Case Preperation Q;

[skip AI]

Gday, I was just wondering how you prepare your cases before reloading and if proper case preperation can leed to improved accuracy?
I usually chuck my cases in the my tumbler then I Neck size them which also deprimes them then I hit them with my Lee case trimmer (hand one) and then run my Redding Deburing tool on the inside and out, then I prime them ect ect.
Should I be turning them in one of those little lathe trimming things so it is cut and debured squarer with the case?
Is there anything else I should be doing? am I doing anything wrong?

TIA, cheers

 

[firstcoueswas80]

i am a rookie at this but here is what i do:
resize them and pop the primer out. take my primer cleaner thingy and clean out where the primer was. soak them in rubbing alcohol for about 15 mins. rinse tourhly place in oven and let them dry. i then take them out, hand dry them and wipe em clean. re-prime them and load em up!this has worked well for me as the primary gun i reload for ( my 270wsm) produces sub 1/2 inch groups with this method!
Casey

 

[jb1000br]

this might help...

http://www.6mmbr.com/JGcaseprep.html

JB

 

[Centre Punch]

Skip,
My cases get a full benchrest prep even though they might not be going into a custom chamber.
That way i know that i have crafted the finest cartridges that my ability will allow, this inturn gives me the upmost confidence in my ammunition.

You are not doing anything wrong, but if you want ultimate accuracy full prep is the way to go.
Some will tell you it is not neccessary for a hunting rifle, i disagree, consistant accurate ammo will always be the best ammo.

I dont go to the extremes of measuring case capacity with water but i do segregate cases by weight.
All cases are then fired once before prepping.

Primer pockets are then cleaned and uniformed, flash holes are both uniformed and deburred (even though i am using Lapua Brass),cases are then necked down and expanded back up to fit trimmer and turning mandrels, then trimmed and neck-turned.

Standard de-burr on the outside of the neck and a VLD de-burr on the inside.
To finish off i rub each case mouth with wire wool to make sure ther no sharp edges.
Cases are then cleaned and polished ready for re-loading.

Ian.

 

[skip AI]

Thanks all, Ian, does how you trim your cases make a difference?
What tools would I be looking at getting to uniform the primer pockets and flash holes? ( I dont even clean out my primer pockets! )
Also do Lapua make brass for 25-06 if so how does Lapua brass fire form?

cheers

 

[Hired Gun]

Here is what works for me. For utmost accuracy I buy my brass in bulk. Then just neck size, lightly chamfer and go shoot it. Now my regular prep. I throw the fired brass into a tumbler with dry crushed walnut media. I let it shake for 24 hrs. I then run it through my Lee Collet die to size the neck and knock out the old primers. I then reseat new primers, throw the charges if using ball powder or weigh each one to perfection and then seat the bullets. I randomly check brass length and when it gets to max I will bring them all back to just under max length with an RCBS trimmer. I will probably switch to the Lee one soon. I believe it's faster and more consistant. With the Lee collets my brass stretches little even when shooting max loads. I have found dirty primer pockets mean nothing and turning necks on a factory chamber means the same. I never bump the shoulders back. I prefer a nice snug fit. I just keep my lugs clean and well lubed. Partially neck sized brass with consistant powder charges and seating depths have been the biggest factors for accurate ammo for me.

 

[Jimm]

Skip ,

G'day mate , Lapua offers brass for the 30-06 and the lapua brass is tops . I have fireformed hundreds for my 243 AI and then fired and reloaded them 3 or 4 times already without any problems and using the Lee collet neck die I still have loaded cartridge runout in the .001 to .002 range , mostl under .0015.

I do not trim necks or " uniform " flash holes on this brass. Using rounds loaded in this fashion I shot a personal best 300 yd. group of .537 yesterday. I am aware that that is no great shakes compared to what can be done but remember , 1. no neck trim
2. no flash hole work
3. Inexpensive Lee collet neck dies ( that require no lube /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif)
4.And finallly , I have yet to push the shoulders back at all .

Hope this helps , good providence on your loading , Jim Brown

 

[Jimm]

Oh yeah ,

I forgot the final ingredient , 5. old man with less than the best eyes , rods or cones or otherwise /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

your friend , Jim

Jim

 

[duckinalaska]

Hey Guys,
I was just wondering if you have ever experienced your brass sticking in you sizing die. It happened to me in my 7 ultra after I re-sized/knocked the primer out. It tore the rim of the case when I pulled it back out.
Thanks,
Brandon

 

[EddieHarren]

CentrePunch, why do you weigh before prepping? Unless you take the exact same amount of brass off of every case, you will wind up with cases that don't weigh the same.

 

[Centre Punch]

Skip,
The main reason for trimming to length is for location of the neck turning mandrel which buts up against the case mouth to determinethe length of cut.

I neck turn because i use neck-bushing dies which will only size correctly and hold the same neck tension if the necks are all the thickness.

If you want to go that way, in view of what the other guys have said, you will need a primer pocket uniformer and a flash-hole de-burrer, i uniform the flash-holes with a normal drill bit.

I use K&M services, products. i dont think they have a website but Sinclair international carry everything you need
http://www.sinclairintl.com/index.html

As Jimm says lapua do not make 25-06 brass, my buddy Brit forms his from Lapua 30-06 brass with excellent results.
With carefull adjusting of your die you can neck down to create a shoulder which is the exact length for your chamber, but an intermediate sizing to 270 would be reccomended first.

Ian.

 

[Centre Punch]

Doc,
I agree with you, i weigh before prep to cull any cases that are grossly out of weight range of the rest.
Also if i start with a batch of cases that weigh the same after prepping my variables will not be as widely spread as with non segregated by weight cases.

Ian.

 

[firstcoueswas80]

yes i have had this happen to me. oddly enough, it was a 7 ultra also and it did the same thing!