Poll: reloading processed brass, skip re-sizer die?

[nickmoon]

Hey all. Been loading away for a year or so and mainly load full processed rifle brass (trimmed, length resized, de-primed ect) and just started to wonder if I even need to run the brass thru the first die at all?
What's the story, can I skip the deprime/resize die?

Best,
Nick

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[Mark W.]

Does the case as is fit in the chamber? does the neck as is hold the bullet? What firearm are you loading for? What caliber are you loading?

 

[Greenbug]

Yes you do need to at least neck size the brass before reloading. Otherwise you won't have enough neck tension to hold the bullet in place. Try setting a bullet in the mouth of your fired brass, it will probably fall right into the case.

 

[nickmoon]

The neck seems good almost perfect size, bullet seats good without. I buy my brass from Tactical Brass.
The only reason I wanted to skip that step is that I wouldn't have to lube my brass and clean it

SORRY: its 223 (5.56) LC brass. Being loaded for a fairly typical AR.

 

[nickmoon]

This is from the website. I have purchased several thousand rounds so far been fine.
I have always used the first die (resizer) but wondering about skipping if its more stress on the brass?

FROM THE SITE:

The Process


No proprietary chemicals are used that would weaken the finished product


It is first cleaned and inspected to remove damaged pieces, odd caliber rounds and non Lake City brass.
Processed using a Dillon super 1050 to remove primer, and swage primer pocket.
Full length sized
Trimmed to correct length
A Dillon Headspace/Case Gage is used as the standard for sizing and trimming.
Polished using a tumbler with corncob media
Inspected again.
Final product is packaged using a counting scale with a few extra included just to be sure.

 

[Mark W.]

OK then why are you asking?

 

[nickmoon]

Well I thought it might be more to it but, guess not.
Ill run 20 thru and see how it goes.

 

[Tim K]

Get a case gage or a case comparator for you caliper if you're not certain it's been done. Sounds like you're good.

 

[PX4WA]

if it's fired brass the neck needs to be sized...

I'd be worried about bullets falling off or setting back as the crimp will likely not be enough if there is no tension of the bullet and the case neck...

your bullet could move and lodge into the rifle lands and cause a pressure spike...

EDIT:

since the brass has been resized, there is no point in resizing it...

 

[nickmoon]

PX4A. Thanks for the note. I'm excited about not resizing my resized brass
Not sure why several thousand rounds later I asked this question.
Thanks
Nick

 

[deadshot2]

I always use a sizing die, even on new or "processed" brass. Almost all brass that's been handled in the packing process and survived shipping has necks that are dinged or bent. Even if the sizing die isn't fully screwed in, the expander ball will straighten it out.

As for trimming or further processing, not until I've fired it once in my rifle. Don''t neck turn until the case has been hammered out by the first firing.

If people are buying "processed" once fired brass then it's an excellent idea to have a case gauge and use to inspect every piece. Cull those that won't fit fully in the case, especially Military Brass. Either run it through you sizing die, ask the supplier for replacement brass, or just chuck it in the recycle bucket and factor it into your brass cost.

 

[nickmoon]

ran about 50, everything seems fine. They mic real well, seating is strong. Thanks for the insight and sorry for posting this when I could easily have done what I just did to find out the answer.
N

 

[Throckmorton]

I suspect several people did what I did..voted before reading thru the process they use.Knowing what I know now,I"ve vote 'skip it'.

 

[deadshot2]

ran about 50, everything seems fine. They mic real well, seating is strong. Thanks for the insight and sorry for posting this when I could easily have done what I just did to find out the answer.
N

But if you hadn't posted, we all wouldn't have anything to comment on

 

[AMProducts]

Generally you can treat processed brass as new brass, doesn't make any sense to process it twice. Not great for the brass' longevity either.

 

[deadshot2]

Generally you can treat processed brass as new brass, doesn't make any sense to process it twice. Not great for the brass' longevity either.

And that would be true if it were to arrive in "processed" condition. Unfortunately, unless it's shipped in nice strong wooden crates, all too often it has bent case mouths and dents in the body from being crushed under whatever UPS of the Postal Service sent down the "chute" right after that box of brass. Even Lapua brass, packed in the hard plastic boxes, many times shows up looking like it was pulled from the range brass bucket.

Maybe not a full sizing necessary but at least something to make sure the case neck is at least round before trying to seat a bullet.

 

[AMProducts]

I didn't see what press the OP is running it on, but if you're running it on a 1050, if you leave the top swage bar in place, it will give you the expansion/bell you would want (yes, the dillon tool does put some bell on 223 case mouths), even if you have the bottom swage bar backed out.

I find most of the damage brass experiences in it's journey to your door occurs at the factory. With some types of brass that are perpetually thin (.44-40 comes to mind) you will find damaged case mouths from shipping, but .223 is pretty sturdy by comparison.

In my experience, any case mouth that would be too jacked up to take a bullet, would also be too jacked up to load. I just toss 'em and don't worry about it.

 

[iusmc2002]

I didn't see what press the OP is running it on, but if you're running it on a 1050, if you leave the top swage bar in place, it will give you the expansion/bell you would want (yes, the dillon tool does put some bell on 223 case mouths), even if you have the bottom swage bar backed out.

I find most of the damage brass experiences in it's journey to your door occurs at the factory. With some types of brass that are perpetually thin (.44-40 comes to mind) you will find damaged case mouths from shipping, but .223 is pretty sturdy by comparison.

In my experience, any case mouth that would be too jacked up to take a bullet, would also be too jacked up to load. I just toss 'em and don't worry about it.

What kind of brass are you talking about here? Like deadshot2, most of the brass I've purchased in bags (Winchester mostly, but some Federal, some Remington) comes with mouths that are nearly square. But once into a neck-sizer, even without forcing the collet closed, and they're now in loading shape. Is the brass you throw away the kind of brass I'm talking about, or is yours different? I guess I don't understand why you'd throw brass away like that. Most of my purchased-new-brass has been for the 300WM, but even the 30-06 and .270 I've bought have had flat-on-one-or-two-sides pieces. Not as frequently as the 300WM, but once the mouths have been reshaped, they've worked fine.

 

[humdrum]

I would run it through a sizer-die if for nothing more than the piece o' mind in knowing I took all available precautions while handloading. Considering the thought that most of us here are reloading in batches of 20, 50 or 100 rounds at a time I don't see why it wouldn't be done. Just because the supplier says it's good doesn't mean you shouldn't check for yourself. Sorta like being handed a pistol by someone and believing him when he says he cleared it... wouldn't you automatically check to make sure? The comparison is extreme, but as a handloader you are the final quality inspector.

 

[ma96782]

Trust but varify.

Aloha, Mark