Case Prep

[Magnus]

For ALL casings I use a universal deprimer before wet tumbling. It's more to allow water to flow through the casings while tumbling than cleaning the primer pockets. It also makes drying faster. Then if its a type of casing that needs lube I resize them and then run them in a corncob tumbler to get the lube off. You could simply reload the lubed cases and then tumble the completed rounds but I never felt comfortable doing it that way. Besides, completed rounds are much heavier than casings and you can tumble many more empty casings at one time.

I did want to get a thorough cleaning done by having water flow through.

Here's a question, rather than having to lube each individual case can I lube the die?

 

[dsdmmat]

I did want to get a thorough cleaning done by having water flow through.

Here's a question, rather than having to lube each individual case can I lube the die?

you can, be sure to buy a stuck case removal took kit before you get going too far though.

 

[Darth]

you can, be sure to buy a stuck case removal took kit before you get going too far though.

Get a priority mail box with the address of the die manufacturer written on it.

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

RCBS makes a special lube die that lubes as you size but you have to keep refilling it. I'd still like to try one one day though. But it's not like you have to sit and lube every case individually. Look at "boot leg lube" and how to use it.

 

[Darth]

Hornady One Shot.

Lad them in a block, spray one from each side.

Done.

 

[Magnus]

So I found some spare lube I apparently had and went to town last night. It was a big difference from my first attempt. Now I can clean them thoroughly.

 

[Magnus]

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

Magnus,

Can you please explain? Do you mean you had dirty casings and lubed/sized them and then cleaned them afterwards?

 

[Magnus]

Magnus,

Can you please explain? Do you mean you had dirty casings and lubed/sized them and then cleaned them afterwards?

So I had dirty cases that I wanted to deprime before cleaning. After speaking with the guys here, they warned me about using the full length sizer with out lube. I got a universal depriming die from LEE and started depriming last night. I lubed the inside and out, punched out the primer, and repeated. Now that the primers are out I want to tumble them and clean them thoroughly. Through the case and the primer pocket as well.

 

[togmaster]

Magnus, There is no reason to lube the cases or dies when using the Lee depriming die. Please don't take this the wrong way but you may want to consider taking the NRA Reloading class. It's taught at a number of places but Walt at Blue Mountain does it a few times a year and you will be able to pick up a tremendous amount of knowledge in a weekend or two.

 

[Magnus]

Magnus, There is no reason to lube the cases or dies when using the Lee depriming die. Please don't take this the wrong way but you may want to consider taking the NRA Reloading class. It's taught at a number of places but Walt at Blue Mountain does it a few times a year and you will be able to pick up a tremendous amount of knowledge in a weekend or two.

This is my first attempt at reloading, so I'm not taking anything personally at the moment. I wouldn't mind taking a class on this stuff as I'm in new territory. My main concern was preserving the die from being ruined by the dirty cases. When I say dirty I mean fired gunpowder, sand, dirt, and grass.

 

[ManrisFrack]

Yeah the decapping die shouldn't touch the case except in and around the flash hole. No need for lube with that one (unless you're using the expander too??).

What are you using as lube anyway? Looks like a grease of some sort and way too much of it. If you size with that much lube on the shoulders/necks you'll get dimples all over your shoulders/necks - maybe even undersized or deformed necks.

I use Imperial wax just on the body when I size. Just a very little applied with thumb and index finger. I'll dip the necks in the graphite container (Imperial Dry Neck Lube 1oz Powder) before putting the wax on.

 

[Magnus]

What are you using as lube anyway? Looks like a grease of some sort and way too much of it.

I used LEE's lubricant, they told me to use it sparingly, those fuckers.

 

[dsdmmat]

I have tried everything from lube pads, sprays, baths to wax. IMO imperial sizing wax is the best thing since sliced bread. Took me 30 plus years to discover that.

 

[Magnus]

I have tried everything from lube pads, sprays, baths to wax. IMO imperial sizing wax is the best thing since sliced bread. Took me 30 plus years to discover that.

I like sliced bread, so I'll take a look at it. Will this help me when I start on .38 casings?

 

[dsdmmat]

I like sliced bread, so I'll take a look at it. Will this help me when I start on .38 casings?

normally you do not lube pistol cases, especially straight walled pistol cases. Make sure you get a carbide sizing die set when you do buy your dies. If they are not carbide you may encounter a situation where lubing pistol cases is appropriate but it is not a normal thing. I do lube my 41 mag brass when loading on a progressive press just because it reduces the friction on that one station.

 

[togmaster]

normally you do not lube pistol cases, especially straight walled pistol cases. Make sure you get a carbide sizing die set when you do buy your dies. If they are not carbide you may encounter a situation where lubing pistol cases is appropriate but it is not a normal thing. I do lube my 41 mag brass when loading on a progressive press just because it reduces the friction on that one station.

I actually just started lubing my pistol cases and I am liking the results so far. I'm loading an a Dillon 550 so the press is performing 4 functions at once. I've found a quick spray of Hornaday One Shot Case Lube makes everything run a lot smoother with a lot less effort. Hornady One Shot Case Lube Aerosol

 

[Magnus]

Thanks again guys. This hobby is slowly adding up, when do I start to see the benefits? lol

 

[MilesTeg]

Thanks again guys. This hobby is slowly adding up, when do I start to see the benefits? lol

The only benefit are more shooting. Savings are non-existent.

 

[Magnus]

The only benefit are more shooting. Savings are non-existent.

You had me at more shooting...

 

[MilesTeg]

You had me at more shooting...

Once you get your procedure figured out and get a trusted load figured out things move faster. The first few rounds and figuring out a load work up is slow.

 

[BDSKJCHRIS]

my case prep process for all brass:

deprime using a universal decapping die (not sure if i have the lee, rcbs, or the lyman)

wet tumble using stainless pins and a harbor freight dual drum rotary tumbler

rinse/separate with rcbs media separator

dry in a harbor freight food dehydrator for 45-60 minutes

lube the primer pockets with one shot

remove crimps with the rcbs primer pocket swage combo, (will soon be switching to either a dylan superswage or hornadys new swage tool)

lube with one-shot

full length resize

measure/trim if needed (currently using a lyman universal hand trimmer)

deburr/chamfer

wet tumble for 15 minutes to remove shavings and lube

dry in dehydrator

store in an airtight container with appropriate label

most of my brass prep is done whenever i have down time and motivation to do so, at any given time i have at least 2,000 pieces of 5.56 on hand ready to be primed, charged and seated.

 

[squib]

Thanks again guys. This hobby is slowly adding up, when do I start to see the benefits? lol

When you have a custom load for each firearm and start shooting bug hole groups

 

[HighlandLofts]

Interesting reading here. Just about to start up this process myself.