What did you do at your reloading bench today?

[danimalw]

Finally got things dialed in to load 9mm on the l-n-l with case feeder and bullet feeder tubes. Loaded 100, plunk tested all and will get to range in next few days. If all good, run a large batch.

 

[85MikeTPI]

Headstamped 5gal bucket of cleaned 223/5.56 brass. Looking for a decent qty of quality brass to load up these M855A1’s I have. TAC has a nato spec load for 62gr, just need to get the brass prepped.

Ended up with about 2gal of LC/nato brass and another gal of FC, just have to pick a headstamp then decap and swage

 

[trickg]

I loaded 300 rounds of 12 gauge 1-1/8 oz 7.5 target loads for trap on the MEC 9000G I picked up - all once-fired AA hulls with AA wads and Red Dot with the #30 bushing.

 

[FN509Fan]

Loaded 300 rounds of 9mm gonna take my older bro shooting for his birthday. He hasn't been on the range in over a decade. We're going to Cindy's/On Target. Turns out last time we went his wife was pissed she didn't get to go and got left with my ex. So she's going along with this time. She has been talking about getting a gun so we'll see how that goes.

 

[babalou]

Loaded 300 rounds of 9mm gonna take my older bro shooting for his birthday. He hasn't been on the range in over a decade. We're going to Cindy's/On Target. Turns out last time we went his wife was pissed she didn't get to go and got left with my ex. So she's going along with this time. She has been talking about getting a gun so we'll see how that goes.

That is awesome! Goodonya.

 

[Ponder_MD]

I'm trimming a medium sized pretzel container of .223 brass with a hand crank trimmer.
Yeah, I'm going to make the drill adapter this afternoon.

 

[Ponder_MD]

Woot! I made my first .30-06 cartridge today. I'll make a small batch working up the charges a bit. This first cartridge is a bit light.

 

[85MikeTPI]

Finally getting around to loading some of the premium mix I got from American in the Fall for 5cpr.

110g Nosler and Hornady .308 loaded in 300bo

60g Vmax .224 loaded to 5.56 CIP

M855 loaded to 5.56 CIP

Small batch for now until I can shoot them over the chrono and a few into the gel to verify next month

 

[Ponder_MD]

I reloaded 3 different velocities of 5.56 for testing. Hornady 62gr freedom seeds for my 1x7 barrel.

I had more difficulty priming these than my .30-06. The Lake City brass holes seemed off center and the primers wouldn't enter some of them. Others had what looked like a sleeve and the primers wouldn't enter. I'm going to re-run these through my case prep machine to see what happens.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I reloaded 3 different velocities of 5.56 for testing. Hornady 62gr freedom seeds for my 1x7 barrel.

I had more difficulty priming these than my .30-06. The Lake City brass holes seemed off center and the primers wouldn't enter some of them. Others had what looked like a sleeve and the primers wouldn't enter. I'm going to re-run these through my case prep machine to see what happens.

LC brass primers are crimped. The primer hole needs to be trimmed/swaged/reamed/chamfered to remove the military crimp. The crimping is done to prevent primers from popping out during full auto fire.
.
ETA- I have been taught that military brass that has a code on the headstamp (vs. manufacturer name and caliber) will be crimped. EX: "Speer .223" or "Win 5.56mm" headstamps likely aren't crimped. However, "LC 13" or "IWI 21" will be crimped. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Ponder_MD]

LC brass primers are crimped. The primer hole needs to be trimmed/swaged/reamed/chamfered to remove the military crimp. The crimping is done to prevent primers from popping out during full auto fire.
.
ETA- I have been taught that military brass that has a code on the headstamp (vs. manufacturer name and caliber) will be crimped. EX: "Speer .223" or "Win 5.56mm" headstamps likely aren't crimped. However, "LC 13" or "IWI 21" will be crimped. I hope this makes sense.

It does make sense. The crimping is usually visible to me. Maybe I'm not seeing it. The primer hole looks smooth all the way around but looks...off center. It's almost like the primer arm isn't lining up with the hole because of this. I'll try to post a photo later.

The Rockchucker has turned out to be much more versatile than I thought. It can only do one cartridge at a time but it can do a lot of things.

 

[4g64loser]

I reloaded 3 different velocities of 5.56 for testing. Hornady 62gr freedom seeds for my 1x7 barrel.

I had more difficulty priming these than my .30-06. The Lake City brass holes seemed off center and the primers wouldn't enter some of them. Others had what looked like a sleeve and the primers wouldn't enter. I'm going to re-run these through my case prep machine to see what happens.

Get this, but for large rifle primers.

 

[Ponder_MD]

Get this, but for large rifle primers.

Ah, nice. No, I need it for small rifle. It's my 5.56 that's giving me fits. The .30-06 was fine.

 

[4g64loser]

Ah, nice. No, I need it for small rifle. It's my 5.56 that's giving me fits. The .30-06 was fine.

I apologize. I misread your post.

The small rifle is pictures. Part number on the bag. I have these for all my stuff. I am an admitted tool whore.

 

[Rockzilla]

LC brass primers are crimped. The primer hole needs to be trimmed/swaged/reamed/chamfered to remove the military crimp. The crimping is done to prevent primers from popping out during full auto fire.
.
ETA- I have been taught that military brass that has a code on the headstamp (vs. manufacturer name and caliber) will be crimped. EX: "Speer .223" or "Win 5.56mm" headstamps likely aren't crimped. However, "LC 13" or "IWI 21" will be crimped. I hope this makes sense.

^^^ This plus you will also run into "Staking / Stabbing" which consists of 3 separate crimp marks around the
primer pocket LC-12 is known for that, have a few thousand of them. There are of course other headstamps
with crimps. Also you may run into some 30.06 "FA, LC" and some others with crimped primers most all
"Match" Mil brass is not crimped FA Match, LC Match.

The LEE APP is what I use to deprime mostly all of the brass, with a DIY case feeder.
Prime with the Ole Round tray Lee Autoprimes, have enough of them and shell holders, still have the
first 2, nice n yellow, but still work, can "feel" if the crimp is not removed fully.

-Rock

 

[trickg]

^^^ This plus you will also run into "Staking / Stabbing" which consists of 3 separate crimp marks around the
primer pocket.

-Rock

I get rid of those - I've had powder gas leak out of those, which is probably because I cut out my crimps rather than swage them. I'll have to get a new bolt face for my precision gun at some point because of it, so now when I come across them, for better or for worse, I just toss them out.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Examples of stake crimped primers being mentioned. Note the stamped indents shown.

These Staked/stabbed crimping can be 1 to 4 indents. There may be others as well. A close inspection of cases will indicate what's crimped and what isn't, once one knows to look for it. The primer pocket go/no go tool mentioned by 4g64loser made by Ballistic Tools is a godsend to help keep you from going bug eyed looking for ring crimps and the different stake type crimp configurations. I think mine were 10 bucks each for large and small. Worth every penny.

 

[Rockzilla]

Examples of stake crimped primers being mentioned. Note the stamped indents shown.

These Staked/stabbed crimping can be 1 to 4 indents. There may be others as well. A close inspection of cases will indicate what's crimped and what isn't, once one knows to look for it. The primer pocket go/no go tool mentioned by 4g64loser made by Ballistic Tools is a godsend to help keep you from going bug eyed looking for ring crimps and the different stake type crimp configurations. I think mine were 10 bucks each for large and small. Worth every penny.

View attachment 452261 View attachment 452263

Thanks...U.D. was gonna post some but ya beat me to it.

@ trickg...
Interesting about the gas leaks around the primers, never had that issue (yet) use a counter sink to remove the crimp, not a reamer that most companies reloading orientated sell, have swaged them also with no issues. No precision rifles, just plain jane rifles 788, 700, and various semi's. We are just talking LC-12 cases, 5.56.

McMaster-carr....Countersink
60, 82, 90 degree depending

-Rock

 

[85MikeTPI]

Getting back into 308win. These Barnes TSX pulls were in the premium mix for 10cpr so the years of collecting deals is coming to fruition.

308win Federal brass, 165gr TSX, CFE223, Rem 9-1/2. , about 35cpr.

 

[Uncle Duke]

View attachment 452201
Get this, but for large rifle primers.

I get rid of those - I've had powder gas leak out of those, which is probably because I cut out my crimps rather than swage them. I'll have to get a new bolt face for my precision gun at some point because of it, so now when I come across them, for better or for worse, I just toss them out.

Thanks...U.D. was gonna post some but ya beat me to it.

@ trickg...
Interesting about the gas leaks around the primers, never had that issue (yet) use a counter sink to remove the crimp, not a reamer that most companies reloading orientated sell, have swaged them also with no issues. No precision rifles, just plain jane rifles 788, 700, and various semi's. We are just talking LC-12 cases, 5.56.

McMaster-carr....Countersink
60, 82, 90 degree depending

-Rock

Just to mention given the posts above, it's sometimes hard to know when using reamers for primer crimp removal, just how much is too much.

Much of primer seating oftentimes happens by feel. Trouble is, by the time you've seated a primer by feel, and if you note that it felt kind of sloppy? The primer is already seated. The tool shown can very quickly help with avoiding that guesswork.

If I can impose on trickg for purposes of this thread? And if trickg might be so inclined? It would be interesting if he'd be so kind as to snap a picture of the bolt face he mentions needing to one day replace.

The gas blowback he describes, when and where it occurs for whatever reason, acts like a burning torch on steel. There's an amazing amount of heat and abrasion happening there. It's certainly to be avoided when and where possible.

We all learn from each other, and trickg likely has a perfect example. As they say, and if he can perhaps make it happen, a picture is worth a thousand words. And if that's not possible, I'll scour the web, and see if I can find something to illustrate the issue.