Thread: Case Inspection. Anything of note here, folks ?

Without actually having some of these cases on my bench and being able to measure and inspect Im going to start with some questions if thats OK.

Can you please post a photo of a case being sized? I want to see the opening between the case holder and the bottom of the die, when the case is in the top position of the cycle.


2. Have you experienced difficulty in closing the bolt on reloaded ammo?

3. What kind/brand deburring tool are you using? (For the casemouth).

4. Do you have a comparator to measure how much your pushing the shoulders back when you FL resize? Have you ever measured it?

Hi @Jaco Goosen thanks for your questions.

2. No difficulty closing the bolt. Sometimes I can feel a little gentle resistance but usually none.

4. How much do I push the shoulders back ?
I measure 5 cases at the start of each batch of 40-50.
Here are the measurements for the last 2 batches I did (average and max - min dimensions of 10 cases):
Cartridge headspace length at 0.400" datum Hornady comparator body and insert (SAAMI spec 1.627-1.634" )
Mean (min-max)

Before sizing 1.626" (1.6255-1.6265)
After sizing 1.623" (1.622-1.625)
resizing. 0.003" (0.001-0.004)

Will post the other answers shortly

At 15 shots I would be retiring the brass
That’s bloody good case life and in my opinion they are done
15-16 fireaings is when I tend to retire quality brass like lapua or norma
If had to retire brass as low at 4 shots with cheap brass but that’s normally my fult for running them a bit warm
Normally get arround 7 with something like winchester or federal before I loose the primer pockets (normally the thing that goes on cheap brass

Here's the press sizing a case.
Can't really see the case or die fully. It's a CoAx pres and the case base is held in sliding jaws. It was set so the die contacted the jaw plates then about a quarter turn tighter than that.


Here's the sizing lube I use.
Imperial Sizing Die Wax to the outside of the case, applied with greasy nitrile gloved fingers.
Imperial Dry Neck Lube applied to the inside of the case neck with a Forster Case Graphiter brush on a stand.


Here's how I measure how much the shoulder is sized back each time.
It's the cartridge headspace dimension.
I use a Hornady case comparator with nominal internal hole diameter 0.400".
That's red Hornady comparator body and anvil attached to the calipers.


This one was 1.626" before sizing.


and 1.6245" after sizing.
It measures to the nearest 0.0005".


So, this one was sized back 0.0015".

as others have said,you are getting over a dozen reloads from a case= good going
DO NOT CHANGE WHAT YOUR DOING...much.... I would ditch your primer pocket cleaning tool after first use to ensure the size is same,then just a quick scrape with small screwdriver or similar...you just need to remove the carbon/charred bits=job done
sharpen a point onto your paperclip so it can poke into and hairline crack forming...scratch it down inside of case,you WILL find one thats getting thin...after a dozen fireings it will be there.

Hi B.

Hi B. Sorry for only getting back to you now.

Nothing wrong with the amount your pushing the shoulders back. Its all good.

Thanks for the photos of the cases being resized too.

Im gonna agree with MD - you've pretty much got it covered.

The marks on the bottom of the case does not indicate case head separation to me, it might be caused by the storage containers or worst case scenario - the die's got a rough spot that needs to be polished.

I also use the same procedure as you to clean my primer pockets - Im not as strong as you are though.

I square my case mouths after each firing and champher both inside and outside of the case mouth - to assist with seating.