[New68]

Hey guys,
New to reloading and have a couple of questions about case prep. I am getting ready for the arrival of my Extreme. I have new Hornady dies, SSA brass, H332, CCI 41's, and 1000 prohunters are on the way. I have the RCBS flash hole deburring handtool and the .270 cal pilot so I thought I would start there. Simple enough but how much pressure do you apply when using the tool? A few light twists? A few firm twists? Just don't want to mess up my brass.

Also, does new brass usually need trimming?

Thanks

 

[paulosantos]

Hey guys,
New to reloading and have a couple of questions about case prep. I am getting ready for the arrival of my Extreme. I have new Hornady dies, SSA brass, H332, CCI 41's, and 1000 prohunters are on the way. I have the RCBS flash hole deburring handtool and the .270 cal pilot so I thought I would start there. Simple enough but how much pressure do you apply when using the tool? A few light twists? A few firm twists? Just don't want to mess up my brass.

Also, does new brass usually need trimming?

Thanks

With the new brass, you don't really have to do anything to it except chamfer the inside and outside of the case and start loading up.

 

[New68]

Paul,
I tried a couple and you can feel the raised edges where the flash hole was punched. Wouldn't it be best to remove that for best accuracy? I just don't know how much pressure to use.

Also, are you saying that I don't need to run them thru the sizing die the first time? This first batch might be easier than I thought.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[DDriller]

I run mine through the size die due to bent case mouths and crooked necks.

 

[paulosantos]

I run mine through the size die due to bent case mouths and crooked necks.

If I have any with the bent case mouths, I just partially run them through the re-sizing die to fix it. You don't have to use lube because you don't have to drop the lever all the way down.

 

[paulosantos]

Paul,
I tried a couple and you can feel the raised edges where the flash hole was punched. Wouldn't it be best to remove that for best accuracy? I just don't know how much pressure to use. You can if you really want to, but I don't waste my time. If you do it, use just enough pressure until it is smooth. Just try a couple and you will be able to tell how much presure you need to use. Start with just a little bit.

Also, are you saying that I don't need to run them thru the sizing die the first time? This first batch might be easier than I thought. If the case mouths are not bent, you don't have to do anything except you should chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth. If you have any with the bent case mouths, just partially run them through the re-sizing die to fix it. You don't have to use lube because you don't have to drop the lever all the way down.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[angsniper]

I always deburr the flash holes on any brass that I'm shooting for accuracy.

 

[borderpatrol]

Paul,
I tried a couple and you can feel the raised edges where the flash hole was punched. Wouldn't it be best to remove that for best accuracy? I just don't know how much pressure to use.

Also, are you saying that I don't need to run them thru the sizing die the first time? This first batch might be easier than I thought.

Thanks for the quick response.

I'm not familiar with that exact flash hole deburring tool, but most of them have a small tube that limits depth of cut so you can't screw it up. If the cutter head is encased in a small tube don't worry about depth.

If the cutter head is not encased by a small tube then your depth of cut is set by the pilot and a set screw. Remember your just going to knock the burr off the primer hole. If you continue to run revolutions the cutter will eventually enlarge the primer hole itself and that's a bad thing. It will increase chamber pressures on that case and otherwise make your shot to shot variations greater not smaller. This of course will defeat the purpose of doing this in the first place. Easy does it works for me.

Edited to add - If you haven't started yet I wouldn't waste my time. 6.8SPC is not 6mmPPC. This technique is for 600+ yard tournaments or benchrest competition. It will have very little to no effect on performance other than make you feel good.

 

[Mark21]

Edited to add - If you haven't started yet I wouldn't waste my time. 6.8SPC is not 6mmPPC. This technique is for 600+ yard tournaments or benchrest competition.

+1

The way I handle my .308 brass for competition is totally different than my 6.8 brass. You can spend HOURS prepping brass to an extreme: annealing, primer pocket uniforming, primer pocket deburring, neck turning, resizing, etc... There is def a loss of benefit-to-time ratio the more you put into it if you are not competing or doing long-range shooting.

I've always shot my new SSA brass without anything, and I get great 1" groups at 100 yards. Could I cut that down to .75" with more time on the brass and loadings? I'm sure, but for my situation, not worth it. It is neat to do most of those steps at least once though to see just how accurate your gun truly is.

 

[rcrandall]

The only things I do with new brass is neck re-size like Paulo and check to make sure the flash hole is un-obstructed.

 

[Awake777]

What is the cheapest way you can trim, deburr, and chamfer?

The Lee Zip trim thing?

 

[Mark21]

For absolute cheapest, buy one of those deburring/chamfer tools for about $15 from LE Wilson or RCBS or Hornady (there are like twelve mnfr of these things) plus that Lee Zip Trim for $18. However, I have no experience with that Lee.

And in my opinion, if you are going to be doing any large amount of trimming, the question is no longer what is cheapest, but what is quickest. For example, I trimmed and deburred/chamfered 3,000 cases of 5.56 over the winter. I used a Power Trimmer from RCBS (would love the Giraud, but it costs too much $$$). whic saved me prob 7-9 hours. Then I added the auto debur/chamfer 3-way head to do those two steps at the same time as I trim (prob saving me another 3 hours of twisting my wrists back and forth deburring each case until my hands go numb). The setup cost some money, but 12 hours of trimming saved is worth WAY more than the $200 extra I had to put into the setup.

 

[RoAus]

With the new brass, you don't really have to do anything to it except chamfer the inside and outside of the case and start loading up.

I want to prime up some new SSA brass today but first I have a quick question. While check out my reloading stuff, I noticed that my new brass wouldn't go all the way down on my Lee Case Length Gauge to the Cutter. The case length guage is narrower at the top by the flash hole pin, then it gets thicker 1/3 of the way down to the cutter. Is this normal for new brass not to fit the Lee case gauge past where it gets thicker? And am I good to go to chamfer inside and out and prime them up? I'm thinking after I load it up and fire it and come back to trim it it will fit...right?

Also, I know I don't need to trim the new brass cause it's length is 1.676" I was just checking everything out and noticed this...So I asked.

 

[paulosantos]

I want to prime up some new SSA brass today but first I have a quick question. While check out my reloading stuff, I noticed that my new brass wouldn't go all the way down on my Lee Case Length Gauge to the Cutter. The case length guage is narrower at the top by the flash hole pin, then it gets thicker 1/3 of the way down to the cutter. Is this normal for new brass not to fit the Lee case gauge past where it gets thicker? And am I good to go to chamfer inside and out and prime them up?

Also, I know I don't need to trim the new brass cause it's length is 1.676" I was just checking everything out and noticed this...So I asked.

I never used the Lee toll, but generally with the SSA Brass, the case mouths are sometimes not perfectly round so I just place it in the press and partially re-size it (I just pull the lever down until the die straightens out the case mouth. You don't have to lbe the brass. Give that a try and see it that works.

 

[Tat2]

I never used the Lee toll, but generally with the SSA Brass, the case mouths are sometimes not perfectly round so I just place it in the press and partially re-size it (I just pull the lever down until the die straightens out the case mouth. You don't have to lbe the brass. Give that a try and see it that works.

I agree with Paul, plus w/ flat based bullets like the Prohunters I have found that if you chamfer the inside of the necks good
it makes the flat based bullets easier to seat. Have fun.

T

 

[constructor]

Check the mouth of the case for a lip from shearing and turn or chamfer the case to remove it.
check the diameter of the necks top and bottom before you load too many, it MUST be .306" or less

 

[RoAus]

Thanks, will do!