reloading range pick up brass question

Firehoser

Firehoser

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I am reloading range 223 and 5.56 brass. Because of military primers in the mix decapping with a Lee universal decapper will be done on my single stage. Pockets then cleaned and reamed if necessary before being tumbled.
My question is is there an easy bulk method of determining if the cases need trimming before sizing or is it even necessary for short range accuracy?
 
I would trim after sizing. Build a l'il jig at your own maximum, and if the brass doesn't pass, toss it into the to-trim pile.

As to accuracy I can't say too much, but a case that's too long can cause you troubles. I doubt you'd run into a case too short problem at all.
 
bsand said:
I don't bother trimming range pick up brass. But I.dont keep it for more than one firing. I just picked up, load and leave at the match.
Click to expand...

Once fired is not an issue. My concern lies with brass picked up that has been reloaded several times. Maybe I am overthinking this. I am resizing and priming on the same progressive station (pin removed). If I check for resizing the best time would be before loading on to the progressive press.
 
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Set your dial calipers to the max length or whatever you want as your limit and slide the sized brass between the jaws - lickity slit. If you have a small quantity it will be quick and if there is a lot, you should get a feel for where the lengths are real quick. Proceed accordingly.
 
Firehoser said:
Once fired is not an issue. My concern lies with brass picked up that has been reloaded several times. Maybe I am overthinking this. I am resizing and priming on the same progressive station (pin removed). If I check for resizing the best time would be before loading on to the progressive press.
Click to expand...

Once fired 5.56 and any .223 with a crimped primer are good cases to pick up at the range. If it doesn't have a crimped primer then how many times it has been fired comes into question.

Bottom line, all I pick up at the range are once fired Lake City 5.56 cases with crimped primers. And I also buy bulk once fired 5.56 and 7.62 Lake City cases and have all my cases from the same manufacture.

And I trim all these cases to minimum length for uniformity as it doesn't take that much extra time.
 
You are using a single stage press to decap.

What are you using for loading it up though?

I ask because you can get a trimmer for the dillion that will act as just another spot in your tool head. That is slick as snot. Expensive, but slick.
 
I lock my calipers to an appropriate length and test each case. If it slides through, it goes into the ready-to-load bin. If not, it goes into the need-to-trim bin. I don't just do this with range pickups, most of my blaster brass goes through the same step.
 
JoKa said:
You are using a single stage press to decap.

What are you using for loading it up though?

I ask because you can get a trimmer for the dillion that will act as just another spot in your tool head. That is slick as snot. Expensive, but slick.
Click to expand...

Dillon trimmer is nice but the fair amount of crimped primers from mil spec can be a pain. Bends pins on sizing dies too easily. Using universal depriming die with a more robust pin. I find it easier to deprime and sort on a single stage as you can feel the stiffer resistance of the crimped cases. Don't want brass shavings around the progressive.
 
BattleRife said:
I lock my calipers to an appropriate length and test each case. If it slides through, it goes into the ready-to-load bin. If not, it goes into the need-to-trim bin. I don't just do this with range pickups, most of my blaster brass goes through the same step.
Click to expand...

Simple but effective. I like it. I can set up with a once shot brass before sizing. Will run a few test casings with different manufacturers after cleaning on my sizing dye and see what numbers I get.
 
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