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  • jhart

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Mar 17, 2010
    73
    8
    greenwood
    your steps for reloading

    As a newbie to reloading as few others on here are I was wondering how you guys do it. Basically your process

    here is mine

    1. I tumble all my brass then sort by head stamp at which time I try and pull brass I deam not usable

    2. I lay one of the blue shop towels (disposable type). On a cookie sheet coat it with dillion case lube spray and roll the cases on it to lube them and set them in the reloading trays to dry usually work about a hundred at a time. (rolling about 10 to 15 cases a time on cookie sheet)

    3. Once I have 1-2 hundred lubed I then resize/de-prime I also take them straight to the trimmer resize 50 then trim 50 till all done.

    4. Then I run them thru the ultrasonic cleaner to clean the lube off. Shake them out allow to dry. (at this point they go into containers for future use)

    5. I grab a previous container that has had ample time to dry. and proceed with rest of case prep ( swag primer pocket if needed, clean primer pocket and chamfer case. and put them in reloading trays upside down

    6. then hand prime putting them back in the trays upside down

    7. Drop the charge taking an upside down case and as I fill them they go right side up. (working in 25-50 at a time as I don't want anything getting in case with the charge so I try to work quickly) If I am doing test rounds I right on the case with a sharpy the grain load and seat a bullet right away.

    8. seat bullets (7-8) happen at same time really if doing large run I usally load drop charge in a tray full 50rnds seat bullet then on to next tray. once all are seated then on to 9.

    9. crimp

    10. start all over cleaning sizing die for next round.
     
    Last edited:

    Old Dog

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Mar 4, 2016
    1,377
    97
    Central Indiana
    Looks like you have system (not much different from mine) that works for you. Adjust steps as you feel the need or change equipment. Best advice I can give is to take your time, work in an order, double check (visually) your powder charges before sticking the bullet on top and be safe. FYI I have used Brake Clean to degrease my sized brass for a long time, it works well. I haven't looked into the ultrasonic cleaners.
     

    Broom_jm

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 10, 2009
    3,691
    48
    For pistol, I tumble for about 30 minutes, then reload them on my Lee Classic Turret press.

    For rifle cartridges, it depends on whether they are for accuracy, hunting or plinking, but each start with a thorough case prep routine before the first firing, then an adjusted process that varies based on whether or not trimming is required. It's good to have a process and stick to it.

    I usually work with two reloading blocks, transferring cases from one to another as each process is completed. I typically prep each rifle case to the point where all that's left to do is charge with powder and seat a bullet. Sometimes I proceed with loading them and sometimes they get stored fully prepped.
     

    Falconpuch

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    May 25, 2014
    71
    8
    NW Laf
    Pistol- I stainless steel tumble, dry on dehydrator and then load.

    Rifle- Stainless steel tumble, dry on dehydrator, Resize/trim/chamfer/debur/swage, stainless steel tumble again, dry and load. On all my Rifles, After I resize I take a caliber to each one to determine if I have to trim.

    I don't worry about head stamps since I'm not shooting competitions. I just load to shoot a lot.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    broom- I have been debating changing mine a little to do the same and store them fully prepped. It makes more sense.

    This is what I do. Weather is crappy I process and prime brass. Then all I have to do is powder them and put a pill on. Makes it nice to have all the grunt work done.

    Pistol is real easy tumble and fill back up on a progressive. If anything looks iffy it gets scrapped.
     

    ScouT6a

    Master
    Rating - 92.9%
    13   1   0
    Mar 11, 2013
    1,732
    63
    Tumble rifle and pistol brass. Pistol gets a light spray lube (homemade formula) then right to the Dillon 550B.
    Rifle gets deprimed, swaged primer pocket (if needed) trim, chamfer and to the Dillon 550B.
    I have shot my .308 Winchester loads out to 1000 yards with sub MOA groups, using my "system"
     

    Leo

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Mar 3, 2011
    9,734
    113
    Lafayette, IN
    Stages?

    All
    the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.......Shakespeare.

    Sorry, I could not resist



    Glad you got your question answered, I would have been more serious if needed.
     

    noylj

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 8, 2011
    284
    18
    Return home from range.
    Go to garage.
    Inspect, deprime, and sort cases.
    Clean cases (usually 30 min. in 20/40 corn). Alternatively, I can completely clean the cases to bare brass with 20 minutes in ultrasonic cleaner or 6 hours in tumbler with SS pins. Doesn't matter--won't effect the load accuracy.

    Bottleneck cases:
    Roll cases on 40+ year old RCBS lube pad.
    Partially size so cases chamber easily and prime
    Measure case length and trim as needed
    Charge case with powder using bench-mounted powder measure, immediately inspect powder in case, and immediately seat bullet
    All done.

    Straightwall cases:
    Pour cases into case collator
    Load cases (be sure to keep primer tube and powder measure hopper full)
    All done
     

    crewchief888

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Aug 13, 2016
    549
    43
    NWI
    i dont load any rifle brass
    i tend to tumble brass when i have 400-500 rounds of dirty brass. while the tumbler is running, i load primer tubes, fill up the powder hopper, then run a few rounds and recheck my charge weight.
    when the brass is clean, it gets sifted, media back in the tumbler, dump the clean brass in with the rest of the clean brass, and start loading.
    brass gets a quick inspection as it gets set in the press. (Dillon Square deal)
    i'll keep going until i run out of powder, primers or bullets.

    shotshell loading takes a little longer, (lee load all) i only reload winAA hulls, sorting and tossing oddball hulls, and checking crimps.

    :cheers:
     
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