Reloading question-if you please.

daddo

I watched a man reload his 7mm brass today and saw him do something I was taught never to do. This man has been reloading for 16 years, and I should have asked him, but he was in a bad mood so I passed. He trimmed his brass before resizing it in the Die. Won't the brass sometimes be shorter after resizing? I've been reloading for only 4 years now but I beleive you should resize first then trim. ????????? Is this a DUH?

spclark

Brass cases typically stretche during firing, both lengthwise and in diameter. The brass flows forward, thinning at the web (just where the case wall joins the base). During a full-length resize of bottleneck cartridges the brass will be forced back into shape for the die but cannot be forced back in length and the case wall is still thinner than befor ethe last firing. General practice is to trim to length after full-length case resizing, not before.If cases are only neck resized (if the cases are kept for reuse in the same rifle), the brass undergoes less stress than during a full-length resize.Full-length & neck-only case resizing dies look very similar in a press; I doubt you could tell looking over someone else's shoulder what they're using.I suppose case trimming could safely be done before neck resizing but that's not my practice. [This message has been edited by spclark (edited 01-25-2002).]

JustC

that's a good one daddo. I would like that answer as well.

robsguns

Maybe I'm simple, but I never thought about it much, probably because I have always done my full lenth resizing and depriming in one stroke, followed by trimming, I'd never trim before depriming, as I use a Lee trimmer guide for all my trimmming, and it requires the case to be deprimed, not much choice there. I'd trim after resizing though, if I had the choice.

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SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

daddo

So it best assumed that resize should be done before trimming?! I think so!! Thanks!

rg666

Resize, then trim. Also if you neck size only you should only use that brass in the same (gun you first fired it in) gun. I have two guns in 22-250 & have to keep the brass & finished rounds separated. RG

ATF

How do you trim after resizing when using a Progressive Press ? I may be wrong but, seems to me this screws up the whole idea of using a Progressive Press.I've been reloading for over forty years and load over 40 calibers.Never had a problem with trimming.I think either way works depending which press you are using.Just my 2 cents.

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ATF[This message has been edited by ATF (edited 01-25-2002).]

robsguns

ATF, I'm not sure if your reply was directed my way or not, I think it may be. I dont use a progressive, I use a Lee, with the turret indexing rod removed. I actually use my Lee as a single stage, so I can make better loads, by doing each process for my cases in stages, but without haveing the difficulty of screwing around with die removal and set up. I have a different turret for each caliber of dies. I usually deprime and resize all the cases, then trim and chamfer, then clean, then prime, then charge all the cases, weighing each charge, then seat the bullet and then crimp. I've never noticed my dies becoming worn from resizing and depriming before cleaning either, as some people say can occur, luck or small volume, I dont know.

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SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

ATF

Robsguns,my reply was not directed to you.I just don't think it makes much difference when you trim.

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ATF

Iconoclast

Firing / re-sizing works the brass, obviously . . . altho the latter much less than the former. While trimming before sizing probably makes little difference, on high power BN rifle brass, I've always done it after sizing to minimize variations . . . improved accuracy is a big part of the reason for hand loading. Straight wall pistol cartridges, I use a go-nogo & trash 'em when they get too long.