I noticed if I trim my brass before I run it through the neck sizer, the pilot gets stuck inside the neck of the brass, do you guys like to trim before you size or after?

I thought you always trimmed AFTER sizing, whether neck or full-length. Seems odd that the ID is smaller after the neck is sized down, tho.

After; always; when you size, your mouth can get longer on one side or another and your brass can lengthen buy varying amounts. We are talking about hairs here though.

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
Seems odd that the ID is smaller after the neck is sized down, tho.

Really? roger

I trim after I size

It really depends what size pilot you have. Do some before some after. roger

If it becomes annoying you can touch some sandpaper to the pilot and make it a tiny bit smaller to where it doesn't hang up, either by just turning the arbor or removing it and chucking in a drill.

are you de burring inside and out side the case neck before you re size?

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
are you de burring inside and out side the case neck before you re size?

Before? no, just after trimming Should I be?

quote:

Originally posted by Dan Harmon:
I noticed if I trim my brass before I run it through the neck sizer, the pilot gets stuck inside the neck of the brass, do you guys like to trim before you size or after?

Always size and then trim and deburr. Because you are trimming and then resizing it is most likely an inside burr that is sticking the pilot inside the neck that has just been sized down. You think you have de-burred properly but maybe not? Or a lack of inside neck lubricant?

Dan Harmon: Your pilot is a tad too large in diameter to use on resized brass, so chuck it in a drill press and reduce its diameter by a few 1000dths with emory cloth.

Here is the proper order of things:

1. Resize.
2. Trim.
3. Inside and outside chamfer.

I trim after FL sizing only. Never done it after neck sizing.

I do as others above do. Size, then trim. When I trim I use one of these World's Finest Trimmer
Scroll down the page and watch the videos.

Seriously, it will crank out the cases! I'm never chucking up a case in a trimmer again!

Thanks for all the responses. Still learning. How often do you guys run your brass through the tumbler? And, do you de-prime before or after tumbling?

What is important in trimming is that you get an accurate measurement of the length of your cases before they are chambered.In order to accomplish this your cases should be trimmed just before they are loaded and seated.This means you need to trim after full length sizing,partial sizing or neck sizing.
If you trim before you size you cannot predict or know how long the case will be after you size because sizing will increase or change the length of your cases.

You have to get the size before you get the trim.

quote:

Originally posted by Dan Harmon:
Thanks for all the responses. Still learning. How often do you guys run your brass through the tumbler? And, do you de-prime before or after tumbling?

I don't always polish my cases at every loading. If I'm doing a lot of shooting they may barely be tarnished.
Usually I polish first. It cleans them and sizing will be easier. I've polished after occasionally and find media in the flash holes that must be cleaned out before loading them.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
Seems odd that the ID is smaller after the neck is sized down, tho.

Really? roger

I guess I was tired when I posted that!

I don't use a tumbler any more. I use an ultrasonic cleaner. So much faster.

After

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
What is important in trimming is that you get an accurate measurement of the length of your cases before they are chambered.In order to accomplish this your cases should be trimmed just before they are loaded and seated.This means you need to trim after full length sizing,partial sizing or neck sizing.
If you trim before you size you cannot predict or know how long the case will be after you size because sizing will increase or change the length of your cases.

Errr . . . this seems to me to be dispositive.

It's what I live by.

Isn't "what goes into the chamber" . . . well . . . the bottom line, if the case has been trimmed to acceptable limits?

If there's a case to be made against this . . . pray . . . tell me before I, you know, endanger myself and those around me when I touch off a reloaded round . . .

I dont use a pilot

Part of my reloading sequence is to trim the cases. I always trim after I neck size. I don't always trim anything but they all get run through the trimmer.

I always trim rifle cases after resizing.....

1. Resize
2. Measure! (I skip trimming if under max OAL)
3. Trim
4. Deburr(if I trimmed or it is needed)

I will measure straight-walled pistol cases and pull any that are over max, otherwise resize and load on my progressive. Rifle cases I always do in two runs (not fully progressive on my Hornady LNL) to allow for the measuring and trimming steps.....

It works well for me!

Cheers,

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by Dan Harmon:
Thanks for all the responses. Still learning. How often do you guys run your brass through the tumbler? And, do you de-prime before or after tumbling?

I run my cases through the tumbler after resizing when they have been resized using a lubricant. The tumbling will efficiently remove the lubricant better than any other method (with the possible exception of ultrasonic). The only other time I tumble is when the cases have become so tarnished that they are cosmetically repulsive.

Tumbling is a way to both clean cases of foreign matter and give them a cosmetic polishing. The only need for tumbling is to remove foreign matter; cosmetic improvement is strictly a matter of aesthetics. And while it is true that a thin layer of oxidized brass on the exterior of the case may make it theoretically less slick, this effect is not enough to impact the way it feeds or the "wall grip" in the chamber when fired.