I was just wondering how some of you guys prepare new brass for reloading. Do you run it full length. or just the neck in the expander ball..? i have done it both ways..

I just neck size new brass.

I prefer to neck size everything. With new brass the first thing for me is to trim all cases to same length then neck size.

For all rifle cases, I prefer to FL size the 1st time to get everything straight and round. Then I uniform primer pockets and debur flash holes. Finally case trimming + mouth chamfering and that's it for hunting rounds which will from then on be partially sized.

For precision loads, I add neck turning and will neck size after the 1st fireforming.

With the exception of 1 cartridge out of 25 or 30 I load for, I don't do anything to new brass other than chamfer the mouths if needed or run an expander ball into the case if it's grossly out of round.

It gets the full treatment as if it had been fired ten times. I like to know my brass is the best I can make it. Then I have no excuses when I shoot a ten-inch group from 100 yards...

On new brass, I always FL resize and of course, check the length and trim if necessary. After the first firing, I PFLR and continue doing that until I have bolt closing problems. I then FL size again.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

Originally posted by homebrewer:
It gets the full treatment as if it had been fired ten times. I like to know my brass is the best I can make it. Then I have no excuses when I shoot a ten-inch group from 100 yards...

I do the same HB, and so far the 10 in groups have been kept at bay.

Von Gruff.

I like to run mine into a Lee Collet die. This rounds the neck and makes it the right ID, but doesn't push on the body or shoulder.

If I don't have a Collet die in that caliber, then I do what most would class as Partial Full Length resizing. Although factory brass should be close to minimum dimension, care should be taken NOT to set the shoulder back any further (as some FL dies might do if screwed all the way down against the shellholder). Only run the brass in far enough to assure that it is being supported by the die walls in order to keep the neck straight with the body of the case.

Of course, either way, I chamfer the inside of the neck with a Lyman VLD 22 degree tool to allow easy, scratch-free bullet seating.

I bump the expander ball thru the neck to make sure it's round and then chamfer the neck and load it up and shoot it. After the first firing, I trim to a uniform length and do any other brass prep work needed. I have never, ever, ever found a piece of new brass that wouldn't fit in a factory chamber so why F/L resize it? You're just adding a layer of lube that has to be gotten off.

I run the expander ball through the one's that are dented and then use a primer cutting tool on the primer pockets.
Doubt the primer cutting tool is needed but it makes me feel better. I use the same tool to clean the pockets in between loadings.

+1 to Wasbeeman. Except....I found some 308 brass with graffs headstamp wouldn't chamber. It was made by Privi Partisan for graffs and was really thick thick brass. Other than that I love lyman M dies or Hornady eliptical expanders into the case mouth. AFter the first firing better prep happens.

For those who resize & trim new brass; what do you do with new cartridges? Do you resize them as well?

quote:

For those who resize & trim new brass; what do you do with new cartridges? Do you resize them as well?

I depend on the manufacturer's QC dept. BUT once in all the many years I bought factory ammunition I got one round that wouldn't chamber. I measured the offending cartridge against a round that would chamber and it was too long and too fat! Sent the offending round back and they sent me a cheque sufficient to buy two new boxes (20 each)of cartridges!

I run the expander ball through, if the neck is out of round, chamfer and deburr, uniform the flash hole....load and shoot.

As a sidebar: R D McMillan brings up a good point. That is why I run every round of hunting ammo thru my rifle before I leave for a trip.

I was in on one deal where a buddy spent the summer working up a super load for his 30-338 and when we got waaaaaay back in the boonies, he discovered he hadn't taken his magazine length into consideration. We had to put a small slat of wood on each bullet and tapped it down with the back of a hatchet. Needless to say, he was the main topic of our humour whilst we were in camp.

I round out the necks if necessary and shoot. I don't trim, chamfer and neck size until they have been fired once.

I, as in all things, tend to overdo.
For Rifles I:
FL size
Trim to uniform length
Deburr and Chamfer case mouths
Uniform Primer pockets
Deburr Flash holes
Tumble
Brush inside of case and clean Primer Pocket & Flash hole (to get out the tumbling media)
Weigh into .5 Gr lotts (for 30Cal +) or .2 Gr Lotts (for .223)
I no longer uniform neck thickness

For Pistols I do not uniform flash holes… otherwise the same