for my 357 sig i load a case full of powder.then i tumble them for only about 5 to 8 min.at first i would never do it but it got old doing each one by hand.the 223 will be with fmj most of the time.if i fill the case up there will not be much room for the powder to tumble and break down in size.i could go one step further and use the mil spec primers from cci but i think they are hard to find.i know all the reasons why i should not but i still might,does anybody else do it.i do have some long cords plug it up at 100 ft or more away for 5 min or so .

Use the tumbler to remove the lube before you load the cases. Problem isn't so much that a round would go off in the tumbler, but that the coating on the powder will be altered changing it's burning rate increasing pressures.

I use an El Cheapo light timer on my Midway tumbler and set it to run a very short time after I've left the house to go to work. It starts after I've left, turns off, and they're all ready for me when I get home. I just run the tumbler for a few minutes, no more.

Russ

[ 10-13-2002, 02:19: Message edited by: Russell E. Taylor ]

I use a spray like Hornady one shot lube or Dillon spray after I cleaned with DCB case cleaner, really not a lot to remove after sizing, mainly to remove my prints because I have body fluids attacking seriously metals, let's say 2 or 3 minutes . this only for rifles ammo, for handguns I don't need to do it since DCB case cleaner lays a protective film on cases; http://securityarms.com/dcb

Run them through your tumbler before you prime and load them but after they are sized and trimmed.

When I do short runs of rifle rounds, a hundred or less, I'll tumble the cases, then I decap them in a seperate step and press, then I lube, resize. I'll throw the sized cases back into the tumbler and let them tumble overnight with walnut hulls and alcohol based glass cleaner. Then I clean primer pockets then reload.
I am getting a AR15/M16 that I'll be loading bunches of ammo for and had wondered about cleaning the loaded ammo. I'm thinking about making avery slow tumble filled with walnut hulls and some sort of material/cloth attatched to the side of the tumbler. This way the loaded rounds just slide around on the fabric and walnut hulls rather then tumble.
Anybody have any suggestions?
Jim

I used to wash my cases with water and heat dry them after they are lubed and sized, but I found there's too much lime in the water, as cases dry, lime build up in the primer pocket sometimes even forms a film in the flash hole, you can actually feel the extra resistance when you seat the primers.

My new method involves washing them with tap water, then toss them in a wire basket to remove as much water as possible, then I rinse the cases in a container filled with methyl hydrate(methyl alcohol), the alcohol dissolves away water, then I toss the cases in the wire basket again, the remaining liquid on the cases is mainly fast-drying methyl alcohol. The alcohol can be used many times, but is poisonous and one should be careful not to inhale/ingest it.

Pyrotek

I have loaded countless 1000's of 223 and 223Ackley ammo on my Dillon and have yet to wipe lube off of a single hull.

My preferred lube(after trying them all)is the Hornady One Shot. It offers the most lubricity,in my experience and a little goes a long way,so there is no clean up required after it's application......................

Big Stick, I'm glad you spoke up first because I was too skeerd to say the same thing! I have a couple guns that will exhibit sticky extraction of un-wiped cases, but ga-zillions of Dillon loaded match ammo has been fired in my M1A's and ARs with no adverse effect and to great effect!

One of the persnickety guns is a match bolt action that I use across the course, so I spent a few winter evenings in front of the TV between two ammo cans holding an alcohol-soaked diaper. A pain, but a simple remedy.

Redial

Redial,
You hit my method on the nose. I spend a few nights just sitting cleaning them by hand. I enjoy the process of reloading as much as making the empties to reload... Great catch 22 huh.

With the price fo 223, I find it hard to load more then a 100-200 or so for my bolt guns. For plinking in the autos I buy wolf or equiv, by the case. For serious shooting, again its small runs and lots of hands on time with each round.

IMHO

[ 10-14-2002, 20:32: Message edited by: JAG ]