Reloading necked cartridges for the first time

[DFW_Warrior]

See this is exactly me as well. It kind of reduces the effectiveness of the progressive since I want to check/trim after sizing too. At that point if I use a hand primer for prep then the progressive really doesn't do much but save a step between powder and crimp.

Right, this is what my dad does. And I could be okay with leaving the pockets alone, whichj is why I asked. It just means a paradigm shift for me.

As for getting out of whack, I swear it ain't my fault! Some arsehole broke into my house and stuck a couple of 380s in my clean 9mm brass. If i ever find that jerk...

Plus just me getting things out of whack, forgetting to empty the filled shell on a restrike so I get a pile of powder at that stage, or running out of primers and realizing what that battery was supposed to do, or knocking that one bullet over crooked and trying to back up the process, you know just general crap that i personally blame on dillon. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Wait, you are trimming 9mm brass?

Seriously, here is my full process for 9mm.... tumble dirty brass in a cement mixer with corncob blasting media, and separate it. Throw brass in a tub and squirt some DIY Dillon knock off lube in there (not much, just a little). Stir and then let evaporate. Load the brass into the brass feeder, fill up the bullet feeder, and then pull the handle while trying to keep the press fed. Everything that comes out of it goes does get a quick visual inspection and primer check, and then into a 5 gallon bucket it goes. That is really it. Keeping the press running when you get something like a 380 is super easy with the Dillons. Here is the trick. When you first start, before you load any primers, just decap and resize a dozen 9mm cases or so. Then, when you feel a 380 go through the sizing die, and trust me, you will feel it... just yank it off the press before you prime in and stick in a 9mm case that has already been sized. Done... If you bullets aren't staying upright, then I'd bet you don't have enough bell on the case.

For .223/308 it is two passes through the press. First, same cleaning process as the pistol brass. For lube, it's the same stuff, just more of it. For 308, it get more than .223. First pass it goes through an FW Arms decapper and then a sizing die over in station 3. After that, 15 minutes in the tumbler to get the lube off (pistol ammo stays lubed, just how I like it... LOL). All of it gets swaged, and then if it is hoser/practice ammo it goes straight to the press. That's right kiddos, I don't trim it and I have my reasons. It gets loaded and all of it goes through a case gauge and a check for primers.

Long range ammo gets trimmed, chamfered, and then off to the press it goes after that. Same check process as the hoser ammo. I can't imagine doing all that on a single stage. It would be horrid and so slow.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

I run everything through a trim step, though it's more of an inspection after sizing. I find enough trash in the small calibers I feel it worthwhile, and I know my crimps are uniform. Its also somewhat learned habit because on bigger/higher pressure calibers especially with roll crimps they do tear at a certain point.

Yes I was having trouble getting a proper expansion bell, I attribute some of that to trying to just run the brass through after initial cleaning. That was part of my disappointment with the whole system, I just found it too fiddly. And my next goal is some 357 which I have clean new brass for but I don't have my loads worked out for this gun so again, the single stage is going to be the best bet for that. Which means I need my bench back...

I will say that if I had a dedicated space that I could leave it set up in I'd be more inclined to play with it, but for now it's just made me more inclined to buy my ammo. I haven't given up on it but working with it is a far bigger undertaking than just doing a little reloading for a couple hours.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

No need to crimp bottle neck cartridges with exception of those that are tube fed.

 

[mongoose]

No need to crimp bottle neck cartridges with exception of those that are tube fed.

I disagree. You can still get bullet set back caused by recoil in box and rotary magazines.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

I disagree. You can still get bullet set back caused by recoil in box and rotary magazines.

Very unlikely it would have to be a Mule of a caliber and weak tension on the necks.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

Very unlikely it would have to be a Mule of a caliber and weak tension on the necks.

Agreed. After shooting 10's and 10's and 10's of thousands of non-crimped rounds at competitions, not a single time have I had setback issues. Literally 0.000000%.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

I run everything through a trim step, though it's more of an inspection after sizing. I find enough trash in the small calibers I feel it worthwhile, and I know my crimps are uniform. Its also somewhat learned habit because on bigger/higher pressure calibers especially with roll crimps they do tear at a certain point.

If you like doing it, then more power to you. But trimming 9mm and straight walled pistol is the first thing I would stop doing. To me the juice is 100% not worth that squeeze, but that might just be me.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

Very unlikely it would have to be a Mule of a caliber and weak tension on the necks.

I see, and how do you handle the belled mouth?

Or are you only talking about roll crimping?

 

[Two Gun Bob]

If you like doing it, then more power to you. But trimming 9mm and straight walled pistol is the first thing I would stop doing. To me the juice is 100% not worth that squeeze, but that might just be me.

Its not a performance or accuracy issue, its a matter of who knows what you have in your brass pile, how many times it's been sized, and how is it going to headspace. Plus my method is SUPPOSED to highlight short brass like 380 in 9, 38 in 357, 40 in 10, 45 colt in 454 etc.

Which is why I blame it on an intruder. Likely the same d*ckhead who randomly moves my glasses around the house where I can't find them.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

I see, and how do you handle the belled mouth?

Or are you only talking about roll crimping?

Rolled crimping like into a canular.

 

[xkon]

Its not a performance or accuracy issue, its a matter of who knows what you have in your brass pile, how many times it's been sized, and how is it going to headspace. Plus my method is SUPPOSED to highlight short brass like 380 in 9, 38 in 357, 40 in 10, 45 colt in 454 etc.

Which is why I blame it on an intruder. Likely the same d*ckhead who randomly moves my glasses around the house where I can't find them.

For what it's worth, I also never have trimmed any pistol brass and have had zero issues. You can definitely feel the difference through the sizing die on shorter brass and identify it.

I do a very quick spin of every round with my fingernail on the case mouth and check the primer with a rub of my finger to check its seated properly and was not a flipped or old primer. This is the time I check the brass. If I checked it by trimming, I'd still check the completed round so that would double the time.

Not saying to change but just mentioning my process for pistol rounds which has been pretty effective and fairly quick.

 

[deemus]

I only trim 44Mag and 45 Colt pistol rounds. And I’m not counting 458 SOCOM as a pistol round. I trim those every time.

 

[xkon]

Well finally got everything I need and was able to load about 600 rounds of 223. Lengthy but got the process down for rifle rounds. Will look at ways to speed it up for the 223 rounds.

Was also able to find a used Dillon RL550C for a really good price. Will likely use the 550 for priming, the powder drop and bullet seating to save handling the rounds on the single stage for each of these.

 

[Vaquero]

Well finally got everything I need and was able to load about 600 rounds of 223. Lengthy but got the process down for rifle rounds. Will look at ways to speed it up for the 223 rounds.

Was also able to find a used Dillon RL550C for a really good price. Will likely use the 550 for priming, the powder drop and bullet seating to save handling the rounds on the single stage for each of these.

Sounds like a solid plan.
Keep your eyes on everything and learn to feel the steps on a progressive.

 

[Dawico]

Well finally got everything I need and was able to load about 600 rounds of 223. Lengthy but got the process down for rifle rounds. Will look at ways to speed it up for the 223 rounds.

Was also able to find a used Dillon RL550C for a really good price. Will likely use the 550 for priming, the powder drop and bullet seating to save handling the rounds on the single stage for each of these.

That's what I do.

Tumble, lube (One Shot in a plastic tub, shake, hit again) size, and tumble again.

On to the progressive. Universal decapper (or bigger than caliber sizing die will work) in station one to clear media out of the flash holes, then prime, charge, and seat.

I've done this with precision rounds too but measured every charge.

 

[popper]

Some interesting comments here. Ford has been making autos for > 100 yrs and never made a mistake. People been reloading for centuries. I do remember the guy at Cabela's recommending a pistol case trimmer to a fellow that had the shopping cart full of equipment. You mileage may vary.

 

[xkon]

Was able to get out to the range today and test some more of the 223 ammo I loaded up. Using the berrys 55 grain bullets, I loaded some at 2.260 oal, 2.230 and 2.210. 2.260oal was what the manuals suggest but left the cannalure out. Didn't notice any difference in accuracy, velocity, or additional pressure signs on the primer.

Was getting 3143 fps average and a 23 SD out of a 26" barrel, using all mixed headstamps. Overall pretty happy with my results.

 

[TexMex247]

Were the Berry's bullets reasonably accurate? I'm looking to crank out a few hundred plinking rounds and I have plenty of 55gr Hornady sp and fmj but recently got 1k 62gr fmj that I think are Armscor. I never could get MOA performance out of cheaper bullets. Xtreme 55gr were 1.5 moa at best. I don't have high expectations for the Armscor but I did find the Hornady 62gr SP to be excellent in accuracy.

I haven't seen them available in probably 3 years but if you look them up they're quite popular in Australia and new Zealand. According to Hornady they still make them they're just scarce in the US. I never have given Berry's a fair shake for the 223. They've been average to good in various pistol loads for me. My happy place is about 8-9 cpb for plinking bullets.

 

[xkon]

Were the Berry's bullets reasonably accurate? I'm looking to crank out a few hundred plinking rounds and I have plenty of 55gr Hornady sp and fmj but recently got 1k 62gr fmj that I think are Armscor. I never could get MOA performance out of cheaper bullets. Xtreme 55gr were 1.5 moa at best. I don't have high expectations for the Armscor but I did find the Hornady 62gr SP to be excellent in accuracy.

I haven't seen them available in probably 3 years but if you look them up they're quite popular in Australia and new Zealand. According to Hornady they still make them they're just scarce in the US. I never have given Berry's a fair shake for the 223. They've been average to good in various pistol loads for me. My happy place is about 8-9 cpb for plinking bullets.

I use berrys for all my 9mm and 45acp rounds and they do well for range ammo. Montana gold bullets for 10mm.

I was shooting right at 1 MOA with the berrys 55 grain bullets off a bipod. What twist rate are you running, your rifle may like the heavier bullets better.

I just saw the armscor 62 grain fmjs go on sale for $48/500 which is a pretty decent price. Might try some out to compare but just loaded up on a few thousand berrys 55 grains for plinking as they were on sale as well.

 

[TexMex247]

Moa is great with a cheaper bullet. Most of mine are 1:8 Wylde chambered rifles but I have a 1:7 and 1:9 in the mix. I'd consider my white oak uppers and a 24" Anderson predator among my most accurate. The Anderson runs a featureless barrel and 223 chamber but it shoots cheap bullets well enough. My guns definitely like the midweights best. The Sierra 63gr smp and 65gr game king are great shooters in my rifles but one load doesn't chamber in the 223 I've run the OAL a little high to reduce the jump.

The white oak has shot a few 3/4" groups with older generation m855 that was sold as seconds through sportsman's guide over 20 years ago. I still hoard a few boxes since it's the best shooting m855 I've ever put through my rifles.