Got my Lee Handload kit and I have a few questions
- Thread starter cereal83
- Start date
- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
You shouldn't have to trim once fired brass, but you should check it anyway. Your manuals should list the max case length. This will give you a chance to try out those new calipers while you are waiting for your scale.
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Questions...
You're right: it could hurt IF you don't!
I very much prefer you asking "inane" questions than hearing about you in the news.
Now, you could measure your case length with a caliper, compare it with the SAAMI standards and decide if you need to trim.
The reason the Lee trimmer works only on sized and deprimed cases is because of its design; it is practically foolproof: there is a length gauge for the particular round you want to trim which screws on the cutter face.
At the end of the gauge there is a small hardened rod which goes through the primer flash hole and abuts on the face of the caseholder when the gauging rod/trimmer assembly is inserted in the casemouth. This is why you cannot do this with cases which still have the spent primer in the pocket.
When the trimmer spins, it cuts all the excess brass on the casemouth and when the rod touches the caseholder, the trimmer cannot cut deeper.
So ALL your cases will be trimmed the same.
Then deburr and chamfer slightly, clean your primer pockets and you're all set.
Good luck!
PP.
cereal83 said:My brass has been once fired since I saved all the cases from everything I shot. In my Lyman book it says the case usually doesn't stretch until it has been fired a few times.
If I do have to trim, I will take the primer out. I just wanted to make sure I had to do it.
It never hurts to ask questions.
You're right: it could hurt IF you don't!
I very much prefer you asking "inane" questions than hearing about you in the news. Now, you could measure your case length with a caliper, compare it with the SAAMI standards and decide if you need to trim.
The reason the Lee trimmer works only on sized and deprimed cases is because of its design; it is practically foolproof: there is a length gauge for the particular round you want to trim which screws on the cutter face.
At the end of the gauge there is a small hardened rod which goes through the primer flash hole and abuts on the face of the caseholder when the gauging rod/trimmer assembly is inserted in the casemouth. This is why you cannot do this with cases which still have the spent primer in the pocket.
When the trimmer spins, it cuts all the excess brass on the casemouth and when the rod touches the caseholder, the trimmer cannot cut deeper.
So ALL your cases will be trimmed the same.
Then deburr and chamfer slightly, clean your primer pockets and you're all set.
Good luck!
PP.
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PerversPépère said:You're right: it could hurt IF you don't!
Now, you could measure your case length with a caliper, compare it with the SAAMI standards and decide if you need to trim.
The reason the Lee trimmer works only on sized and deprimed cases is because of its design; it is practically foolproof: there is a length gauge for the particular round you want to trim which screws on the cutter face.
At the end of the gauge there is a small hardened rod which goes through the primer flash hole and abuts on the face of the caseholder when the gauging rod/trimmer assembly is inserted in the casemouth.
When the trimmer spins, it cuts all the excess brass on the casemouth and when the rod touches the caseholder, the trimmer cannot cut deeper.
So ALL your cases will be trimmed the same.
Then deburr and chamfer slightly, clean your primer pockets and you're all set.
Good luck!
PP.
lol I know the question might seem insane but they are the ones I am not sure of yet.
My reloading book explained all of this in great detail but I just wanted to make sure. I have the tools to cut the case to size and the debur and chamfer I just don't have the shellholder that attaches to one of the peices.
Thanks again for your words of advice. I might be a slow learning but after I do it once, I should know how to do it 100% properly from there.
Wow. I started as a know-nothing...if I had posted here first I probably would have been scared off! Mind you, I was just doing pistol loads with the Lee handloader, scale and Bullseye, which is much easier (so I have found) than the rifle BS I'm trying to overcome with .308.
Did you verify that your resized brass will chamber in your rifle. You were confused before on how to set your dies??
Full length resizing also tends to lengthen the cases. If you Measure before you resize and then after, you will see if they stretch.
Full length resizing also tends to lengthen the cases. If you Measure before you resize and then after, you will see if they stretch.
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im no pro. but ive made a few rounds..im in the gta area..if you want to make up some 30-06 rounds..i have all you need in the equipment..if you have the place..set up a time and lets roll up a few rounds..
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fogducker said:im no pro. but ive made a few rounds..im in the gta area..if you want to make up some 30-06 rounds..i have all you need in the equipment..if you have the place..set up a time and lets roll up a few rounds..
Thanks for the offer but my place is pretty small. I don't really have that much room. I was doing my primeing on my kitchen counter which is about a 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 space
lol I don't think you need alot of room but I don't have the appropriate space to have a press. I have a hand press and that is fine because I put half the stuff on my stove and the other half on the little space on my kitchen counter.
Btw, I got my caliper today in the mail, I am gonna do some measuring tonight but doing like 120 shells can't be that fun.
Btw, I got my caliper today in the mail, I am gonna do some measuring tonight but doing like 120 shells can't be that fun.
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Yikes!
PP.
I just want to remind you NOT to do ANY cooking while your primers are on the stove top!!!cereal83 said:
PP.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Don't let wifey use the oven either.
some stoves get a tad warm on top.
Good luck kitchen reloader.
I suggest you don't use any poppy seeds for cooking for a while.
some stoves get a tad warm on top.
Good luck kitchen reloader.
I suggest you don't use any poppy seeds for cooking for a while.
shotgunjoe
CGN Regular
- Location
- winnipeg mb
As youcan see this forum will provide you with all sorts of advise.Most of it very good.While attitudes may come across as stern we all have your best interest in mind.When I started loading,it was a freind that showed me,he used a lee loader for his 30-30,no scale,no measure,just the kit and appropriate listed powder.We had no idea what the velocities were or overall length of the cartridge was but it fed,functioned went bang not boom.We then read a lot more and progressed to more sophisticated and faster equipment.Keep asking your questions,no matter how inane it is better to ask and be yelled at then not ask and make a mistake.
mylesrom said:
I have gotten guys started in reloading by giving them a used $10.00 Lee loader in the caliber they were shooting and a half hour of instruction.
Eventually guys spend far more than $100.00...
As for dippers, the Lee Dippers throw a consistant charge if you do your part. I've used them with a scale. The Lee datasheets that show loads with the dippers are fairly accurate.
Lee can provide you with a datasheet for your caliber
Look for them at Leeprecision.com
Lee sells a reloading scale that works well, get a powder trickler if you get a scale.
david doyle said:
I got into handloading to save money. I haven't saved any money but I'm shooting a great deal more with the same budget.
And then I got into cast bullets. 30/06 for under a nickle a shot, powder primer and gascheck.
