Learning

dlbleak · Aug 8, 2019

Lee trimmer here in a cordless drill. I think the best thing I like about reloading is how therapeutic it is. I might go out in the garage and size or prime, or trim a few hundred pieces of brass. It’s wind down time for me after a tough day at work.

Aries · Aug 8, 2019

I always lube rifle cases with spray, then put them in the vibrator to clean them in crushed walnut, then prime and load them. All of my pistol dies are carbide, so I don't have to lube them, I usually resize and flare the case, then clean them.

I could easily get by without cleaning the pistol cases, but I do it anyway. I don't like leaving the lube on rifle cases while handling them to finish loading or shooting them, so I would not dream of not cleaning them. But you COULD just wipe them off and probably be fine.

The only bad thing about crushed walnut is you have to use a pin or something and punch it out of the primer hole. But with a little liquid car wax it does a great job of polishing them up.

cdschoonie · Aug 8, 2019

swampratt said:
I really like the Lee trimmer.
I do it like this guy. I knew there would be a video. Fast easy and consistent.

That’s awesome thank you!

cdschoonie · Aug 8, 2019

druryj said:
Isn't this cool? I like all the solid advice being given. I am thinking this thread is exactly what OSA is really all about. As far as your questions, I have nothing to add; these fellers seem to have it covered.

That’s what I so love about this group! Egos are thrown aside, and a newbie can ask questions and learn! Unlike other forums I’ve tried, where you ask a question and 30 people reply and see who can make you look the stupidest, or simply give you a reply of “do a search, that’s how I learned.”

Reloading Rod · Aug 8, 2019

If your picking up brass with dirt and or gunk on them clean them first to keep from scratching your die. I use the steel pins and if I pick up nasty cases I'll usually tumble them for 30 minutes and get them cleaner then lube, resize and then tumble them the rest of the way clean. I use a homemade spray on lube and it gets inside the cases so I like to get it all cleaned out before I put powder in them.

DRC458 · Aug 8, 2019

blake711 said:
Can I sneak a question in here? In the other thread folks were talking about lubing cases before resizing. I have watched a lot of videos. It seems everyone is cleaning the brass then resizing. On this site I thought someone said they resized before cleaning then the cleaning process removed the oil. Can it be done either way? Also what happens if oil gets into the case and you load it?

No lube required with carbide dies. Otherwise, you need some lube. I generally clean before re-sizing, as Reloading Rod said, to prevent damage to the size die. I don't always clean. Much of my shooting is bolt guns, and the brass commonly goes right back into a plastic case. They get wiped down and loaded. If I pick it up off the ground, or the floor of the range, it gets some cleaning. Depending on the situation, that might just mean firing up the air compressor and blowing them off! Or, it might mean running them through the ultrasonic and/or tumbling.

swampratt · Aug 8, 2019

blake711 said:
Can I sneak a question in here? In the other thread folks were talking about lubing cases before resizing. I have watched a lot of videos. It seems everyone is cleaning the brass then resizing. On this site I thought someone said they resized before cleaning then the cleaning process removed the oil. Can it be done either way? Also what happens if oil gets into the case and you load it?

I think what was mentioned is not what is happening.
Read post 32 in this thread.

If you are a newbie that first sentence can get confusing.
He stated he lubes the cases then tosses them into walnut media then prime and load.

WHAT!!
Yep a step that he does was left out of his writing.

It can get confusing is you are not reading between the lines.. and it is good you are not reading between the lines being new at this ordeal.

When people speak of lubing cases then sizing more than likely they have cleaned them first.
Then after sizing the lube does in fact need removed as it will contaminate the powder and or give different bullet pull forces.

Or cases will get sticky and or collect dirt.
Dirty cases ran through a sizing die will scratch the dies and put very ugly and sometimes deep scratches into your cases.
Looks like a stress riser to me with a scratch on the case.

cdschoonie · Aug 8, 2019

Reloading Rod said:
If your picking up brass with dirt and or gunk on them clean them first to keep from scratching your die. I use the steel pins and if I pick up nasty cases I'll usually tumble them for 30 minutes and get them cleaner then lube, resize and then tumble them the rest of the way clean. I use a homemade spray on lube and it gets inside the cases so I like to get it all cleaned out before I put powder in them.

I don’t guess you will share your homemade lube recipe?

cdschoonie · Aug 8, 2019

blake711 said:
Can I sneak a question in here? In the other thread folks were talking about lubing cases before resizing. I have watched a lot of videos. It seems everyone is cleaning the brass then resizing. On this site I thought someone said they resized before cleaning then the cleaning process removed the oil. Can it be done either way? Also what happens if oil gets into the case and you load it?

I’m glad you did sneak that in! I have watched a ton of YouTube videos where they tumble, lube, decap, resize, trim, chamfer, deburr, then tumble, and go.

cdschoonie · Aug 8, 2019

Another question, Corn cob or Walnut?

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