Reloading for the Anal Retentive

[legion]

Reposted from PARF...

So I've developed a new workflow for .223/5.56 on my Dillon XL650. This is aimed at keeping my dies as clean as possible.


Step 1: Decapping

Run the brass through a toolhead that has only a Lee Universal Decapping Die in position #1.

Step 2: Preliminary Cleaning

Clean the brass in the ultrasonic cleaner. This gets rid of all the powder/mud/other debris on the brass.

Step 3: Dry Brass

Put the brass in a brass dryer for 2 hours.

Step 4: Sizing

Toolhead #2 has an RCBS lube die in position #1, a Dillon sizing die in position #2, and a Dillon sizing die in position #4. So the brass is lubed, sized, and trimmed by this toolhead.

Step 5: Flash Hole Deburring

I use a Lyman flash hole deburrer on my RCBS case prep station to deburr flash holes.

Step 6: Remove Primer Crimps (Optional)

If reloading military brass, remove the primer crimp. I used to use a tool to cut them out, but recently acquired a Frankford Arsenal primer pocker swage and it has made the job MUCH faster.

Step 7: Measure Primer Pockets

Use a primer pocket gauge to ensure that each piece of brass is within specs for primer pocket size. Rework any brass where the primer pocket is too small. Discard any brass where the primer pocket is too large.

Step 8: Clean/Polish Brass

Run the brass through a rotary tumbler with stainless steel media, Lemishine, and water for an hour.

Step 9: Dry Brass

Put the brass in a brass dryer for 4 hours.

Step 10: Reload

Toolhead #3 has a Lee Universal Decapping Die in position #1 (as a safety precaution, but it is really unnecessary). Position #2 is a powder die. Position #3 is a powder check die. Position #4 is a bullet seating die. Position #5 is a crimp die. By removing the sizing die from this toolhead, I no longer have powder sticking to leftover case lube and don't have to clean my dies on this toolhead. In fact, the only die that I have to clean consistently is the universal decapping die on toolhead #1.

[abisel]

for my 556/223 brass, I do something similar, but different.

I have a 4 station Dillion 550 for the reloading, and an RCBS single stage for d-cap and re-size.

1: clean the brass in Dillon tumbler. Walnut shells and a squirt of liquid brass cleaner.
2: with a Redding die, de-cap and resize the brass in the RCBS single stage. I use Sinclair case lube (small round tin) and lube enough cases that will fit the plastic case block. About 50 at a time.
3: trim the brass on Wilson lathe with a power screwdriver to turn the cutter. Deburr the case mouth with both the inner and outer cutters mounted together on a base and use the power screwdriver to drive the cutters.
3: clean the primer pockets with RCBS pocket brush on the power screwdriver. I never found it necessary to check depth of primer pockets, but maybe I should check them once and a while.
4: Onto the Dillon to seat primers at station 1. I have a second re-sizing die at station 1, but is adjusted to NOT resize, just stabilize the case during priming.
5: I don't like the Dillion power measure/thrower so I replaced station 2 with Redding powder measure/thrower. A manual step but it works good and throws consistent measures of powder (Win748)
6: with a Redding Micrometer seating die, seat the bullets at station 3. Periodically measure the seating depth to verify the ogive of the bullet is about 4 thousands short of touching the lands of the barrel. This short 'jump' of the bullet seems to work best in my AR.
7: with a Redding die, crimp the bullets/brass at station 4.
8: after a reloading session of maybe 200 rounds, I would clean the dies. Especially the re-sizing die.

This has worked well for I have no idea how many hundreds, maybe thousands, of rounds I have reloaded for high power competition.

[id10t]

Still haven't convinced myself that reloading is worth my time or effort. While I shoot over one thousand rounds of 9mm and 223 and 308 per year between what components cost plus equipment plus time plus space in the house it just doesn't work for me. For giggles, I just went to midway and put enough components to load 2k rounds of 5.56 with factory second 55gr bullets. $512, call that 25c/ round. I can get 1k Federal to my door WITH a handful of P-mags for $300 from PSA, that's 30c/round plus free mags. Or if I didn't really care and fed my rifles steel case crap that stuff is still ~250ish per case, same price.

One day I'll be able to afford the different guns I want, and then reloading will make sense because the only "cheap" calibers are for semi-autos of the tactitype variety. 38 special is almost 2x the cost of 9mm at walmart.

In the mean time, knock yourself out, I'll spend my time loading magazines

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by id10t

I can get 1k Federal to my door WITH a handful of P-mags for $300 f

Yep, but reloaded stuff is better. More consistent amount of powder. The amount of powder that works best for your gun. The projectile you want to use. And neck size the cases only - Ask Mr Higgins.

[legion]

I reload as a hobby until itself. No, I'm not saving much money, if any on 9mm and .223. I'm definitely saving a ton on .38 Special (I cast my own bullets as well) and .32 S&W Long is just about impossible to find.

[ckelly78z]

For this purpose, I bought a .22 conversion for my Palmetto Armory AR15. I don't worry how many rounds I burn, when shooting .22 caliber.

[berettafan]

I'm close to pulling the trigger (ha!) on a 650 for either 9mm or 45acp. just built a nice little reloading table in my garage for my 28ga reloader and left room for the 650. what's holding me back is Fed American Eagle 124gr 9mm is around $180 shipped right now and plenty accurate. if I can get my grip on the 45acp figured out to the point that I can compete at my local matches with it i'll have the motivation to get the 650 for 45 as the savings there are significant.

if I were a serious rifle shooter I would expect reloading to be a no brainer.

[Jeff Higgins]

There is a level at which attention to detail at the loading bench reaps benefits at the range. When I was competing seriously in long range black powder cartridge rifle matches, I told everyone I was winning those matches in my basement. That was not far from the truth.

Beyond that certain level, however, one is just making extra work for one's self. With as much ammo as I reload and shoot every year, with the variety of calibers for which I currently reload, I have learned to pare things down to the basic necessities. No extra steps.

I've learned what is important and what just makes me feel better. I have rifles that are accurate enough to "deserve" some extra attention during the reloading process, but most are not. In other words, I might spend some extra time ensuring concentricy in my .220 Swift rounds meant for long range chuck or coyote shooting, but I'm not going to sweat that extra half MOA on one of my .375 H&H or .458 Winchester Magnum hunting rifles that will likely be pointed at something quite large and very close.

I reload mainly just as a hobby unto itself, and because I shoot a lot of calibers that are all but unavailable commercially today, or are quite expensive when found. All of my reloading is done on the one and only press I have ever owned, a single stage RCBS I bought when I was about 18 years old. If I were trying to keep some semi auto, like an AR-15 fed, I'm not so sure I would hand load for it. Maybe if I were to ever get back into NRA Highpower, but short of that, I think I would just buy whatever I can find the cheapest. I just couldn't get worked up over reloading for an AR-15 that I would just be taking to the gravel pit. Just not worth the time and effort.

[JTO]

That’s a ridiculous level of work for probably little benefit.
I’ve been reloading for thirty years and have done half of that detail . I tumble, and then use all four stations of my Dillon 550 to recap, prime, drop powder, seat bullet, maybe crimp but only for autoloaders.

My hunting gun and 6.5 CM shot sub moa and my “fighting “ rifles shoot right at 1 moa. That’s with tumbling, trimming if needed and loading on the progressive. Handgun cases I just tumble and load.
I like to spend my time shooting not loading
Ymmv
Troy