Just getting started back into reloading as I have a .280 coming soon.

I have ordered some virgin Norma brass, and a Hornady classic kit.

Is there any case preparations needed, or can I go straight into prime, powder and projectile.
I dont need BR accuracy as I just want to run in the barrel, and get familiar with the rifle.

Im thinking Imr 4350/4381 behind a 139 140 g. Fed210 primers.
Cheers

Full length size and trim to length. Some of the case mouths may be de-formed.

That way you have more uniform cases to start.

That is as much as you need, in my experience, for hunting loads.

Thx
Cheers

While it's always good practice to check your new components, I use Norma brass on my 7mm & 243. I would be very surprised if you have to do anything with the brass before fire forming it. Not even neck sizing.
Excellent brass providing its authentic.jc

Just load it.

This question about how to use new brass comes up on several forums at least every 2 or 3 months. There are those who apparently under the delusion that they can make brass better than the factory can and insist that it must be sized and trimmed.

I am happy to say that in all my years of reloading, and I started in 1967, I have NEVER trimmed new brass or resized it except in the rare instance of a case mouth being so deformed as to be unusable without resizing. Occasionally, depending on the kind of bullet I'm seating, I've needed to chamfer the mouths thereof but that is all I've ever done to new brass.



The above photo is just one of a number I have that should set the minds of all at rest regarding the potential accuracy of using new brass that hasn't been messed around with.

But, if you wish to waste time and just mess around, go ahead; knock yourself out.

quote:

Originally posted by John Chalmers:
. . . Excellent brass providing its authentic.jc

What? Is there some counterfeit Norma brass floating around out there? Perhaps propagated by Al Queda or ISIS?

I like to run new brass into the sizing die just far enough to assure a rounded neck with a uniform diameter. I size about .15" to .20" or so of the neck length, depending on how long the neck is. FL sizing is not necessary as the brass will almost certainly be below SAAMI maximum dimensions. I always chamfer the inside all new cartridge mouths to assure smooth seating which doesn't scrape the bullet jacket. Trimming, when needed, is best done after the first firing.

Sounds good thanks

I use a lot of Norma brass. Heck I've taken Norma 280 brass up to 416.

For everything but BR stuff, I simply inspect it. As long as the neck is not damaged I load and go. If the inside is burred I might chamfer it. If the neck is just a touch out of round the bullet will make it nice and round after you seat it.

As a minimum it needs mouth chamfered. And bulk brass will sometimes have dented mouths to some degree. I use a 50 cal round to make them round so I can chamfer them.

quote:

As a minimum it needs mouth chamfered

Most of the bullets I use anymore have a BT and I've gotten lazy as to the chamfer. Come to think of it I'm dropped a lot of case prep over the years and can't say I've noticed a decline in accuracy.

When I suffered from MLS and had only my first 280 I spent HRS on case prep. As the number of rifles increased the time on case prep declined.

I also load a lot of boat tailed bullets and so haven't found chamfering necessary. In fact, even a lot of so called flat based bullets have a little radius at the edges making chamfering unnecessary.

Like you, I haven't found any decrease in accuracy from neglecting chamfering and failing to resize new brass.

quote:

I like to run new brass into the sizing die just far enough to assure a rounded neck with a uniform diameter. I size about .15" to .20" or so of the neck length, depending on how long the neck is. FL sizing is not necessary as the brass will almost certainly be below SAAMI maximum dimensions. I always chamfer the inside all new cartridge mouths to assure smooth seating which doesn't scrape the bullet jacket. Trimming, when needed, is best done after the first firing.

I think this advice from Stonecreek is correct, except I size the entire neck. For reloading I use Norma brass exclusively and have sometimes found uneven neck diameter with brand new cases. Found this out by having projectiles stick in the rifle's throat when extracting a live round. Never had that problem again after routinely running all new cases through a sizing die first.
Sometimes in a batch of new Norma cases I've found the odd one slightly longer or shorter ( 1 mm ) than the general length but haven't noticed any remarkable accuracy difference when loaded and fired.

Best advice is to NOT FULL-LENGTH SIZE new brass. If necessary, just lightly neck size any cases whose mouths are out of round.
This is NEW VIRGIN brass, made to spec, and there is no reason to full-length resize. This works the brass needlessly and may also set the shoulders back and cause early signs of case failure.
I have no idea how the advice to FLS new brass got started. It doesn't even make any sense with new brass.

quote:

Originally posted by steyrsteve:
I have no idea how the advice to FLS new brass got started. It doesn't even make any sense with new brass.

My theorey is that it started with a California liberal who was trying to impress everyone with how safe he was.

I normally pot the mouth of the case over the expander ball, that doesn't work the brass much and may give me a few more reloading??? The less one can work brass thru a die the longer his cases will last as a rule. Norma is very good about delivering brass within proper specs. mostly its bulk brass in plastic bags the have the bent necks etc.