New Brass Question

keano44 · November 10, 2002, 05:28 PM

I have just recieved an order of 100 pcs., new Winchester .284 Win. brass to reload. These cartridges are to be used in a Browning Micro-Medallion .284 Win. bolt action hunting rifle. Please answer a question for me.
Should I run the cases through a sizing die first, or can I just start priming and loading them?
All of the rifle reloading which I have done in the past was with once fired brass, which needed to be run through the de-capper/sizer die. This is the first virgin brass I will have reloaded for rifle ammo.
Thanks

Art Eatman · November 10, 2002, 06:16 PM

About all I've ever done with new brass for any rifle is to use the patented little tool to chamfer the inside of the case mouth. It makes it easier to start the bullets, without shaving copper. And, I do a light touch of chamfering on the outside of the case mouth.

Outside of that, prime, load and go.

You might check the case length, just on general principles, but I've never found any problem there...

Art

blades67 · November 10, 2002, 06:26 PM

I always run new brass through the sizing die. Some folks don't, but I don't see any reason not to. If I had a single stage press I'd probably be tempted to skip it, but not with my RL550. Plus, your dies will take out any irregularities out of the brass.

PALongbow · November 10, 2002, 07:21 PM

Run em through the sizer die before reloading. Some new brass has imperfections around the case mouth and by re-sizing them the case mouth becomes uniform and round again.

Ron

Skullboy · November 10, 2002, 11:47 PM

I always run new brass through a F.L. sizer die.That way you know the cases will chamber.For matches, I will only neck size once they've been fire formed.Hunting loads always get F.L. resized. HTH.

Skullboy.

**Mal H** · November 11, 2002, 12:25 AM

I do exactly the same as Art including chamfering the mouth. My thinking is that Winchester, Remington, etc. use the same brass for loading their ammo as they send out for sale in bulk. Have you ever seen factory ammo that had been sized? OTOH, there's nothing wrong with sizing it if you wish. Of course, you can always chamber some of the cases in your rifle to be sure it will fit with no problems.

WESHOOT2 · November 11, 2002, 01:43 AM

Sizing new cases confirms dimensions, and you KNOW you have a flash hole.

Just me.

**Mal H** · November 11, 2002, 10:01 AM

Flash holes can and should be checked visually for uniformity and for any inside flashing around the hole. If you check for a flash hole by sizing, you should lay in a good supply of depriming pins.

Fatelvis · November 11, 2002, 12:23 PM

With new brass I use the FL sizing die, but I just run the case into the die enough so the expander/decapper runs into the neck. (It irons out any dings in the neck, and insures it is concentric) Avioding the sizing allows me to eliminate case lube, which is nice. However, if you feel that the expander is putting up too much resistance, dip the necks in mica. Good shootin`!

WESHOOT2 · November 15, 2002, 05:10 AM

.............I've found two with improper holes.
Still haven't broken a de-cap pin that way

yet.

C.R.Sam · November 15, 2002, 10:11 PM

I ....
Check length,
Check for consistancy of flash hole,
Presence of flash hole,
Size.

Sam

Ben Shepherd · November 16, 2002, 09:48 AM

Always size, for reasons posted above.

One thing not metioned yet: Your die should be set to your rifles chamber. Now you know the cartrige will fit your gun.

keano44 · November 20, 2002, 06:47 PM

Good advise! Thanks. I will resize first, especially because this is hunting ammo. With my luck, the one in a million which won't chamber, or won't have a flashhole, will be a once in a lifetime shot.

November 10, 2002, 05:28 PM	#1
keano44 Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2001 Location: Lafayette LA Posts: 177	New Brass Question I have just recieved an order of 100 pcs., new Winchester .284 Win. brass to reload. These cartridges are to be used in a Browning Micro-Medallion .284 Win. bolt action hunting rifle. Please answer a question for me. Should I run the cases through a sizing die first, or can I just start priming and loading them? All of the rifle reloading which I have done in the past was with once fired brass, which needed to be run through the de-capper/sizer die. This is the first virgin brass I will have reloaded for rifle ammo. Thanks __________________ I've seen good, and I've seen bad. I've seen fire, and I've seen rain. I've seen war, and I've seen peace. I've seen mountains, and I've seen desserts. I've seen the world, and thought I'd seen it all. But of all the scenes I've ever seen, I ain't never seen no scene, like the scene I'm seein now!........keano44

November 10, 2002, 06:26 PM	#3
blades67 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 1999 Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA Posts: 6,014	I always run new brass through the sizing die. Some folks don't, but I don't see any reason not to. If I had a single stage press I'd probably be tempted to skip it, but not with my RL550. Plus, your dies will take out any irregularities out of the brass. __________________ Guns cause crime like spoons cause Rosie O'Donnell to be fat! I hunt, therefore I am.

November 10, 2002, 11:47 PM	#5
Skullboy Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2002 Location: Haney, B.C. Canada Posts: 104	I always run new brass through a F.L. sizer die.That way you know the cases will chamber.For matches, I will only neck size once they've been fire formed.Hunting loads always get F.L. resized. HTH. Skullboy. __________________ DAMAGE INC. CUSTOM CAMO. If They Call It Tourist Season, Why Can't We Shoot Them?

November 11, 2002, 01:43 AM	#7
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	SIZE FIRST Sizing new cases confirms dimensions, and you KNOW you have a flash hole. Just me. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

November 15, 2002, 05:10 AM	#10
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	AFTER ABOUT A ZILLION NEW CASES............. .............I've found two with improper holes. Still haven't broken a de-cap pin that way yet. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

November 10, 2002, 06:16 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	About all I've ever done with new brass for any rifle is to use the patented little tool to chamfer the inside of the case mouth. It makes it easier to start the bullets, without shaving copper. And, I do a light touch of chamfering on the outside of the case mouth. Outside of that, prime, load and go. You might check the case length, just on general principles, but I've never found any problem there... Art

November 10, 2002, 07:21 PM	#4
PALongbow Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2001 Location: SE Pennsylvania Posts: 103	Run em through the sizer die before reloading. Some new brass has imperfections around the case mouth and by re-sizing them the case mouth becomes uniform and round again. Ron

November 11, 2002, 12:25 AM	#6
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	I do exactly the same as Art including chamfering the mouth. My thinking is that Winchester, Remington, etc. use the same brass for loading their ammo as they send out for sale in bulk. Have you ever seen factory ammo that had been sized? OTOH, there's nothing wrong with sizing it if you wish. Of course, you can always chamber some of the cases in your rifle to be sure it will fit with no problems.

November 11, 2002, 10:01 AM	#8
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Flash holes can and should be checked visually for uniformity and for any inside flashing around the hole. If you check for a flash hole by sizing, you should lay in a good supply of depriming pins.

November 11, 2002, 12:23 PM	#9
Fatelvis Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2001 Location: Lockport, IL Posts: 490	With new brass I use the FL sizing die, but I just run the case into the die enough so the expander/decapper runs into the neck. (It irons out any dings in the neck, and insures it is concentric) Avioding the sizing allows me to eliminate case lube, which is nice. However, if you feel that the expander is putting up too much resistance, dip the necks in mica. Good shootin`!

November 15, 2002, 10:11 PM	#11
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	I .... Check length, Check for consistancy of flash hole, Presence of flash hole, Size. Sam

November 16, 2002, 09:48 AM	#12
Ben Shepherd Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2001 Location: Utah Posts: 1,462	Always size, for reasons posted above. One thing not metioned yet: Your die should be set to your rifles chamber. Now you know the cartrige will fit your gun. __________________ From my cold dead hands......... NRA certified rifle, pistol and shotgun instructor. Hunter education instructor

November 20, 2002, 06:47 PM	#13
keano44 Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2001 Location: Lafayette LA Posts: 177	Good advise! Thanks. I will resize first, especially because this is hunting ammo. With my luck, the one in a million which won't chamber, or won't have a flashhole, will be a once in a lifetime shot. __________________ I've seen good, and I've seen bad. I've seen fire, and I've seen rain. I've seen war, and I've seen peace. I've seen mountains, and I've seen desserts. I've seen the world, and thought I'd seen it all. But of all the scenes I've ever seen, I ain't never seen no scene, like the scene I'm seein now!........keano44

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