Reloading BS thread

Don't overfill the tumbler with media OR brass.

 

ok

 

Add polish and let run for a few minutes so it doesnt clump up and gets evenly distrbuted. Then add brass. Trying to get clumps of polish and media out of those primer pockets is a real pita. Depending on what kind of media pieces can get stuck in flash hole so check all of them as you pull them out. A pick is handy to punch the pieces out. 2 or 3 hrs and should be pretty clean depending on how bad they are to start with.

 

a pick? can you link me one?

 

Something along the lines of this, but any pick set like you can get at sears, home depot, lowes, a dental pick works great too. http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/778870/tipton-gun-cleaning-pick-set-4-piece-polymer

 

ahhh yes yes.. i have some cheap ones.. or i can get some from Amazon.. thanks!

 

Cheap is good, most of the time i use a large sewing needle, lol

 

Paper clip. Save your money for stuff that you need....like bullets and powder.

 

so this pick is to punch the primer out?? or just to pick out the media.. do i tumble with the old primer in?

 

I deprime before tumbling, many do not. The primer is removed at the press on the decapping station. Or a dedicated deprimer device. The prick (I've always known them as a machinist scribe) is NOT used to deprime but clean out media. Or toothpick, paper clip, pipe cleaners, piano wire or what ever you happen to have handy.

 

I polish both ways, i clean before i size. Makes sizing rifle or pistol much easier on you and your dies. If im loading a rifle cartridge i throw them back in to get the lube off.

 

I have been reloading for quite some time now, actually over 40 years. The "recommended" way to do the brass cleaning was to remove the primer and let the primer pocket get cleaned up some which leads to the hole getting plugged with media. It was then "recommended to further clean the primer pocket with some sort of primer pocket tool.

It has been my experience that doing the "recommended" way enlarges the primer pocket prematurely and leads to loose primers which can jam the weapon. I do not clean the primer pocket ever, at all. That little tad bit of residue doesn't hurt a thing. If there is any cleaning media stuck in the hole after tumbling them the decapper pin pushes it out with the spent primer.

I know there may be a lot of folks who will disagree with me over this but 40 years of experience is hard to beat. At one point I started to think I might be reloading too much. I could tell the maker of the brass from the bullet seating pressure needed to seat the bullet. I have reloaded thousands of 45 ACP's with a single stage RCBS Rock Chucker press. So if you are planning on using those cases a long time, you might want to reconsider even cleaning the primer pockets.

 

I dont have near the experience as you do, but i have to say, cleaning or uniforming the primer pocket only increases the depth of the pocket by mere thousandths , not the circumfrence so i dont believe it enlarges the pocket. By uniforming the pocket you allow the new primer to seat flush or just under. A factory primer and a reloaders primer are not the same. I uniform the pockets the first time and clean them there after.

 

6000 .224 FMJBT for $500. free ship

http://palmettostatearmory.com/inde...unt-bulk-pack-22-cal-224-55gr-fmj-bt-w-c.html

 

Anyone have a collet bullet puller with a 22 cal. collet for sale? Or loan? Loaded 50 rounds of 222 with fucking Rem 6 1/2 primers instead of 7 1/2's........Don't want to risk pierced primers.

 

Just get a block of wood and your kinetic puller. One good wack and presto!

 

That requires me to touch the powder to retrieve the bullet. Also, has a tendency to scatter powder everywhere. Too much noise, we have a quiet house. Do I have enough excuses? lol

 

Just picked up a .40 M&Pc and plan on shooting it a lot. I have always wanted to get into reloading and would probably be reloading a little 9mm but mainly .40 and 30-30. Just started reading on it tonight. Any suggestions? What all will I need besides a press, primer tool, scale, and micrometer?

Thoughts on this press?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/513567/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-single-stage-press

 

the rock chucker is an awesome press, it is what I use. I am by no means an expert, but I am confident that I would never need another press after buying my rockchucker (I may get a progressive press eventually, but that is another matter).

I am in school for machining and have micrometers and calipers, I have found that you really don't need micrometers for any but the most precision loads. you are just fine with calipers.

My rockchucker came with a priming tool installed. it is not the best primer tool in the world, but it works. A scale is very important, I would recomend getting a digital, they are much faster if you are going to be loading pistol cartidges.

beyond that, there will be more people who can tell you more soon.

 

Get a reload kit. I got a single station Lee and it came with the press, balance (scale), powder dispenser, primer dispenser to use on the press. I had to get shell holders, die kit, and length gauge trimmer/chamfer tool to complete the set and start reloading. There's also turret presses if you plan on reloading a lot of ammo but they do take time to set up. Most important is to get at least one good reloading book. I like Lyman's 49th edition reloading manual but there are a few others that are good. Compare prices at midway, titian reloading, Natchez, and Cabela's for your gear. You'll also want a bullet puller and a good set of Vernier calipers. For cleaning, a lot of guys use tumbling. I'm more of a fan of liquid cleaning via ultrasonics or even just rolling in a container.
Here's two that are a little less and, I feel, are just as good
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/42...reech-lock-single-stage-press-anniversary-kit
Or
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/121744/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press-kit