New to reloading, Question

[Bearcatrp]

Just starting reloading. Have the nosler reloading book that came with my RCBS reload kit. Have helped a few times, watched allot of videos so time to start. Cleaned some brass after removing primers (308). Sized some brass. Some questions:
1. When checking length of brass, do this before or after resizing? Have done both ways and found some exceed length by 0.005. Put them to the side for now for trimming later.
2. Am using LC brass I aquired from bulk ammo I purchased in past. Have the RCBS hand loading primer tool. Finding some are a total bitch to depress to the point I didn't prime in fear of boom. One did give but it seated a little crooked. Put it to the side. Will it be sage to remove that primer or chuck whole cartridge?
3. Decided to measure some completed rounds purchased to see if total length is what the book states should be. Found fusion to be off (smaller) pretty much from what the book states. Normal?
4. Some of my brass, after cleaning is off my as much 0.005 smaller. Good to use? Seat bullet less deeper to get close to over all length?
5. How much can brass be off + or - to be safe to use?
Appreciate any tips or suggestions. Thanks.

[Ghost]

2. Am using LC brass I aquired from bulk ammo I purchased in past. Have the RCBS hand loading primer tool. Finding some are a total bitch to depress to the point I didn't prime in fear of boom. One did give but it seated a little crooked. Put it to the side. Will it be sage to remove that primer or chuck whole cartridge?

Did you remove the crimp?

You may want one of these if you haven't http://www.midwayusa.com/product/176759/hornady-primer-pocket-reamer-tool-large?cm_vc=sugv1176759 they have both a large and a small depending on primer size.

[Sigfan220]

1: After sizing
2: See above - probably need to remove the crimp. Check all bras for crimps if it is 223/5.56, 7.62/308, 50BMG, 9mm etc. If it is loaded for military applications it likely has a crimp.
3: Factory rounds can be whatever the factory wants not what is in a load manual. It should however conform to the max OAL length for that cartridge.
4: Smaller in what dimension? I would find it hard to believe cleaning changes the brass in any way. If it's the trim to length I wouldn't worry.
5: Get a case gauge. A case gauge will give you the acceptable limits for sizing and trim to length. You don't want to over or under size brass.

[Ironbear]

2: See above - probably need to remove the crimp. Check all bras for crimps if it is 223/5.56, 7.62/308, 50BMG, 9mm etc. If it is loaded for military applications it likely has a crimp.

Any safety tips for this?

[OldmanFCSA]

Come see me, I will cover all these questions in my normal reloading instructions.
But if I were to miss one or two, I would expect you to ask as all questions will be answered. There are NO dumb questions when it comes to reloading.

[OldmanFCSA]

2: See above - probably need to remove the crimp. Check all bras for crimps if it is 223/5.56, 7.62/308, 50BMG, 9mm etc. If it is loaded for military applications it likely has a crimp.

Any safety tips for this?

I need safety tips for this also as I have been slapped way too many times trying to help out.

[Bearcatrp]

Crimp? You mean used primer? Pic on top is LC brass cleaned. Middle is primer installed, bottom is primer not installed correctly. Can the bad primer be removed safely without it discharging? When I removed the primers with my 308 die, they came out without issue whole. The book didn't say anything about crimp so not sure what your meaning.

[Bearcatrp]

2. Am using LC brass I aquired from bulk ammo I purchased in past. Have the RCBS hand loading primer tool. Finding some are a total bitch to depress to the point I didn't prime in fear of boom. One did give but it seated a little crooked. Put it to the side. Will it be sage to remove that primer or chuck whole cartridge?

Did you remove the crimp?

You may want one of these if you haven't http://www.midwayusa.com/product/176759/hornady-primer-pocket-reamer-tool-large?cm_vc=sugv1176759 they have both a large and a small depending on primer size.

Just checked out tool. The brass I have from hornady sst's I have shot look just like the LC brass. But will get that tool before I proceed. I have 7 cartridges primed on the LC brass that seated fine. OK or not OK to use?

[OldmanFCSA]

Get the Dillon 600 Super Swage tool, or just come use mine. It will solve 99.9% of your primer installation problems.

[george]

I run all my rifle primer pockets threw the RCBS Primer Pocket Swager to make them all uniform. Works well for me.
Others are very good too but this is easy for me. Holly cow, its on sale to at Midway.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/235832/rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo-2?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Also Lee makes a cheep case length gage if your looking for a single caliber type. You would need the Lee cutter.
A bit of work, a universal like the Lyman works supper.
HAVE FUN

[Rip Van Winkle]

If your loading mil surplus brass, or if you are losing primers in your well used brass, you need one of these from Ballistic Products.


For crimp removal, the Dillon Super Swage is the best on the market. If your not buying thousands of crimped brass a year, it's probably not worth the money and you could get by with a pocket unifying tool like those mentioned above.

[Seismic Sam]

Go see Oldman and let him take you under his wing and teach you stuff that you will miss in books or never know. He is a unique resource and you will wind up much better off than if you just read manuals.

[Bearcatrp]

Go see Oldman and let him take you under his wing and teach you stuff that you will miss in books or never know. He is a unique resource and you will wind up much better off than if you just read manuals.

Have seen him a few times on 50BMG. Waiting on his next opening. I ordered the pocket reamer from midway for now.
As for the primers that did seat right in the brass, good to go to use? Only have 7 done. My test ones to try.

[Mauser98]

If the primers you've seated already are below flush to the case head, I'd finish loading them. They should be around .003 below flush.

You can press out the mangled one. If you don't have a universal decapping die, just run it back through your FL sizing die. Slow and gentle, and use eye and ear protection. I've decapped numerous live primers with no issues, and have reused most of them.

To avoid resizing the brass again, you may be able to run the decapping rod down far enough to push the primer before the die starts squeezing the neck down.

[Bearcatrp]

Thanks for the help. They seated good. Stood them up on flat surface too. Kind of funny how some seated fine but a few didn't. Won't be doing any more priming until my tool arrives. The 7 I have ready, time to see how I do finishing. Taking small baby steps to get this right the first time. Thanks again.