I am not at all new to reloading, I have all the tools and equipment. I have loaded for 6PPC, 6BR, .308, .280, etc., but am new to loading and reloading belted cases. I have NEW/UNFIRED 7mm Remington magnum Winchester brass that I need to get ready to load. I tend to be perfectionistic when it comes to reloading, so I wanna do it right. So can some of you list the step by step proceedure you go through to get new/unfired belted cases ready to load or tell me where I can find the information ?

Erik, there will be as many diverging responses as there are folks who hand load belted magnums. How's that?

The basic idea though is to get the head space on the shoulder rather than the belt. To do that with new brass I run each piece through my chamber. If it it chambers, I neck size it, load it, and shoot it. If it won't chamber I partial FLS it so it will. Now I have fire formed brass and make it all uniform length, neck size it, reload, and go on. Some folks will partial FLS every time, just bumping the shoulder ever so slightly. Some folks neck size only until a fired case will not rechamber, and then parital FLS. Anyhow, FLSing every time will severely shorten case life. Keep a record of how many times you trim a belted case. That will give you a good indication of how much brass is flowing. Twice is enough as far as I'm concerned.

Also, the best safety is a paper clip 'feeler' used inside the case to 'feel' if you are getting any case head separation. If you feel a ridge inside, crush and toss the case, for sure. sundog

Erik,
I got a few of the belted magnums and loooovvveee them all.
What I have done, and it works for me, is FL size them, trim to lenrth and then buy some "less expensive" bullets (as compared to say an A-frame or Partition), then grab a powder somewhere in the right range, (usually a ssslllooowwww burner) and a primer and fire form for the first on new brass.
After that it is neck sizing with a neck sizing die. I have been able to get many firings out of each so far. I am starting to look into annealing to even get more before the necks split on me.
Just in case: 7mmRM 300WM and 338WM
Each has thier purpose, at least that is the story I am sticking with.

Smedley

How often do you have to full length size them, or don't you have too? Which neck die do you like to use?

Thanks

If interested in fire forming I use corn meal! I have a 308 norma mag. I am using 338 win mag brass. I neck the cases down to 30 cal with the sizing die, but the shoulders need to be pushed out! I have tried shooting with regular loads, but it takes two to three shots to form the case! I now use about 20 grains of bullseye pistol powderin the case, fillto the top with corn meal, and put a piece of paper towel in the neck to keep together. When fired, it forms the case perfectly on the first try!

Like what sundog said, the round headspaces off of the belt, so you might have to bump the shoulder back more often with a f/l sizer. Always checking to see if the round chambers after sizing is a darn good idea, so you can make adjustments or f/l instead of neck size before you "fill it and cap it".

As far as how often, that depends on your brass, and if you load to max pressure. That will definately make you have to bump the shoulder more often.

Eric, don't know about you but their confusing me.
You will know when to FLS when you notice the cases getting hard to chamber. If they fit in to get one more shot, well it's not a critical thing. Some talk about hunting, but if you see a record buck, i'm sure you'll get the bolt closed.

Alberta, If I read you correctly, it's hard for me to believe a normal load won't fireform any case to any shape????

Everyone/anyone. I'm a bit confused on belted cases, why is it necessary (or preferred) to get them to headspace on the sholder??
Does any one try to do the same with rimmed bottle neck cases???

What about my 458 WM. ??? No neck you see.

At the moment I usually just partial FLS enough to get a tight fit to seat the bullet, but not enough to squash the whole case. This is mainly to fit more powder in with out so much compression.

quote:

Everyone/anyone. I'm a bit confused on belted cases, why is it necessary (or preferred) to get them to headspace on the sholder??

Because the gun makers cut the chamber way too generous at the belt. Not a dangerous headspace situation but not optimum for using that case over and over. When you resize to headspace off the shoulder you could actually mill off the belt. Not needed.

Ta, I've heard that, but the headspace on my old M70 seems fairly tight, and I don't know why the makers are supposed to be so sloppy with just the belt system.

I think they get a bit wild with the sholder system anyway, so that anyone that consistantly FLSed with either system will have the same trouble????
So I guess Part FLS or necksizing fixes either system????

So where does that leave us that have a belted case with no sholder???

quote:

So can some of you list the step by step proceedure you go through to get new/unfired belted cases ready to load or tell me where I can find the information ?

Since you load for the Br and PPC I don't need to tell you how to sort neck thickness etc.

With the new brass you would chamfer the inside of the necks and perhaps size just the necks. This is up to you. At this point all that you can do is load and fire them.

Keep in mind that that shoulder of a bottlenecked belted chamber is about .007" longer than a similar rimless one so when FL sizing the fired brass just don't go to the shell holder but instead size them to fit.

I had a Ruger #1 in 7mm RM with such a sloppy chamber to the shoulder that I made brass out of 300 WM's. This worked out quite well.

This is the way I understand it

New brass has a lot of headspace as measured with my Stoney Point Head & Shoulders Gauge:

New 270 brass - 4.038"
Fired 270 brass - 4.045"
Headspace of new brass - .007"

New 300 win mag brass - 4.256"
Fired 300 win mag brass - 4.272"
Headspace of new brass - .016"

That is measured after the first firing. The case then remains essentially the same and around the 3rd or 4th firing (depends on how hot a load), it becomes harder to chamber. The difference in the measurements is almost impossible to detect it is so small.

Then I use a Redding Body Die to push the shoulder back .001" to relieve the crush fit and from then on you have to push the shoulder back everytime.

As far as headspacing on the shoulder or belt, I suspect that you are doing both. The case must expand (including the belt) to fit the chamber so it will be a snug fit at the shoulder and at the belt.

quote:

How often do you have to full length size them, or don't you have too? Which neck die do you like to use?

I use the Lee Collet Neck Sizer

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=434932

every time beginning with a new case and a Redding Body Die

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=420044

to push the shoulder back.

quote:

Originally posted by Erik:
I am not at all new to reloading, ... So can some of you list the step by step proceedure you go through to get new/unfired belted cases ready to load or tell me where I can find the information ?

Hey Erik, Forget the "Belt" is on the case and treat them like you do any other case.

I always do one of the following to reduce the chances of Incipient Casehead Separation:

1. "Fire Form" my new Cases with some inexpensive bullets. Seat the Bullets long enough that they "Jam the Lands" when chambering.
2. Since you already have the cases, you could run a 30cal Expander through the Caseneck and then P-FLR them until you get a slight crush fit on an empty case. Then load and enjoy them.
3. If you did not have the cases, you could Reform some 300WinMag cases, trim them to length while you do the Reforming, and get a perfect fit with them. And if you do not have a 300WinMag, then you would not have to be concerned about mixing-up the cases.

The below link lists all the things I do for "my" Case prep and how to P-FLR. Use which parts you want and ignore the rest.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2511043/m/369104873

When I tried to fireform the 338 brass to 308 norma I used 73 grains of h4831 with a 150 grain hornady fmj bullet. The shoulder only pushed out about half of the way. When I tried the corn meal trick, It pushed out completly on the first try!

With a normal belted bottlenecked chamber I don't see the need to fireform or create false shoulders or make the brass out of larger cases. Not at least if one FL sizes and the die is set right for that chamber.

The lot of brass will fireform somewhat but every case will be the same in that lot. Don't over react.

It's the pushing of the shoulder back to the orginal cartridge dimensions that many die/shell holder combo's do that causes expansion web separations. Same for any bottlenecked case rimless or belted. It's just that the belted ones are worse.

Remember to always feel inside of each case with a wire for an insipiant head separation.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Hunter:
When I tried to fireform the 338 brass to 308 norma I used 73 grains of h4831 with a 150 grain hornady fmj bullet. The shoulder only pushed out about half of the way. When I tried the corn meal trick, It pushed out completly on the first try!

Hey AH, Do you have any problem with Corn Meal Residue?

Do you brush the barrel after each shot?

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Hunter:
When I tried the corn meal trick, It pushed out completly on the first try!

I'm sure your right, it's just that we read of loads people use all the time that someone says will blow them up, blow the brass out the back, and the bolt thru their head.

So now "shooten" loads can't even fit the brass to the chamber???
Besides I've never been able to get a load of corn meal to ignite even.