Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Hunting rifle reload steps

It would be helpful if we all got together and came up with the actual sequence for each step in the reloaling process(brass). Here is the sequence I use(Iget 1" groups at 100yds. from 2-'06's, a Rem 700 LSS and a Colt-Sauer). #1. brush inside neck#2. tumble for 15 min. #3. run case over lube pad,push down over neck brush with mica on bottom, then resize - decap.#4. chamfer and debur neck.#5 tumble 1 hr.#6check primer pockets for dirt and corn cob media stuck in flash hole. #7 insert primer#8 charge with powder. #9 seat bullet. #10 weigh each completed cartridge(electronic) and separate, to see how well your rifle groups at the range. I have plenty of time to do all this because I retired 3 yrs. ago. Please take some time and put your 2 cents in. If there is a better way that produces better and faster ammo, please share with us. I do not turn necks. Have read many articles and unless you are using target guns etc. or desire much more than accurate hunting loads, I think it's a waste of time. But I'm willing to learn. Thanks NICK

Don't believe there is any one correct way, but offer my methods for perusal.

1. Tumble brass if it's dirty, like maybe every other firing.
2. Neck size with Lee collet or Redding S titanium nitride bushings. Every third firing I FL size, so will lube with RCBS Case Lube II and resize. Handgun cases get sized with Redding TN dies. The primer punch pushes out any tumbler media that may have gotten stuck in the flash hole, the primers have kept the media out of the pocket.
2a. If I lubed the cases they get washed in hot water to remove the lube and then spread out on a towel to dry overnight. I do all of my brass in batches, usually of 100 cases each, and will have sized brass ready to load when I need it. When all 100 are fired then they get cleaned and sized again.
3. Clean the primer pockets. Probably unnecessary but it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to do so.
4. Prime with my RCBS hand primer.
5. Working up loads, throw an underweight charge and trickle up. With established loads just throw the charge from the powder measure. IMR 4350 or IMR 4831 still get weighed each charge, so I'm switching to smaller grained powder as I use up the old IMR powders.
6. Seat the bullet.
7. Bang bang bang!

1. Tumble brass if its really dirty. Since my brass gets tumbled a lot, this step is rarely needed.
2. Lube and size brass. This includes lubing the inside of the neck on bottleneck cases.
3. Tumble the brass to remove lube and polish brass. I use walnut media and Berry�s Brass Brite.
4. Clean primer pockets and flash holes. Tumbling with walnut seems to do a pretty good job on the primer pockets so most of my work is clearing the flash holes. I use a tiny Allen wrench for the job. Smaller walnut media helps considerably (screen 20/30). A good source is Hammonds in Stockton MO. They have smaller screens if you want.
5. Check for length. If I find any brass more than 0.005� over trim length, it all gets trimmed. I have a good trimming setup so this isn�t much of a chore.
6. Prime. I also use a RCBS hand primer these days � much faster and easier than than using the Rock Chucker, even with the primer tubes.
7. Charge. Like Jim in Idaho, I throw underweight charges (extruded powders) and hand trickle to the desired weight using a Dairy Queen spoon that I�ve been using for over 20 years. Gave my RCBS trickler to my buddy � too slow. With ball and flake powders I just get the measure set correctly and throw directly into the case.
8. Seat the bullet. Some get no crimp, others get a roll crimp while seating, some get a roll crimp separately, other loads get a Lee crimp. The .45 gets a taper crimp while seating the bullet.
9. Shoot.
10. Back to #1.

1. tumble
2. lube case & brush necks
3. decap & size
4. tumble
5. clean & uniform primer pockets
6. check OAL, trim, chamfer/debur as necessary
7. prime
8. charge
9. seat bullets

*** during the entire process, I'm checking the cases very carefully for any imperfections, or other signs that tell me to ditch the piece of brass ...