Case Trimmers And Primer Pocket Tools?

[austinkroe]

Hi all,

I have been doing alot of reading lately on reloading and I am thinking about taking the plunge. However, I have a question or two.

I only plan on reloading 45 ACP It is the only caliber that I really shoot other than 22s.

My question is: how much case prep do I really need?

All if the intros to reloading I have read on the web talk mosly about reloading for a rifle.

Do I need a case trimmer?

How about a primer tool?

Or can I just tumble the cases and put them right into a 550?

How would I inspect 45 brass in terms of case length and such?

I guess I just dont really understand the whole case prep, most of the web sites dont talk about it in as much detail as the do actual reloading of the cases.

What all do I have to do to the brass before I start reloading it?

Thanks for your help,

Austinkroe

[Scout454]

Tumble and load. I've never had to trip a .45ACP case. Use the 550's primer function.

For precision rifle rounds I trim (Forster or Sinclair) and hand prime (Sinclair). Everything else goes on a Dillon.

[JD45]

The minimum treatment would be to shake the dirt off the cases and start loading.

The maximum would be to tumble, spray with Hornady One-shot, and start loading.

If you ever sort by headstamp be sure to seperate all brass marked A-Merc and drop them in an abandoned well that is over 100 feet deep .

[wide45]

For .45acp forget trimming. The case length does not grow like rifle brass. Messing with primer pockets is mostly a benchrest trick that has no place in loading for pistol. The exception is once fired military brass, and some "non toxic" rounds, that have crimped primers. If you wind up with cases that have crimped primers, you will have to remove the crimp before inserting a fresh primer. It is a one time deal. Once the crimp is gone, you don't have to do it again the next time you reload that case.

You do need to inspect the brass for cracks, and other gross defects. Detect crimped primers before loading. You may find that some brass does not reload well. Many just discard "A MERC" brass.

edit-- JD45 beat me to the button. I'd say He is one that does not care for A MERC.

Edited November 21, 2005 by wide45

[austinkroe]

What does a primer crimp look like and how do I identify it?

[ima45dv8]

If you ever sort by headstamp be sure to seperate all brass marked A-Merc and drop them in an abandoned well that is over 100 feet deep .

Noooooo!!! Send 'em to me!

My 1050 eats 'em like candy....

I don't think I can see one, but you know it's there when you go to seat the primer. The crimp will require a lot of extra force to overcome. Some presses have a function by which they ream the primer pocker before inserting the primer, thus removing the much-dreaded crimp (commonly found on military, S&B, and a few others).

HTH,

...Mark

[wide45]

Crimped primers will have ring impressed into the brass, around the pocket.

[Joe4d]

tumble and load, I generally just toss cases with crimped primers. Basically military surplus ammo uses crimped primers. Also some eastern ammo uses laquered primers (The red stuff on S& I dont mess with them either but a little handheld primer pocket reamer will allow you to use them if for some reason that's what your free brass supply is.

[hiropro]

I use the primer pocket tool for all of my rifle reloading. Never have used it on a pistol load. I guess it may serve a purpose but not currently in my MOA.

[JDBraddy]

Never needed to do any case prep beyond tumbling, in 20+ years of relaoding .45 ACP. I trim my centerfire rifle cases about every 4-5th loading, and do the primer pockets and flash holes, only once, when starting out with virgin brass.

[unclez]

tumble and load, I generally just toss cases with crimped primers. Basically military surplus ammo uses crimped primers. Also some eastern ammo uses laquered primers (The red stuff on S& I dont mess with them either but a little handheld primer pocket reamer will allow you to use them if for some reason that's what your free brass supply is.

Just received a batch I bought off of eBay that was mostly S&B with the red laquered pockets. What exactly makes them hard to load?

[Too_Slow]

The S & B brass has really tight primer pockets and when you add in the red laquer sealant that tends to get inside the pockets as well it makes them even tighter. After a few loadings they will loosen up. Other than that it is very good brass. I just hand primed 500 pices of 45 brass, every thing from once fired S & B on down to WCC 42 that has had the crimp cut. Actually it ended up being 499 pieces because I ran into a piece of WCC 64 that had not had the crimp cut out yet and I crushed the primer.

Brian

Edited October 20, 2006 by Too_Slow

[Berzerker]

I've basicly only reloaded S&B brass for my 45. Never had any problems with it.

My load is not particulary hot and I have some cases that must have past my press more than 30 times.

The first time reloading them, it's is a bit harder, but not a real problem in .45.

What i usualy do - when I feel lik it - is to go through the primer pocket with a primer brush ( believe it's a RCBS) mounted on an electric screwdriver before the first time I reload them.

I guess that the s&b primer pocket is more troublesome in 9 mm, as clubmates that reload 9mm, don't like the s&b brass. But they will use them when they can't find anyting else on the floor