First time reloading steps.

[MrRobot]

I will be reading The ABC of reloading again to make sure I'm doing it correctly. One thing I'm questing myself now is if I had the resizing to low now. I know from watching videos and reading the instructions. I was supposed to push the ram all the way up until the die touched it. Then lower the ram, and do a half a turn on the die. Do I need to be worried about that head space? I have the Hornady Lock-N-load headspace gauge kit. Maybe I will double-check them to make sure I have it correct.

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[rotor]

I will be reading The ABC of reloading again to make sure I'm doing it correctly. One thing I'm questing myself now is if I had the resizing to low now. I know from watching videos and reading the instructions. I was supposed to push the ram all the way up until the die touched it. Then lower the ram, and do a half a turn on the die. Do I need to be worried about that head space? I have the Hornady Lock-N-load headspace gauge kit. Maybe I will double-check them to make sure I have it correct.

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This is what a case gage is for. In rifle a case gage makes it easy to set your resizing die just right.
Look here

 

[rotor]

I've always considered a case gauge as an unnecessary item. In your case it's keeping you from loading.
Re read the die set up. I touch the die and tighten down maybe 1/8 a turn if that. Just enough to feel tension.

If you want easy and end up with SAAMI spec a case gage makes it easy. It is not essential. Easy is of value for me. It is a tool. Many people load a bunch of ammo and find out afterwards that they did it wrong. The bullets and powder probably can be saved. The case and primer may be gone. Note, precision rifle shooters want reloading for their specific rifle and that may not be aided with a case gage. Fired case from that specific rifle is what is used. But for most of us using brass from the range a gage helps. I can't see using a caliber on every case to measure it. I use case gages and ammo checkers. Only once did I find a round that went into a case gage but not an ammo checker. Realize though that a rifle case gage is not an ammo checker.

 

[rotor]

35 years of loading and never a need for the tool. Set die once measure two or three cases and you're done. I've loaded for 26 or 27different sami cartriges and 7 Ackley cartriges along with countless wildcats.
Over thinking gets you in trouble more than it helps. Read the book and keep it simple.

Works for you that’s great. But a new reloader without your experience needs to make sure he has it right and simple. Tools that help and are not expensive make things easier and give a newbie assurance that what he has done is right. I like being able to pop a case into a gage. The fact that op found so many short cases on the range leads me to believe that some cases have been overtrimmed. I can argue that a lot of things reloaders do are not necessary such as ss tumblers (I have one) but I don’t fault you if you use it. I don’t use it. Some don’t use electronic scales. Some don’t use chronometers. All have their place. I use a Lee classic turret, I tend to be compulsive about reloading and like to make sure I have not screwed it up. Easiest tool a reloader uses is a case gage.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Case gauge is wasted money for a new reloader and can sometimes be of use to a benchrest competitor. Use the chamber. We fire guns not tools.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

I now believe the OP is trollin.

 

[MrRobot]

Thank you all for the good feedback. I was looking over the brass I cleaned, resize and de-prim and notice something. Since I picked up a lot of brass from the outside range there are different brands. I was watching a youtube video "Reloading 101: Do NOT DO These Things" from Gun talk media.

He mentions something about reloading different brass. That you shouldn't mix and match to try to stay with one brand. That some brass could be much thicker than others and you don't know how many times that brass has been fired.

Since I have so many different vendors in brass should I separate them all? I started today trying to identify some brass but it's hard to make out some of them. I could read the 223 but some say USA, GEL, PC, etc... Let me know what you guys think, please. I think that's a very important step in my process if I should or should not.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[TexMex247]

I'm am anal about my sorting but it's a painful process. I'm also trying to achieve 1 moa ammo with regularity. I'll echo what some have said about a case gauge...take a piece of recently sized un-primed brass and drop it into your chamber and see if the bolt closes completely and your hammer strike sounds right. In a bolt rifle just close the bolt. A little tight ok, real tight and you need to bump the shoulder back more aka screw the die in more.

As far as mixed brass, if you're talking plinking ammo then just stay under max and have at it. However you will run into primer seating issues if you don't clean up primer pockets on all crimped brass. Some will have an obvious 3 or 4 point primer crimp, others have that stamped circle. The downer is, either will make it difficult to seat a new primer without a little clean up. Virtually any case neck deburring tool will work for that.

Eventually you will buy a prep station and save yourself ridiculous amounts of time and sore thumbs.

 

[MrRobot]

I'm am anal about my sorting but it's a painful process. I'm also trying to achieve 1 moa ammo with regularity. I'll echo what some have said about a case gauge...take a piece of recently sized un-primed brass and drop it into your chamber and see if the bolt closes completely and your hammer strike sounds right. In a bolt rifle just close the bolt. A little tight ok, real tight and you need to bump the shoulder back more aka screw the die in more.

As far as mixed brass, if you're talking plinking ammo then just stay under max and have at it. However you will run into primer seating issues if you don't clean up primer pockets on all crimped brass. Some will have an obvious 3 or 4 point primer crimp, others have that stamped circle. The downer is, either will make it difficult to seat a new primer without a little clean up. Virtually any case neck deburring tool will work for that.

Eventually you will buy a prep station and save yourself ridiculous amounts of time and sore thumbs.

Thank you for your feedback on this. Yes, it's for plinking ammo only, and for sure it's a pain. I have noticed some crimp brass but I got a swagger to fix that issue. I will make sure I keep below the max pressure. Plus knowing me I might just sort the brass out.

This weekend I plan to finish the process since I have powder and primers now. Going to do 5 rounds above the min pressure then move up slowly until I have 20 rounds to test my AR.

 

[TexMex247]

The AR 15 can handle slightly higher pressure than a typical 223. Or at least that's what you'll see in Sierras AR 15 aka service rifle load data. I highly recommend printing them off the internet. I'm not sure what powder you settled on but starting at minimum will most likely just be a waste of powder. I know it's better to be cautious but rarely is the minimum charge anything worth reproducing.

 

[MrRobot]

The AR 15 can handle slightly higher pressure than a typical 223. Or at least that's what you'll see in Sierras AR 15 aka service rifle load data. I highly recommend printing them off the internet. I'm not sure what powder you settled on but starting at minimum will most likely just be a waste of powder. I know it's better to be cautious but rarely is the minimum charge anything worth reproducing.

The only powder I was able to get was the CFE223 with CCI Small rifle magnum primers #450.

I was thinking of starting a little over minimum powder for the 223. I know if I do less it could be dangerous

 

[TexMex247]

A little under will probably exit the barrel but it will short stroke and fail to feed next round. From a little poking around I see 25.5 w55gr fmj as a plinker and 26.3-26.7 as a more precision load. When you're talking under 2 gr I definitely think it's worth working up to for accuracy.

 

[popper]

Start med range from Hornady/Sierra or known good source. Not too hot but always works. Mag primers are OK won't hurt anything. When using range pickup brass, toss the ones with a big ejector/extractor swipe. See a dent next to primer pocket? Toss it. Bent rim or jagged rim, toss it. Little case dents from AR are from hitting deflector on upper, not a big problem unless real big. Too much case lube will cause small 'dent', usually on or near the shoulder. All LC brass is NATO and slightly different than 223 Rem. You see a bright ring around the rear of the case - destroy it - sign of separation - smash it! Recyclers may sell to reloaders! Your pics show normal sizing die scratches down close to the head, not a problem.

 

[MrRobot]

Well, I'm back... I finally had some time to get back into reloading after a family issue. I'm having a hard time understanding the whole trimming process. I took out the caliper that I bought from harbor freight. I started going over the trim length from the book. The book states 1760 is the max. I was trying to keep it between 1748 to 1751.

The caliper is all over the place from 1744 to 1753 when I tried the brass. I notice in some videos they spin the brass to get a better reading. Well, I do that and it's all over the place. Should I just go off the first reading I get?

I was planning on doing 5 dummy rounds just brass and the bullet. No primer or powder to see if they work on my AR.

Could it be the caliper I bought that's giving me the issue?

 

[rotor]

I have compared the HF caliper to an expensive Japanese one that I have and they both compare although yours may not. I am lazy though and I use a case gauge. You do measure after resizing though right?

 

[GasGuzzler]

Brass varies that much or more. That's why people trim after they size.

Are you saying there's that much difference on trimmed cases? If so, some were too short to start with and/or there's an issue with the trimmer.

 

[hornetguy]

As long as the cases are below maximum length, I wouldn't worry about trimming. In my experience, it just doesn't make enough difference to be worth the trouble.
This is especially true if you use a Case factory crimp die (judiciously, of course).... case length is not an issue. Un-necessary trimming can eat up a lot of time, and cause needless concern.

Doing a "sanity check" quick measurement before loading will tell you whether you need to trim, or not.

 

[MrRobot]

Thank you guys for the feedback. I use the caliper and a case gauge I bought. I'm using Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Case Prep and Trim Center which I bought a couple of months back. I ordered a new caliper last night so I will test and see if it makes a difference.

Yes, I resize them first then I trim them down.

 

[MrRobot]

Hello all,
Hope everyone has a good weekend. Man it's been hot the last couple of days plus working in the garage makes it hotter for reloading.

Had about 2 hours of free time today. I finally was able to get the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Case Prep and Trim setup to a good measurement. I plan to stay between 1748 and 1751 I think that's a good size for the .223

My goal for this week is to finish at least 25 bullets with different powder sizes. Friday since I have the day off plan on going to the range and hopefully I won't blow myself up.. hahaha

 

[MrRobot]

Hello all,
Well, last night I decided it was time to prime and get some powder going. I looked at my notes of how much powder I was going to do. I plan on doing 5 different powder measurements for 5 bullets.

1. 23.5
2. 24.0
3. 24.2
4. 24.4
5. 24.6

Since I bought my loading kit it came with Lee powder dispenser. I put everything together and even got the scale zero out.

God bless it what a F*** mess my desk got with powder all over the place. First, the screw was too tight that I lose it and when going up and down powder then the powder started coming out from the side of the dispenser.

Then putting the bullet where it dispenses you have to place it right or you will have powder all over the place. I think after 10 rounds I finally had it right.

Now I understand why people don't use the kits one. I think i might move on to a digit one that way I get the correct measurements.

Plan on seating the bullet today and maybe go out during the week to the range. Just to see if I did everything correctly.