Case prep when useing progressive press???

[660grizzlyguy]

When loading on a progressive press, what do you folks do about case prep. Trimming, primer pockets, etc. Do I have to keep my old press?

[CowTowner]

If it's pistol ammo, I just tumble it clean and run it through. After doing the normal safety checks for powder weight, OAL, etc. Except for an occasional crimped primer, I don't have any problems. 90% of my brass comes from the range I'm a part-time RSO at.

[vranasaurus]

When I reload 44 Mag and 45 ACP I don't worry about trimming. I don't think I am going to do it when I reload 9mm either. From my understanding (Disclaimer: I could be way off) trimming isn't as critical for straight wall cartridges and they don't tend to grow like bottle neck cases do.

I am going to get an RCBS X-die for my .223 so I only have to trim them once. I am also getting a regular sizer so I can put it in a separate die plate and I will size all the brass with it, then trim it, then use the X-die in another die plate. I am doing this so I don't have to adjust and readjust my X-die for sizing pre trim and post trim cases.

I have never cleaned out the primer pocket but I could easily pull each case out of the pro 2000 to brush out the primer pocket after sizing.

[Unclenick]

Case stretching happens when a case sticks to the chamber walls harder sooner than the pressure develops that is needed to stretch the brass near the head to get the head to touch down on the breech face. Straight wall cases usually blow back against the breech before the pressure gets that high. That's because the full diameter bullet sees equal and opposite push back against the inside of the casehead, where a bottleneck case only gets a portion equal to the bullet diameter as a portion of the case diameter. Less, in other words, even at equal chamber pressure. So, the bottleneck case sticks to the chamber before the head can move back, while the straight case usually gets the head back before the pressure gets high enough to stick the case to the chamber. Ergo, no stretching for the latter.

If you are loading for rifle in the progressive, the X die approach sounds like a good idea to try. I use my two progressives only for straight wall cases currently, preferring the Forster Co-ax press for rifle rounds.

[armedtotheteeth]

unclenick.. you have a way of making an otherwise semi intelligent man feel kinda dumb. Wow, you thought that out?? wow. Make sense, sorry, I have a brain ache today

[Lilswede1]

Started reloading with the Dillon 550b Progressive.
Then discovered all the different steps needed to create an accurate load.
Bought an inexpensive Lee Single stage and a FL sizing die for .223.
Santa brought me the RCBS Trim Mate. What a wonderful gift that is.
Now I can resize (to fit chamber of CZ 527), deprime, trim, clean and re-form primer pocket, clean flashhole and brush neck very quickly and easily, then I tumble the brass and store 100 ea. per 1 qt. zip lok bag for loading at a later date.
I do all the case prep in the shop and actual loading in the house.
I would also suggest you get the Hornday OAL tool and maybe the RCBS Precision Mic tool. I use both of them quite frequently to insure the cases are all uniform and to correct tolerances.

[DEDON45]

Vranasaurus, I use a X-Die for my .308... see http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...25&postcount=5

No trimming is normally necessary for pistol rounds, especially those that headspace on the case mouth, like .45ACP, 9MM Parabellum, .40S&W, etc.

Rifle rounds often require trimming... I use the RCBS X-Dies ... you have to trim a case once, but only once, after that, the X-Die mandrel keeps the cases from "growing." Not sure why RCBS is the only maker offering this, but it seems to work.

[Powderman]

When loading pistol or revolver ammo, a good session in the tumbler is in order first.

Rifle cartridges, though, are another story.

I find that it's easier to process cases for bottleneck cartridges in phases. It's a bit easier and helps to turn out quality ammo.

First, I'll gather all the rifle cases I plan to load, and they go into the tumbler. No need to get them sparkling right now--just knocking off the powder fouling and rough stuff. I then use a plastic margarine tub and juice them up with spray lube. I'll roll them around for a couple of minutes, and then shoot them again--right down the case mouths. You don't need much for the second application.

Before I start this process step, I will remove everything from the toolhead except the sizing/decapping die. The cases then go into the case feeder, and I run them all through this way. The final steps are to clean up the press and sizing die--especially the case pathways--and to put the cases in a strainer. I'll break out the turkey cooker's burner, and bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil, with a little bit of Simple Green thrown in. The strainer gets lowered in and swished around a bit; then the cases are dumped out onto newspaper and allowed to air dry for at least 24 hours.

The next step is to run them through the tumbler again--this time, it's with crushed walnut and brass polish. About 2-3 hours per batch leaves them looking all shiny and purty.

Now, after this step, it's time to inspect, remove primer pocket crimps if applicable, and trimming/chamfering and deburring.

Next time I sit down, it's back to the press--this time, with the sizer removed. I set the charge weight, load it up with primers, and away we go! I don't try for breakneck speed--just a nice, steady pace. When I'm finished, I have a big pile of ammo that looks factory new.

[660grizzlyguy]

Maybe I'll have to keep the old press and try the X-die- I shure hate case trimming.

[DEDON45]

Try it, you'll like it. BTW, I've actually seen .45ACP brass shrink slightly (I marked and measured some when an old-timer said that there was no need to resize pistol brass, especially the calibers that headspace on the mouth) after firing ...

[totalloser]

I am not fond of the xdie personally. A few stuck cases, and when they stick you can't get the decapper out, so it's no fun. Necks seemed to split slightly sooner, and I had a couple pieces of range brass sneak in.

Given the economic choice, I'd HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Dillon trim die. Works really well, and you can knock a stuck case out with a rod. On a progressive, you can do case prep in one pass, and load in a second pass. This eliminates almost all the hassle with trimming-the biggest PITA in handloading GONE! Lube dies speed things up, too. If you have access to a lathe, drill/tap the end to 1/8"npt to accept the Lee decap system on the lube die.

[cchardwick]

It's funny, I'm finding that my 45 ACP and my 44 mag are both over max length after resizing and I'm trimming it all a little bit. Most say that this is not necessary, but I like to follow the book trim to length exactly, especially if I'm betting my life on the reliability of my ammo. I use a turret press and take it a bit slower than a progressive, but much faster than a single stage. I use a hand primer pocket cleaner, just a few twists and it's good.

[rn22723]

Case prep....

• Tumble the cases clean before sizing
• Lube cases withh Imperial Die Wax
• Size cases
• Polish cases to remove lube
• One time case prep if need primer pocket crimp removal, and additional primer pocket uniforming, and flash hole deburring.
• Case trimming, chamfering, and deburring is done.
• Brass is stored ready to load status

Then when loading....

• Install universal decapping die to remove any debris
• Priime on the press
• Instill powder charge
• Seat bullet
• Crimp only for blasting ammo

Truely progressive rifle reloading is sort of a misnomer....

[Unclenick]

Cchardwick,

I'm surprised at the case growth you mentioned. I've seen it in some magnum straight cases if the powder were fast enough. My .45 ACP loses about half a thousandth per load cycle. My magnum brass is mostly unchanged. I'm wondering if you have a combination of tighter-than-average chamber and tighter-than-average sizing ring on your die? I know you are shooting maximum loads of 231 from the other thread you posted in. (Still surprised at the load levels that did not function your gun and am wondering if you have an extra stiff recoil spring or some other issue that bears investigation, there?)