the brass for plinking ammo.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
@tjby54 The swager works by pushing a hardened button up into the primer pocket and displacing the softer brass to remove the crimp. After swaging, all of the crimp should be removed regardless of how much crimp had been applied, and any crimped pockets should all be nearly the same size. If a primer pocket was too large, the swaging operation won't make it smaller.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
@Liberty4Ever
Gotcha. I plan on using a turret press to reload .223 and .40.
So you seperate it the brass when you are making special accurate rounds, but if you're just making bulk "go out to the range and squeeze some off" rounds, you don't worry about it?
tjby54 1 year ago
@tjby54 If I want accurate rifle ammo, I'll usually start with NEW brass, usually from Lapua because they have very tight tolerances. The other option is all one manufacturer (military Lake City brass is actually pretty good). Then I'll fire form it to fit the chamber of that specific bolt action rifle. Then I'll trim to a uniform length and sort the cases by weight (particularly for non-Lapua brass). Turning case necks for uniform thickness helps too.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
@tjby54 For plinking ammo, I'm not as fussy about the brass. I do use mixed brass for plinking. I use a bent paper clip feeler, dragged inside the case from the head out toward the shoulder. Brass loaded too hot or shot in rifles with excessive headspace will develop a thinned ring on the inside of the case near the head which can be dangerous because it's an incipient case head separation. I crush and recycle that brass.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
@tjby54 Some foreign military rifle brass has an undersized flash hole. When resizing, the decapping pin pushes out the spent primer but it wedges in the small flash hole and is pulled out of the resizing stem on the return stroke. Major PIA! Once it happens, you can sort the brass by headstamp and drill out those undersized flash holes.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
Liberty will the ejector button not fit on the lee press? I've seen it installed on the rcbs presses and it looks like it would make things a little smoother and faster.
smaj100 1 year ago
@smaj100 The ejector on the RCBS swaging tool is a nice option, but it seems to be designed to fit the RCBS press and doesn't fit many other presses. It's not a big deal. It takes almost no more time or effort to rock the brass off the swaging button. In fact, I kind of like it better without the ejector. The brass stays in place and is less likely to fall off, and best of all, any piece of brass that doesn't need a little tug should be discarded, as it has an oversized primer pocket.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
Excellent video. Just started loading .223. Have been a handgun cartridge reloader for many years, and I'm still learning great tips from folks like you.
sousatd 1 year ago
in Canada u need to use no lead shells,
in shotguns i have to change my choke on it to use no lead for hunting.
i have seen no lead bullets for some riffles, i better have no lead in my deer riffle clip. u can bye no lead reload tips .
backwoods3214 1 year ago
have u evor reloaded no lead shells
backwoods3214 1 year ago
@backwoods3214 All bullets I've reloaded contained lead. I have considered designing all copper bullets that are longer, for a greater ballistic coefficient,and the homogeneous structure would be more uniform as opposed to copper metal jacket over lead core. The point would be more accurate .223 ammo. These solid copper bullets would probably be target loads only, but the longer bullets may tumble soon after impact so they may actually be good for defensive purposes... maybe.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
@Liberty4Ever Barnes already makes all copper bullets though. They're probably my favorite bullets...perfect expansion and weight retention every time.
huntwithairguns 1 year ago
Would you say that the RCBS case prep center is worth the money and faster?
kamaujackson811 1 year ago
@kamaujackson811 Yes, I like the RCBS Case Prep center. I wish it was a bit faster and more powerful to do the trimming, but it's held up well, and it's a lot faster than doing all of the operations sequentially, with all of the extra handling that entails, and the hassles of keeping up with all of the parts in all of the various stages.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
Wow, so much process.
seanxvw 1 year ago
always make sure to wash your hands before smoking now kids.... dont want to get any toxins in your body ;)
eschafer217 1 year ago
@eschafer217 And as George Carlin pointed out, it's a good thing that gasoline trucks have FLAMMABLE in big letters on the side, so when you're involved in a wreck, careening out of control at 60 MPH, and you're headed toward a gasoline tanker truck, everyone will know to put out their cigarettes.
Knowledge can keep you safe, kids.
Liberty4Ever 1 year ago
Why don't you use the piece that goes on the button to eject the case?
monsterscarry 2 years ago
The case ejector for the RCBS primer pocket swaging tool works with the RCBS press, but not the Lee Classic Cast press, which is a bit too beefy. It's not much of a loss. Most of my mixed brass for plinking ammo doesn't need to be swaged anyway, so the saging button serves as a GO/NOGO gage. For the primer pocket that does need to be swaged, very little effort is needed to rock the brass off the swaging button.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
Although I like the idea of swaging the brass, I now cut the primer pocket with the RCBS Case Prep Center and a Hornady primer pocket trimmer. The little brass shavings are a bit of a mess, but it's so darn easy to do almost every stage of case prep on the RCBS Case Prep Center.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
223 is really annoying to reload I just started reloading it and ive loaded many other cases before but this one is really annoying haha with the primer pocket trimming etc
BENLINUZ 2 years ago
i dont tumble my brass i dont clean out the brass at all just clean the primer pocket and trim ... tell me should i?
dills2403 2 years ago
Most reloaders like their ammo to look nice and new. A little light tarnish on brass won't change the way it shoots.
If you have a semi-auto that throws brass into the mud, you need to clean that off before reloading. Even a small speck of dirt can scratch a polished resizing die and it'll gouge brass and possibly stick from then on.
Polishing is quick and easy enough with a tumbler, so I prefer to tumble every time. You can also use a Zip Trim and ScotchBrite to clean the brass individually.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
Oh by the way, what brand of dies do you use?
schancke 2 years ago
I use Lee dies. I don't have anything bad to say about the others, but Lee dies have always worked well for me and they are a very good value. They may have some grit inside them from the final polishing operation, so I disassemble them, clean them, and use some gun oil to lube them prior to use. It takes about two minutes.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
Finnally someone who knows that "case lube" is just another money sucker:P Nice videos by the way!
schancke 2 years ago
Wow, motor oil as case lube. Maybe you should try some canola cooking oil next time lol. What I see here never seizes to amaze me.
CNEBUCKS 2 years ago
your videos are all very clear and your explainations are great. Between the loadmaster and Hornady Loc& load which do you prefer and why. Also on .223 brass if I have a little to much lube on resizing the neck may get a little kink. Is there any problem shooting those I had understood the kinks will pop out when you shoot them. Thanks for your snawer
commdor2 2 years ago
I only own Lee presses (LoadMaster progressive and Classic Cast single stage). I talked a friend into buying a Hornady Lock-N-Load when there were no Classic Cast presses to be had. It looks nice.
The hydraulic dents in the shoulders will disappear when the rounds are fire formed when shot. Unless they're very bad, they won't cause a problem. They probably won't be very accurate rounds because the neck won't be as concentric as it needs to be.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
im looking at getting a lee breech lock chalenger press, would say say that the classic single stage press is better? i know it costs more
minorpayne23 2 years ago
The breech lock system is nice for quick die changes while maintaining the depth setting. I do something almost as fast using the Hornady locking die rings and the Hornady die wrench, and that works in any 7/8" threaded press.
The Lee Classic Cast press is much beefier than the Lee Challenger press. I'd get the Classis Cast if you ever plan on resizing rifle brass, especially .308 or larger. If you want to do low volume pistol loading, get the Challenger. High volume, get a progressive press.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
Total noob here. Why do you swage the casing THEN clean the primer pocket? Is the amount of residue in the primer pocket inconsequential? Or are you ramming whatever debris is in the primer pocket into the casing when you press the casing onto the swaging button? I hate to make extra work, but couldnt you use the primer cleaning tool twice? Once before swaging to clean the primer pocket and then once after swaging to apply the chamfer?
namrog4 2 years ago
If I'm swaging the primer pocket, I usually won't use the primer pocket cleaning tool afterward. There usually isn't much primer residue in the primer pocket. Lately, I'll use the swager to resize the primer pocket on match grade brass like Lapua for bench rest precision shooting. I think it makes a more uniform primer pocket, and there's seldom any swaging needed. I use the RCBS Case Prep Center to cut the sides of the primer pocket for plinking rounds as part of the overall case prep.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
thanks very much for the quick response and for the clarification. while i'm waiting for New York State to issue my CCW permit - going on TEN MONTHS NOW - i thought i'd educate myself a bit about the process. your videos have been VERY helpful!
namrog4 2 years ago
You are getting CCW in New York?? I'm surprised. Did you make sure that it actually for carrying a real pistol and not a slingshot?
Just kidding. welcome to the club when you get your CPL.
Those sissy NY politicians have made it ridiculously hard to get firearms LEGALLY for those who obey the law, unless someone is a criminal in that case he/she would not care where it came from, would not want to register it either...
vbludov 2 years ago
Appreciate the helpful video, in part because this is the exact press I am thinking of buying. How have you liked the Lee Classic Cast press? Thanks again.
TroutDoc 2 years ago
I've heard some criticism of the Lee progressive presses (LoadMaster and Pro 1000) because their primer tray feed system isn't as reliable, and I think that is a fair criticism, even though I think they're good values. The Classic Cast press is super primo. I use it to resize .50 BMG brass that was fired in a loose chambered machine gun. Do not try that with a lesser press. The Classic Cast is a very beefy and well made press. It's also Made In The USA. The Rock Chucker is made in China.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
Thanks Bud, nice video, very informative
Buccaneer60 2 years ago
how many times could you reused the copper
huero555 2 years ago
Probably about ten reloadings is a useful maximum for brass used for plinking rounds in a semi-auto, maybe six for full power loads, and maybe 20 for low power loads in a bolt action. There are three limiting factors:
1) Your semi-auto can fling your brass so far you lose it.
2) You'll get a neck crack. These aren't usually dangerous, but the brass is no longer usable. PROPERLY annealing ONLY the case necks will almost completely prevent neck cracks from starting.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
3) Case head separations are dangerous (kaBoom!) and they occur when the brass stretches and a thin band forms inside the brass just above the case head, (just above the rim). You can't see this from the outside, but a bent paper clip feeler can detect the incipient case head separation on the inside. Excessive headspace increases this problem. Crush and recycle any brass with an incipient case head separation.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
im new to all this and very interested in doing it myself and the only fear i have is using a case one to many times n well, having an incident at the range. i saw a guy at a guy store with a horrible story. is there a rule of thumb or a certain number of times a brass casing can be used before become dangerous? for example, if a 9mm case can be used lets say (for example cuz i dont know) 20 time, i would use it 15 times, way before its lifespan to minimize problems
louie000007 2 years ago
In general, straight wall pistol brass can be reloaded more than bottle necked rifle brass, and the failure mode with pistol brass is usually more benign. Neck cracks aren't as bad, but case head separation can be very bad. If there's excessive head space on your rifle, the risk is greater. There isn't a set number of times that brass can be reloaded. It depends on pressure, how much you resize the brass, head space, etc.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
To prevent case head separation when reloading bottle neck rifle brass, make a feeler with a paper clip and drag it inside the brass, along the case wall, from the case head up to the shoulder. You can feel a gap forming down near the case head that runs all around the brass in one thin annular ring. Crush and recycle brass that is demonstrating this incipient case head separation.
Liberty4Ever 2 years ago
Best reloading video available
goleafsgonh 2 years ago
TYVM for these great vids.
bostonbitch 2 years ago
thanks for the vids. i've been wanting to get into reloading rifle calibers.
outlawprostreet 3 years ago
i am new to reloading and have recently finished up trial batches of .45 acp .44mag and .500 s&w. im wanting to reload .223 but cant find .223 bullets. do you just use the .22 caliber (.224) projectiles?
bonfu1 3 years ago
.223 Remington uses a .224" bullet. It's common for the actual bullet diameter to be larger than the nominal caliber. .50 BMG is one of the worst offenders. It uses a .510" diameter bullet.
You should have a reloading book that has this information in it. I like Modern Reloading Second Edition by Richard Lee. It's friendlier and more conversational than the typical reloading book, and also about half the price. The load data is excellent, including drawings with all dimensions.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
so the .224 is ok to use even if it says its for .22 caliber?
bonfu1 3 years ago
".22 caliber" is different from .223. If you're reloading .223 Remington, aka ".223", which is nearly interchangeable with 5.56mm X 45 NATO, then you want .224" diameter copper jacketed bullets.
Search for "223 Remington" at Wikipedia for more info.
Again, I'd recommend a good reloading book with cartridge diagrams that clearly show all dimensions for the ammo, including the bullet diameter.
I want to help, but there are some questions that make me wonder if I'm helping someone to get hurt.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Thanks for the great Video, Do you think th emotor oil weight is a factor? You said 5w 20, but I have some high quality 5w 30 100% synthetic sitting around, think it will be fine? Thanks
DAEHOIDAR111 3 years ago
For all I know, 3W30 might work better! I bet both work very well. I do think there's a significant difference in the shear strength of synthetic oil versus petroleum oil, so I'd stick with a full synthetic. I've been meaning to try some much heavier synthetic oil. I have some gear train oil that's around 80W, I think.
I tried automatic transmission fluid and it did a decent job as a case lube, but synthetic motor oil is much better.
Please let me know how the 5W30 synthetic works for you.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Is that the collet neck sizer die?
cliffennis 3 years ago
The only rifle ammo I reload on the LoadMaster press is plinking ammo for semi-autos, so I need to full length resize the brass, so it's not a neck sizing die.
The last stage, I use a collet die to crimp the bullet in place. It's the Lee Factory Crimp die, and I highly recommend it.
For a bolt action, I'd recommend full length resizing, fire forming brass to fit the chamber, and then neck sizing only after that for maximum case life and best accuracy. I'd use the Classic Cast press for that.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
What die are you using for the resizing?
cliffennis 3 years ago
All of my dies are Lee dies. When they arrive, I take them apart and clean them and lubricate them with a good gun oil or the synthetic motor oil that I use for case lube. That's particularly important with the Lee resizing die, because they often have a fair amount of black grit in them remaining from the final polishing process. It might be fine silicon carbide. That abrasive grit is a good way to have a stuck case, no matter how much resizing lube you use.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Question? What was the purpose of the dryer sheet? Looks like it might be to catch the crud off the brass, and thats a good idea.. just wondering.
Iridium242 3 years ago
The dryer sheet makes all my brass smell springtime fresh!
Just kidding.
The dryer sheet absorbs the resizing lube, dirt from the range pickup brass, black oxide crud, etc. It keeps the crushed walnut shell tumbling media from loading up with contaminates so it lasts much longer. A lint free shop-grade paper towel works too, but not quite as well, and the used dryer sheets are free if you have a wife or girlfriend. I don't know any guys who know why dryer sheets are used in dryers.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Is that a primer pocket cleaning tool or a primer pocket uniformer (brushing vs. cutting)?
idsman75 3 years ago
A set of large and small primer pocket brushes come with the RCBS Case Prep Center, but I use the Hornady primer pocket reamers. They index off the bottom. Spinning in the bottom, they will clean out primer debris on the bottom of the primer pocket, but they don't cut the primer pocket any deeper. They will cut the sidewalls, reaming out any military crimp if needed, and they will also cut a nice bevel entry to make sure the new primer starts easily.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
You need to show the part where you dig out the media packed into the .223 cases.
ireload2 3 years ago
I don't have ANY tumbling media packed into the .223 cases.
If you do, then you're doing something wrong. Your media is very contaminated with way too much case lube, although that probably isn't it because I've used tumbling media until it's disgusting black dust and still get clean cases and primer pockets.
If you add brass polish to the media, do that with the tumbler running and no cases in the tumbler, and let it run for 15 minutes to distribute the polish.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
My tumbler is the rotary type and what I learned from using it is to keep my cases clean and avoid tumbling. It is occasionally used to clean up cruddy cases but in general I keep my brass clean and never tumble it.
ireload2 3 years ago
Use crushed walnut shells (my favorite) or corn cob media. Some people try to use cat litter or Speedi-Dry or some other clay based media, and that will stick.
Make sure your cases and media aren't wet. Any moisture will cause the media to pack and stick.
I dump the tumbler into the media separator, spin the handle for about a minute and all of the media is in the bottom and the clean cases are in the basket.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
I have added Nu Finish, mineral spirits and paint thinner (preferred) to walnut and have never had media clumped/stuck in 223 casings. I would agree you are doing something wrong. Too much of any liquid added to walnut will cause clumping. Always be sure to run the tumbler for 10-15 minutes after adding any liquid to the media, PRIOR to adding any brass. BTW, I've found that adding 2-3 tablespoons of paint thinner to walnut has turned out to be the best combination for cleaning brass.
PinecrestJim 3 years ago
I am not doing anything wrong.
Rotary tumblers tend to stick the media in .22 caliber cases. Therefore I rarely use a tumbler any more. I take you guys never used a rotary tumbler.
ireload2 3 years ago
Great video.
Thanks for making that.
tnekkc 3 years ago
Can Winchester 760 powder be used to load 223?
jmkpns 3 years ago
You can probably create a .223 load with WIN760, but its burn rate is too slow to be optimal. It's more for heavier .308 and larger bullets. I use WIN748 for .223 and it's optimal for that caliber.
You could probably get a better answer by googling a little. There are websites that specialize in reloading data, although obviously, when you trust someone over the internet, it's a lot riskier than relying on the manufacturer's load data.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Thanks for the tip. I wonder how long it'l be before they ban powder and reloading supplies. Too bad Ron Paul isn't our next president or even McShame, but Paul is the only one up there pushing 100%.
jmkpns 3 years ago
Just another tumbling method... I use ground walnut and add a tablespoon of UNSCENTED mineral spirits, both available at Walmart's larger stores. The mineral spirits do the best job I've found of cleaning and polishing casings. Do NOT use regular mineral spirits or your media and tumbling room will definitely have an odor.
Will have to give the syn oil a try. Interesting idea....
PinecrestJim 3 years ago
Why do you use motor oil instead of case lube?
eriatarka1983 3 years ago
I thought I explained it in the video, but I can't remember. I use synthetic motor oil in place of commercial case lube because it's better. It's also cheaper. $5 buys a quart which is probably a life time supply. It's easier to apply than most commercial case lubes, and it's easier to remove than most. Why WOULDN'T someone use synthetic motor oil?
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Wouldn't it make more sense just to tumble it once after depriming to save double handling?
Sturms 3 years ago
If you were only depriming, there is no need to tumble clean the brass first, but that only works if you shoot the ammo in a bolt action rifle and want the brass to remain fire formed to the chamber. For a semi-auto or lever action, you'll need to resize the brass to ensure that it'll feed properly, and that's done with a die that resizes and de-primes at the same time. If you don't clean the brass before resizing it, the dirt from the range will scratch your resizing die.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
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dallaxandria07 3 years ago
Hi, very informative video. Can i use the Lee chamfer tool in the video for removing military crimp on my 223 brass? The dillon swage is quite expensive. Also, do you need a primer pocket brush, uniformer and deburrer? I notice you didn't use one in the video.
foxspeedlogistics 3 years ago
The Lee chamfer tool won't do a decent job of removing the military crimp from the primer pocket. It'll taper the entry to the primer pocket to get the primer started into the primer pocket, but it won't remove any of the crimp inside the primer pocket. I recommend the Hornady primer pocket uniformer. It's a small hand turned, straight sided end mill. It cuts the walls of the primer pocket and makes the primer pocket diameter uniform. It also cleans out the crud from the bottom of the pocket.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
all the vids on youtube would take 3 years to watch
GLOCKY10 3 years ago
Have you tried Hornady one shot lube?
Or how about Dillon's lube?
It is mainly lanolin with some rubbing alcohol.
Synthetic motor oil... hmmn... I might just have to try that.
chills1994 3 years ago
I reload 9mm, .40s+w, and .45acp. Is it neccessary to crimp the rounds if I am just punching holes in paper.
pcaru1 3 years ago
I prefer to seat the bullet in one stage and use the Lee Factory Crimp die to collet crimp the bullet in the next stage. If you don't have an extra stage (Lee Pro-1000 press or single stage press), you can adjust the seating die to seat the bullet and then do a little roll crimp at the end.
Feeding pistol ammo from a magazine can push the bullet in too far and cause dangerous chamber pressures, and recoil in a revolver can act as an inertial bullet puller. You need a crimp.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Wow, I will do that in the future. I use Lee dies for .45 and .40 and Lyman for 9mm.
pcaru1 3 years ago
After I tumble my cases, I need to wipe each one by hand to get them shiny??? Any suggestions?
pcaru1 3 years ago
If the stuff you need to wipe off the cases is case lube, you may need to tumble longer, but 20-30 minutes is usually more than enough. If you're wiping off tumble lube, dust from the tumbling media, or a combination of both, your tumble media may be "loaded up". The conventional fix is to replace it, but I've found that adding a couple of used drier sheets to each load will clean the media as the media cleans the brass. Drier sheets make the media last longer.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
Thanx for the info. I will change out the media and see if that helps. I've tumbled about 700-800 rds. with whats in there. I will try the pet bedding also.
pcaru1 3 years ago
700-800 rounds? I do that many at once now that I got a larger tumbler! You should be getting a LOT more life out of the tumbling media. I probably tumble 20 loads before replacing it and maybe twice that many if I'm tossing in the used drier sheets to suck up the crud that would normally load up the cleaning media. Your brass should come out looking better than new. You never said what you were wiping off the cases. Was it some dusty debris, an oily film...?
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
It is an oily and powdery coating, like a blackish film. Underneath the cases are pristine. But getting there involves an extra step. I have a lyman pro 1200 tumbler and do 100-200 at a time, depending on caliber. I also use Turbo Brite polishing paste. This happens on the first tumble because I use carbide dies and only tumble once. I have not reloaded rifle brass yet.
pcaru1 3 years ago
Reloading bottle nose rifle brass requires case lube, so it needs two tumbles, the initial to clean it and again after resizing to remove the case lube. Pistol, you should only need the initial tumble.
The black oily powder is the same stuff I'd get, but after a LOT more pieces of brass. The used drier sheets in the tumbler soak that stuff up and make the tumbling media last a lot longer. They also keep your brass from sticking together from static cling (just kidding).
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
One note: I counted the brass thats gone thru the tumbler and, my fault, the number is closer to 14-15 hundred. regardless, I changed the media and put a drier sheet in. Ran 200 cases thru for 5 hours and its a lot better but still some coating. Is it possible it's the polishing paste I'm using? Its Turbo Brite by Lyman. Should I just tumble with just the media? My fingers need relief from polishing. :)
pcaru1 3 years ago
I've used Dillon brass polish and now use Frankford Arsenal brass polish. Both are formulated for tumbling ammo brass, with no ammonia that might weaken the brass. Neither leave the sort of residue you're describing. I've read where other people use NuFinish car wax with good results. I bought some for that purpose, but the Frankford Arsenal polish may be cheaper and I bough a quart. As infrequently as I change the tumbling media, that may be a lifetime supply!
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
If you need to replace your tumbling media, a cheap source is a pet store or the pet department of larger Walmart SuperStores. They sell crushed walnut hulls and ground corn cob media as some type of bedding material for hamsters or something. I like the walnut hull tumbling media.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
hia thanks ive been loading .223 for about a year, every now and then i get a case stuck in the die ,i thought it was because i was useing to much lee lube , i dont think i was useing enough,i tend to tumble the case's after sizeing to clean the lube off the case's ,but i see you tumble frist
cressy7 3 years ago
Try the 100% synthetic motor oil as a resizing lube. I think you'll like it. I think it's better in just about every way - cheaper, easier to use, faster, less messy, doesn't gunk up the tumbler media as badly, etc.
I tumble the cases for 4-6 hours first to remove any dirt that could scratch the resizing die and make the brass nice and pretty, then I tumble for 20-30 minutes after resizing and depriming and trimming to length and neck chamfering, to remove the resizing lube.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
thanks once again
cressy7 3 years ago
only thing using motor oil-if you dont clean it all out and i mean all-itll deteoriate your powder inside the brass and cause misfires or low power loads you wont notice-best to stick with factory lube-it dosent do this.
usmcsniper23 3 years ago
All of the oil based commercial case lubricants could result in primer deactivation and might possibly have an adverse effect on powder. No matter what case lube you use, remove it from the inside and outside of the case.
Only a very small amount of synthetic oil is used, so it's less likely to cause contamination. Unlike spray on lubes, only a very thin film of oil is used inside the case neck and there should never be any oil inside the case if applied as shown in the video.
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
liberty-man what kind of powder do you load 223 autoloader-ar15 with im currently using h110-its allright-62 grain ss109 bullet.26 grains.have you any recipes for how much alliant reloader 10?its a new powder by alliant-used for 223.their online catalog dosent have any recipes yet.heard of anybody using it?someone said around 23-23 grains.i want to be double sure-not blow me up. thanks fella have a nice day. jr.
usmcsniper23 3 years ago
Sorry, I haven't used either of the powders you mentioned in .223, so I can't make a recommendation.
I use 25.4 gr of WIN748 for 62 gr FMJ and 26.2 gr of WIN748 for 55 gr FMJ. I've also had good results with 26.2 gr of Varget with 55 gr bullets, although Varget doesn't meter well.
Lately, I've been using X-Terminator and Tac powders from Ramshot, but don't have enough experience to make a recommendation. Ramshot likes Tac for .308 and X-Terminator for .223. So far, I like them a lot!
Liberty4Ever 3 years ago
THANKS liberty,ill try these and let you know the results.thanks a lot man.748 is a good powder ive used a lot of it.everybody says reloader 10 is good i just cant find any info on it.thanks a lot guy.
usmcsniper23 3 years ago
enjoyed the nice professional video. sounded like Jeff Bridges to me. keep on shootin'!
gbwsaw28 3 years ago
Cases are Remmingtons and they are new and checked to 1.750. Thought it would be better to stay within the load data rather than appearance. Was a little concerned that the crimp may not be a solid in this situation. As I understand it the cannelure provides a recess to were the material at the end of the neck can be squeezed (not rolled) into the that void using the factory crimp die. Followed the install instructions to the T.
Thanks for your help!!
mattheat69 4 years ago
The Lee Factory Crimp Die does not need the cannelure. It makes a secure crimp, and if you adjust it for full crimping it makes a VERY secure crimp. Forget about pulling bullets with a kinetic bullet puller. You'll need a collet bullet puller, and the .223 bullets often start the taper just above the case neck so there is no straight side of the exposed bullet to grab, so a collet puller has a hard time pulling bullets too. That's some incentive to make sure your .223 reloads are good!
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
Just loaded 1st round. Using H335 powder and MOAL is 2.200. There is still a little of the crimp groove showing, unlike the store bought Wolf that I have as comparison. Is it better to not see the crimp groove as in Wolf or stick with the MOAL 2.200. I suspect that it is better to see some of the groove than go too much beneath that MOAL since it would increase the pressure. Your feedback from you experience is greatly appreciated!
mattheat69 4 years ago
I wouldn't go below the minimum overall length. Follow the load data. My load book calls for 2.20" minimum overall length for a 55gr FMJ bullet and H335 powder, and a cartridge maximum overall length of 2.26".
The bullet's cannelure (crimp groove) is a rough guide that should result in the correct cartridge length, but I've gotten into a situation like you describe where the minimum OAL results in a visible cannelure.
Cases trimmed to 1.75" to 1.76"?
YOU ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR AMMO!
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
Your using walnut shells to clean your .223 brass and using the synthetic oil to lube your cases. Im starting out and using the corn media will that make the media sloppy or shorten its life significantly?
mattheat69 4 years ago
I've never used the corn cob media because it's often bigger chunks that seem more likely to clog flash holes or primer pockets, but I think the corn cob media should be able to absorb more case lube before becoming saturated.
One added bonus of the synthetic oil is the fact that so little is needed to prevent stuck cases. That means the cleaning media lasts longer.
Tossing in a couple of used drier sheets or even some of the low-lint paper shop towels keeps the media clean longer.
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
Great Video, Ky boys will survive !
kybosshog420 4 years ago
Nice video. It helps to give a general idea to those new to reloading, or considering reloading their own ammunition. I've never used synthetic motor oil, but it looks like it's working for you. Interesting how everyone adopts their own ways of doing things. :)
gunforme 4 years ago
you sound like a robot :)
Halo2Ollie 4 years ago
I think you're being too kind. :^)
I need to get someone to narrate my reloading videos!
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
I have a lee classic breech press and a set of lee pacesetter dies in .308cal. When I go to deprime and resize the case it gets stuck on the deprime rod. The rod and the case come loose from the lock nut on top of the die. I dont know why it does that. I am kinda new to metallic reloading. Let me know what you think. Thanks
worrovert 4 years ago
The first thing I do with Lee resizing dies is disassemble them, clean them with alcohol (Power Blast, or any good solvent). There is usually some black grit in there remaining from the grinding and polishing. This grit is high friction stuff. After it's clean, I immediately lubricate the inside of the resizing die and the expander rod (that's also the decapping rod) with 100% synthetic motor oil.
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
Synthetic oil is NOT a case lube. Cleaning dies is always a good thing after sizing.
Start with clean cases and clean dies. Lube with CASE lube. Lee works but so does others. Lee has the ADVANTAGE in that cases are not slipperly.
If the decapping/expanding stem slips, the nut needs MORE TIGHTENING. It is pipe thread, tapered. Adjust accordingly.
slyputz 4 years ago
Lee case lube is good. Imperial sizing wax is better. Synthetic oil is by far the best case lube I've ever used. It's also not as messy and cleanup is easier.
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
While reloading, be sure to put A LITTLE lube down inside the case neck. The expander needs some lube or it will seize on the brass.
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago
thanks for the vid!
rugerac556 4 years ago
Man, I REALLY hate to hear my own voice. :^)
Liberty4Ever 4 years ago