I have 2 cartridges that I reload using a Lee Collet die and a Redding body die. I lube the cases, run them through the body die, then clean them. Then I use the Collet die to size the neck and decap.

It occurred to me that I could reverse the order: decap/neck size first, lube and body size, and then clean.

Does the order matter?

I always lube first.

You can always try it the other way.

Just never accrued to me to do it the opposite.

I guess it depends of what changes the body die imparts of the case.

you could, nothings stopping you

i would propose that there are lots of reloaders that decap/necksize only -

my thoughts on why not? meh, i have a couple edge case thoughts, but if your decap/necking includes using an expander, and your body sizing doesn't, i guess it would be fine

but if you neck size, than body size WITH the expander involved, you might would have different results

Maybe old school, but I always clean cases first. Can't fathom putting dirty brass in my dies. And of course, wipe them down before priming etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Michalski:
Maybe old school, but I always clean cases first. Can't fathom putting dirty brass in my dies. And of course, wipe them down before priming etc.

X2 I have always tumbled my brass first, lubed, then resized and tumbled again to get the lube off.

No, not really.
I will size/deprime the brass, wet tumble clean, dry, trim the case and go from there.
The only step to get out of sync is, size and trim. Size first.
If I'm neck sizing only, I always use a Fosters case length gauge to make sure the case will chamber after reloading.

I cant recommend running dirty brass thru my dies, grit is a demon, clean and re-size or at least wipe down or wash.

I think the order you do it in now is correct, and I also do it that way.
But I must admit I haven't tried it the other way around and can't really articulate why I feel it might cause problems.

Fired cases are lubed and sized, after making sure they are clean.

Then they go through a tumbler with steel pins.

Trimmed.

Weighed to separate them into lots not varying more than one grain.

Primed and loaded for specific rifles.

We use full length sizing dies almost exclusively.

Only rifles we use neck sizing dies with specific size buttons are specialized match rifles.

We follow this procedure for all our reloading.

It helps, because we load for several hundred cartridges, and keeping everyone separated is a must.

Many are wildcats or quite rare.

Their parent cartridges are used for several of them.

Hence the importance of being organized.