brass for a lee loader?
- Thread starter 6.5x55swm
- Start date
New brass will be okay to use. The loader only neck resizes but your chamber will be larger that the new brass cases.
Once they have been fired and reloaded, they should only be used in the same firearm that previously fired the reloaded brass...
Once they have been fired and reloaded, they should only be used in the same firearm that previously fired the reloaded brass...
The issue with the Lee Loader is it only neck sizes the brass to hold onto the bullet. If the body is expanded it can't bring it back into spec. A good test is to just chamber the empties you want to reload. If they fit your chamber (their exterior dimensions are smaller than your chamber) then you can load them just fine. If it's new virgin brass it will also be fine.
The problem is that if brass was fired in a rifle with a larger chamber than yours (by even a few thou; not all chambers for the same cartridge are the same) the brass will have expanded to fit that chamber and may not fit in yours. I've run into this a lot with various 303B rifles I've owned. Brass fired in my LE will fit into my P14 no problem but brass from my P14 jams up about half way into the LE chamber. Brass from my friends LE fits in mine but brass fired in my LE stops his bolt from closing all the way. My Martini-Enfield has the smallest chamber of them all as it was a sporting rifle from the get-go so wasn't cut with a generous military chamber meant for sand and dirt. Brass fired in absolutely anything else wont fit in my Martini.
The easiest way to test is just to see if the brass will chamber in your rifle before you load it.
If you have a pile of brass that doesn't fit you might be able to get a local reloader to full length resize it for you on a press. That returns it to a nominal size that should fit any standard dimension rifle. There is no liability involved since they wont be loading ammo for you; just reshaping some empty cases.
The problem is that if brass was fired in a rifle with a larger chamber than yours (by even a few thou; not all chambers for the same cartridge are the same) the brass will have expanded to fit that chamber and may not fit in yours. I've run into this a lot with various 303B rifles I've owned. Brass fired in my LE will fit into my P14 no problem but brass from my P14 jams up about half way into the LE chamber. Brass from my friends LE fits in mine but brass fired in my LE stops his bolt from closing all the way. My Martini-Enfield has the smallest chamber of them all as it was a sporting rifle from the get-go so wasn't cut with a generous military chamber meant for sand and dirt. Brass fired in absolutely anything else wont fit in my Martini.
The easiest way to test is just to see if the brass will chamber in your rifle before you load it.
If you have a pile of brass that doesn't fit you might be able to get a local reloader to full length resize it for you on a press. That returns it to a nominal size that should fit any standard dimension rifle. There is no liability involved since they wont be loading ammo for you; just reshaping some empty cases.
Ahhhh, a good old Lee Loader! 
That's how I got started down the endless trail of reloading, with a secondhand 30-30 Loader and a part can of IMR 3031, along with a few bullets.
I still have that little outfit. I have a little collection of Lee Loaders now. I used to load on the kitchen table and scare the crap out of my wife when a primer would go off.
Some days, I seriously consider getting rid of all the reloading stuff I have and go back to using one of those delightful little kits. One thing I would keep, though, would be a hand primer. Nah, maybe not!
Have fun!
That's how I got started down the endless trail of reloading, with a secondhand 30-30 Loader and a part can of IMR 3031, along with a few bullets. I still have that little outfit. I have a little collection of Lee Loaders now. I used to load on the kitchen table and scare the crap out of my wife when a primer would go off.
Some days, I seriously consider getting rid of all the reloading stuff I have and go back to using one of those delightful little kits. One thing I would keep, though, would be a hand primer. Nah, maybe not!
Have fun!
Barnes_270
Regular
- Location
- Langley, BC
I started with a Lee Loader as well - my solution was to buy 1F brass on the EE and have the seller full-length resize it for me before shipping it. Worked great. I could do the same for you for your .308 if you want.
This is incorrect.
Using new brass is not a problem however you cannot use brass that was fired in a rifle with a larger chamber, reload it with a Lee Loader then fire it in another rifle with a tighter chamber since the Lee Loader will only neck size the brass.
The same would apply to brass fired in an M14. The M14 would push the shoulder forward and expand the base of the case.
Reloading this case in a Lee a Loader would do nothing to bring the case within specification.
Ideally the Lee Loader should be used for brass fired from one particular bolt action rifle.
