Thread: Reloading Range Brass

Originally Posted by zimmer

I do it a bit different. Assuming brass is range pickups (or aka road kills), I deprime first using a Harvey deprimer, then into the SS tumbler to get rid of any grot that could end up in my dies. Once clean you can choose a couple of paths.

For a newby reloader I wouldn't stress about annealing, it's a function that can come later in your reloading career. Unless it's done properly I rate it as a waste of time although stopping necks splitting has merit. Likewise meticulously uniforming primer pockets, although I use Lapua brass which generally doesn't need uniforming.

I would definitely sort into brands, but I load to get the very best result possible and this is one step that helps achieve optimum results.

My own experience is FC is shite, irregular weights, flash holes punched off centre.

Thanks Zimmer. What do you use on the primer pockets?

me I just give a quick whirl with the case deburring tool.

Originally Posted by Cookie8008

Thanks Zimmer. What do you use on the primer pockets?

I used to go full on, uniforming the pp depths. With good brass eg Peterson, Lapua it is not necessary. I still debur the flash hole from inside. Most cheaper brass has the flash hole punched which can leave jagged edges. Deburring them is a once only step. There are tools to do this, I have even used a drill bit lightly turned by hand. It doesn't need much. Shine a wee torch inside and see if it is an issue.
As far as uniforming depths for hunting ammo I would not bother. Unless your salvaged brass is really bad.

There is a lot in priming but for hunting ammo going to extreme target grade steps is not necessary, or something you can progress to as you get more experienced or inclined.

If I do need to uniform depths I have an adjustable tool made by 21st Century. You need to be careful and not cut excessively, just uniform. I had a bad experience with a Sinclair tool. I bought 2 at once. One cut to a reasonable depth whilst the other cut far deeper than the first. Sinclair refunded me on that one. I just use the reamining one to clean pockets, not to cut them.

Your group looks good and as MD pointed out a good load and projectile.
I have never tried 2206H. Have a part tin of it's ancestor, 2206, still left, but have always used BM2. Nothing wrong with 2206H though.

I've got a bit of american eagle fmj ammo. It has the primers crimped in. I just deprime and I've got one of those lyman tools that's a cylinder that screws apart and there's different bits inside it that screw into the handles. I just use the primer uniforming cutter and that does a good job. Ive tried my lee case neck deburer it kind of works but lyman tool works better. As above I wouldn't worry too much about the annealing, 223 doesn't seem to be prone to splitting necks and if you use a collet die your working the brass even less..

Originally Posted by zimmer

I do it a bit different. Assuming brass is range pickups (or aka road kills), I deprime first using a Harvey deprimer, then into the SS tumbler to get rid of any grot that could end up in my dies. Once clean you can choose a couple of paths.

For a newby reloader I wouldn't stress about annealing, it's a function that can come later in your reloading career. Unless it's done properly I rate it as a waste of time although stopping necks splitting has merit. Likewise meticulously uniforming primer pockets, although I use Lapua brass which generally doesn't need uniforming.

I would definitely sort into brands, but I load to get the very best result possible and this is one step that helps achieve optimum results.

My own experience is FC is shite, irregular weights, flash holes punched off centre.

Why would anybody be keen to size work hardened brass. Each to their own.

in 30 years of reloading I can 100% hand on heart say I have never annealed brass and have discarded for split necks less than 20 cases over that time....
your milage may vary,but its just not a needed to do thing for me.

been reloading about the same time and only recently bought an annealing machine as I was getting split necks on a new caliber, prior to that Id heard a lot about it but never needed to. Some of my x55 brass would be past 8 reloads...

Been reloading rifle cartridges for about 43 years. Like others have never annealed a case. Have had the odd split neck over the years but have experienced this with brand new factory ammo a few times so go figure. Had a few case head separations because of the 'lets reload this case one more time' scenario. A bit like using a bit of candle wax to hold shotgun case crimps shut because they've been loaded a few times. I'm not a benchrest shooter so can't see myself starting to anneal cases any time soon. Each to their own.

Originally Posted by zimmer

My own experience is FC is shite, irregular weights, flash holes punched off centre.

True but I went through a large (free) batch of it in my RemVS varmint rifle over the years. 27.5grs of W748 behind a 53gr HP Hornady. Shot like a demon, any time it was over 1/2", it was probably my fault. Never even annealed it and still got well over ten, possibly even over 15 reloads out of them before they started splitting

When Im resizing mixed .223 brass I can always tell when I strike a Federal. It's harder. More resistance. Still use it though.

the S&B we had in .308 was far and away the worst brass Ive struck...actually ripped arm off press resizing...made to do it if too much pressure. threw it all away after one go....

Originally Posted by Cookie8008

Thanks 6x47. I'm loading (& keeping separate) the different makes of brass but was thinking that was just to check the difference in accuracy. I'm running 25 gr of ADI 2205H with 55 Gr Hornady SXXP projectiles which gave awesome results at 100m.Attachment 238163
Top 3 in group before adjusting scope with gave me the answer I was looking for.

That's good shooting in anyone's book!

Originally Posted by Hugh Shields

That's good shooting in anyone's book!

Thanks Hugh. That's why I stayed with the previous owners recipe although it seems I typed that on my cellphone & without my glasses! It is ADI AR2206H with Hornady 55gr SPSX. Cheers.

its that close to my old go to recipe its not funny...and given that I was using milserp brass,its for all intents n purposes ,the same load.
stick with it,its a keeper.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

its that close to my old go to recipe its not funny...and given that I was using milserp brass,its for all intents n purposes ,the same load.
stick with it,its a keeper.

Will do Micky Duck. I previously used Benchmark 2 for 223 but see I can use it for 303 also. 150 gr projectiles.