New brass

[Montey]

I've just been back through several pages and can't find a reference to prepping new brass.ok I know I've read bits regarding this subject and I know to measure the case length but I've always full resized my brass out the box.Im using Lappue in 308 and 300wsm both for Fclass. I can rember Brilo mentioning getting the best results with new un preped brass but my memory isn't perfect and I apologise if I'm wrong!!

So what do people think I'm finding the less I do the better the results!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Gun Pimp]

Does no harm to run 'em through the full-length die out of the box - takes out any small dings in the necks etc.

[Catch-22]

What I do with new brass is:

1. F/L size (without expander ball)

2. Use an expander mandrel on the necks

3. Find shortest case and trim all others to it

4. Chamfer & deburr

I don't bother with flash holes & primer pockets.

[Brillo]

With new Lapua brass I just run an expander mandrel (honed to size) through the necks just to remove any dings and to help ensure consistent neck tension, and then chamfer and debut the necks.

[gbal]

With quality new brass (and 'nothing shoots like new brass"),if it feels to you that it is doing some good,then do it. If not convinced,see last point below.

Neck sizing is so much easier (I'm getting too old for sticky fingers),and should sort the neck dings-I doubt the case body will have any,or to any effect.

  When only going plinking (ie .5 moa will do nicely) I just load a round as normal,and  hope that it will  " fire formed " pretty well around the neck etc.

Catch-I'd modify the trimming-if 99 were within .1 spec,and one was sub SAAMI,I'd just keep that one for 'sighter" and load the rest as is.You probably would too-99 considtent on spec and no trimming for me beats 100 trimmed to marginal sub spec..

We all set criteria a little flexibly,I suppose.-as ever,is it a world cchampionship event,or a tin can rattle (and how good are the weakest links elsewhere in the chain?)

gbal

 

[Andrew]

13 hours ago, Catch-22 said:

What I do with new brass is:

1. F/L size (without expander ball)

2. Use an expander mandrel on the necks

3. Find shortest case and trim all others to it

4. Chamfer & deburr

I don't bother with flash holes & primer pockets.

This is almost exactly my process except i leave the expander ball in. (It's very educational to feel the varying tensions as the ball passes through the neck. Makes you glad you are FL sizing first.)  Not only does FL sizing take out any irregularities, but it then sets your load development on a course that guarantees that on the second loading, your brass will be as close as possible to what it was on your first loading. Why would anyone want the "Best" results on new, unsized brass?? Unless you have an endless supply of it, of course. I'd rather find my best in a manner that I can replicate.~Andrew

[Catch-22]

4 hours ago, Andrew said:

This is almost exactly my process except i leave the expander ball in. (It's very educational to feel the varying tensions as the ball passes through the neck. Makes you glad you are FL sizing first.)  Not only does FL sizing take out any irregularities, but it then sets your load development on a course that guarantees that on the second loading, your brass will be as close as possible to what it was on your first loading. Why would anyone want the "Best" results on new, unsized brass?? Unless you have an endless supply of it, of course. I'd rather find my best in a manner that I can replicate.~Andrew

My thoughts exactly. For the small amount of effort involved, I think it's worth just setting one's brass up to be as identical as possible. Ultimately, isn't that the goal of good reloading??

but I do agree Gbal; there is some flex in all of this. As said, I personally don't do the flasholes or primer pockets, and I certainly don't weight sort my brass or bullets, and I don't turn necks. These things to me are unnecessary steps at the 'level' of shooting I do.

But my method makes sense to me as i believe it provides, what I consider, to be the maximum value for effort involved in providing a good foundation to consistent reloading.

Just my 2cents.

[Montey]

First off I have spotted that I stated I use Lapua bras in the 300wsm when I use Norma I don't believe Lapua make bras for the 300wsm?

My take is that less can be more i.e. to much prep can distort the case.Given  that the brass has come out of an expensive exhaustive process. I personally find once fired the best which I suppose is pretty  obvious !! Good to hear every ones take on this thanks.

 

 

[gunner]

Personally I just run a neck expander thru the neck . The last batches of Lapua were soo consistent in length there was no need to trim to length, although I'd normally do that after initial firing. Trim & deburr 

[Andrew]

On 1/26/2018 at 2:35 PM, Montey said:

 

My take is that ..................................... to much prep can distort the case.

 

 

That's the first time I've heard that.~Andrew

[VarmLR]

Depends on the brass batch.  My last batch of Lapua was very consistent with almost all measuring to within 2 thou of each other that I just ran the neck expander from my FL die through the necks to get each uniform and to remove some of the small dings, chamfered, primed, loaded and fired.  On my last .308 batch which had been delivered by someone who, it seemed, had first kicked the box around and used it as an ice-puck substitute  based on the dents and dings in it.  That lot was all FL sized before chamfering and loading.

My PPU brass I always FL size and trim to length first as it's never as consistent.