Okay I've Cleaned All my Brass

[StevieD]

My reloading equipment purchase is still a couple of months off but I wanted to get as much of a head start as I can. So I've cleaned all my brass, about 3500 cases (+/-) mostly 9mm but some other stuff in there too, .40, .45 and about 15 or 20 .38 Special cases from last month's IDPA match.

I think the next step is to check/examine the cases for problems and then separate them into their respective sizes.(?) That's my question I guess, what is the next step?

And what about case lube, really necessary for pistol cartridges? I just read the thread a couple down from this one and I would tend to lean toward using case lube but I've never reloaded anything before. Is there a rank below unclassified (clueless or maybe semi-clueless).

Thanks.

Steve aka StevieD

[DWFAN]

Just sort them by caliber and wait until your equipment gets here. Apply a little lube ( I use and like to lube my pistol stuff, some people dont and either way is fine), and load them.

No need to separate by size or headstamp unless you're needing super accuracy for 50 yard Bianchi or something like that.

[CMV]

I use Hornady One-Shot spray case lube even with carbide dies and love it.

I separate all my brass before I clean it but in your process it seems the next logical step is to cull out the bad cases and separate by cartridge designation.

[BBBB]

As has been pointed out if you are loading straight walled pistol cartridges with carbide dies the lubing is optional. You should try it both ways and see which you prefer. I strongly prefer using the lube. Operating the press is so much smoother and requires so much less force. Last week I loaded a few test rounds and decided to skip the lube. I was surprised by how much I disliked the experience. One shot is very popular. I generally use Dillon Case lube which is nothing more than Lanolin dissolved in alcohol. Whatever you decide to try you'll want something that you can spray on a batch of cases so you don't need to hand apply to each one.

[chirpy]

I didn't add this to the "Case Lube Pistol Brass" thread but I will here. I just recently started lubing PB. I wish I had been doing it from the start! As you grow older you will appreciate how it helps...even just a little.

Richard

[Hi-Power Jack]

Seems to me your next step is to purchase your components -

select which powder, primer and bullets you want to start

with.

By researching this forum, you should come up with whether

you want to start with 115, 124 or 147 grain bullets, which

brand, lead or jacketed, HP or FMJ, etc.

You'll need to select your first powder - lots of info here

and lots of rebuttals - your choice.

Problem is to start out and experiment, you want to try

them all - but it's more expensive that way unless you

share large quantities with friends.

If you don't know, start that process now and buy all the

components you'll need. Then, you'll be all ready to

start reloading.

Also, make sure you have access to a chronograph, scale

and calipers - you'll need all of those, too.

Good luck with all the decisions - they never end:)

Jack

[StevieD]

Thanks mates!

[CocoBolo]

Thanks mates!

Using or not using Case Lube I THINK depends on the Dies you are using. First not all carbide dies are created equal. With Lee Dies I use lube, well not any more I sold off all them suckers. With Hornady Dies my preferred die, no lube and well your not going to build any muscle working the press. The Dillion Die (blue guys) are good die as well for Straight Wall Pistol reloading, however I don't like the adjustment method on the bullet seating die, which is the one I most often adjust since I use different bullets, for different guns and purposes.

Now this is a fact, using Lube will always make it easier to work the brass, and using lube will make it easier on the brass and it will last more reloads. Also fact you wind up with lube in the case and on the case after its reloaded. I don't use it mostly because the brass gets all dirty and funky in the Case Feeder, and the case feeder gets all yuck as well.

This is just my opinion after loading a few rounds 100K plus.

One thing to keep in mind is that reloading is all about the details so you got to get all the way down to the exact fine details. Two load are not the same when the OAL is different, or the primer, or the powder, and even the amount of crimp is a variable, bullet weight yes but OGIVE differences (shape) or material etc, so all details need to come to the top. When you have the perfect copy it doesn't fit your gun, the detail you missed it was loaded for a different gun with a deeper chamber.

Edited June 21, 2011 by CocoBolo

[latech15]

I use lube when I use a U-die. I use u-dies with 40, 9, 38sp. Not with 45, and 9 minor. I would but I found the u die after I had already bought the 9 and 45 dies.

I use the large folgers coffee cans. I fill them half way and then spray the lube for three seconds, put the top on it and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Then I load away. That makes the cranking on the arm much easier.

I have never had any issued with the lube inside the cases. I do, however, weigh my powder charges when I am dialing in the powder drop with a dry case. The lube inside the cases will make powder stick inside the case when you pour it into the scale disk.

[njl]

You really should be segregating your brass by caliber before tumbling since different calibers will nest in each other and the inner ones will fail to get a full cleaning. i.e. 9mm fits inside .40 which fits inside .45acp, and sometimes when they nest and have some media mixed in, they can be very hard to separate.

After cleaning, you might or might not want to sort by headstamp. You'll probably find that some brands of brass load easier than others, some may have crimped primer pockets that need to be dealt with before you can reprime them, and if you have any steel/berdan primed brass, that needs to be removed to prevent damaging your sizing die / decapping pin.

Lube with a carbide sizing die (for straight walled pistol brass) is not required, but you really should try it with and without lube so you can see for yourself how much easier it is with lube.

[Bob DuBois]

Try some without then try so with, I think you'll see it's worth the time, don't need much to make the whole process easier.

Look for small primers in 45 acp, I trash them as I only want to load larger primers in 45.

I'll trash military cases in 9mm. don't want to deal with crimped primers and case volume is less.

Do a little research before buying your reloading equipment, maybe visit some other club members and check out their equipment.

[MARKAVELI]

For brass sort em by cal's clean em up when you start loading like posted above it about preference when it comes to using lube. For me my press runs smoother wirh case lube so I use OneShot in a ziplock and shake em up and the oneshot goes a long way with a couple sprays..

[shooter57]

while you deciding which powder and bullets you will need primers so nows a good time to pick some up while the price is down a little.

[StevieD]

You really should be segregating your brass by caliber before tumbling since different calibers will nest in each other and the inner ones will fail to get a full cleaning. i.e. 9mm fits inside .40 which fits inside .45acp, and sometimes when they nest and have some media mixed in, they can be very hard to separate.

I started separating cases last night and quickly discovered why you should sort first and clean second.