Tools for prepping 223 military brass

[Mikelindsey]

What is the easiest way and equipment needed to clean and trim and such for military brass before reloading. I've seen some good reviews of the RCBS machine but not real sure how to use it and is it necessary. I have a 650

[ToddKS]

What is your budget?

I am assuming that you intend to stage and trim off press?

[427Cobra]

Dillon 1050 or if your like me, Dillon 650 and a Dillon Super Swede 600, get the 1050

[Mikelindsey]

I have the 650 and I'll have to do some lookin but I've got the super sewage. Just not sure how to take a fired picked up round and make it usuable for reload.

[RiggerJJ]

Do a search for rifle brass prep, and other related topics. You will find a days worth of reading...maybe more.

jj

[NuJudge]

For Military once-fired brass, give some thought to small base sizer die for at least the first loading. I really like doing that first sizing on a single stage press.

After having an insufficiently sized case, the biggest pain in the neck in hand loading is trimming brass. Again, as noted above, let your wallet and how many cases you're doing be your guide. Dillon has a trimmer you can put on the 1050 press. Giraud makes the fastest stand-alone. Gracey is another stand alone, but it only trims, not chamfers. There are lots of relatively cheap mini lathes, some both trim and chamfer, some are self powered or can be powered with a hand drill. There are several new trimmers that you hold in your hands, but I know nothing about them.

The easiest way to get such brass sized, trimmed, primer pocket crimp removed, is to send it out. There are several vendors on the Service Rifle boards that do this at a nominal cost.

[Mikelindsey]

I like the idea of sending it out. Anyone know where to do this? Thanks

[Mikelindsey]

I'm really confused now after watching 30 utube sand reading about 50 posts on prepping 223. I have a Dillon 650. I don't mind buying what I need to make it easiest to do. I have an unused Dillon super swage. I'm confused with the correct steps to do this. Do you set up a separate tool head with the trimmer and decamper then clean and polish, then debur and clean out the primer pocket? What do I use to do that? Thanks for helping a newbie out.

[RiggerJJ]

Yep, a separate toolhead with sizer/decapper, and a trimmer. Then tumble to remove lube, and swage with the 600. Then load em. I do a 5 gallon bucket in about 4 hours on my 1050, then they sit until I need to load em. I load on either a 650 or a 1050, which ever one is available.

jj

Eta; I don't bother with deburing or chamfering, all the burr comes off in the tumbling. I also use a slight case mouth expansion with the swage hold down die and close that with a slight crimp, so the sharp edges are mitigated with both those steps. I am loading 223 and 308 for 2 3gun shooters, so I don't handle each case because it takes a long time. Accuracy with this ammo is under 1 moa.

Edited December 14, 2014 by RiggerJJ