Thread: How do you reload 223 for semi

Hi Guys ,

I thought I would start this thread , so people that reload 223 on progressive presses , can post thier proceedure in making ammo for a semi-auto , ie AR15 type rifles etc .

I just re-read a article in NZ guns , oct 2014 , and it mentions , tumbling the loaded rounds in a tumbler ? , to take off any resize lube etc , it does not mention if he uses a rotating tumbler or a vibrating tumbler ? , just thinking a vibrating case tumbler could cause the powder to break down ?

Cheers Chris

Doesn't tumbling loaded rounds bash the powder up a bit and affect the burn rate?

I thought being a semi it does it for you?

My process.
Tumble in walnut media with a small dash of Dillon case polish (4 hrs)
Spray with Dillon case lube (2-3 sprays over 400-500 single layer on a towel and shake)
Full length resize (check the first few with a good quilaity case gauge)
Dillon 550 or Dillon 650
Powder
Seat Projectile
Crimp projectile.
Shoot and then repeat.

I never tumble after loading the rounds.

pretty much same as simon , except i use motor oil for lube , and wipe down the cases later , i dont use much oil , just enough to allow full length resize without resistence...

except i prime my cases as well .....im sure simon does as well

Originally Posted by stumpy

pretty much same as simon , except i use motor oil for lube , and wipe down the cases later , i dont use much oil , just enough to allow full length resize without resistence...

except i prime my cases as well .....im sure simon does as well

Yep a primer helps.
I use CCI #400

Tumble clean (walnut with Dillon case lube and a couple of cap fulls of turps)
Lube
On single stage, size and deprime.
Clean/wash
Measure and trim any
Into 650 with carbide dies.
Shoot stuff.
Repeat.

Same as above.

I never clean after loading.

Don't use enough lube to warrant it.

Lately I've been using this lanolin based product with bloody good results.
Serious Shooters Super Case Lube Small - case, easily, cases, new, products, no, brass, ... - Serious Shooters

Place a couple of hundred cleaned cases into a plastic bag, give them a couple of squirts followed by a good shake or two then dump them out of the bag leave 5mins and into the load master case collator.

Cheers
Pete

As soon as I am home from the range I make it part of my routine using a progressive press to lube, deprime and resize using a smallbase die, wet tumble, then dry.
All I have to do then is prime, charge and seat.
I wait till I have around 500 cases cleaned and dried before I bother loading them.


Same goes for all pistol ammo as well.
Takes me around 10 mins to deprime and resize 150 .223 cases after a session at the range.
It is an extra step but I never have to worry about cleaning lube off my loaded rounds.


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dirty fired brass>>>

lube (DIY lanolin & isopropyl alcohol)
full length size and deprime
wet tumble with stainless media
dry in a dehydrator

then on a 4 stage turret>>>

prime,
powder drop,
bullet seat,
crimp.

Done.

My process:
Wet tumble with stainless steel pin tumbler (suppressed AR makes them filthy which scratches you dies) and dry
Lube
Full length size and deprime with small base die
Wet tumble and dry again to get the lube off and clean the primer pocket
Prime with hadn primer
Load (automatic powder trickler), single stage press

Doing 500 cases takes a while. I need a progressive press... I don't bother weight sorting or trimming to length like I do with a bolt action. I don't bother picking up the brass when hunting, I just buy more used brass. You should only reload cases a small number of times with a semi anyway.

Wet tumbling is easy and quick enough that I am happy to do it twice.

Never ever tumble loaded rounds as it can remove the external coating on the powder grains/sticks in the load which is dangerous.
I clean my brass through a sonic cleaner, dry it in a dehydrator, size it using a small based rcbs sizer die (essential if your running the brass through a semi) and also use Dillon spray lube which is lanolin and alcohol. I do this in a container with a lid and you just spray them and shake them around. Then I tumble for an hour to "polish" the brass and remove any lune.
Just like new brass. The sonic cleaning removes All the carbon