New Case preparation

[cowhunter]

I have a Browning Mountain Titanium WSM I bought specifically becasue it is so light. We take some 5 mile hikes when hunting. It seems accurate enough. I shoot wild cows, pigs, feral sheep and Mouflon Sheep. A few years ago I bought 500 pieces of new Winchester brass, not realizing that with the amount that I shoot, I can probably shoot new brass for 10 years. I only reload because I shoot a big wildcat cartridge (for mainland moose/elk) that costs over $125 per box, so I don't reload a lot. I just loaded 20 WSM shells. It took a long time because I was fully lubericating and resizing every case. I was also lubricating the inside of every case mouth, but I just read that someone only lubricates one in five. I also noticed that the RCBS dies don't seem to do much on a new cases. The neck die did straighten out some slightly bent necks, but I imagine the bullet would have straightened them out too. Can I get away with not lubricating and sizing the new cases? I was also giving the rims of each neck a few strokes from a little RCBS tool that scrapes off a bit of brass from the inside and outside of the neck rim. Is this a good thing to do on new brass?

[dannoboone]

Depends on how anal ya want to get. ;D

Which WSM are you reloading (there are at least three, without
going in to the Wildcats)?

Neck sizing new brass helps to maintain a more consistent neck
tension and chamferring the inside of the neck mouth helps in
getting the bullets started into the neck.

As far as total case preparation, you have scratched the surface.
If you are not doing long range hunting, or any bench rest
competition shooting, what you are doing is probably sufficient.

I would add, however, you will probably find the second loading
after the cases have been fire-formed to your chamber and
neck sized only (that is, if a fired case goes smoothly, without
resistance) will be more accurate.

[spoonover]

Yes it is a good thing to deburr, just don't over do it. You only need to remove the burr on the out side, inside when done rite will have slight bevel, so as not to scape copper off the bullet when seating. Look closely at the loaded round to make sure copper is staying on the bullet and not getting scraped off. Resizing is the only way you can use the deburring tool, so keep up the extra step.

Reloading over the years lube goes on all my cases, having stuck cases is a PIA.

What WSM do you have? The 325 would have some bite in 6.5 LBS rifle. 300 WSM is belligerent in my 5.5 LBS Remington mod 7, finished weight back pack rifle.

[cowhunter]

Thanks so much for the info. I forgot terms like "deburring". The gun is a 300 WSM. The box I just loaded was with 65.5 grains of Winchester 760 and a 150 grain MRX in case that means anything. It seems that the sizer is not really touching the entire lower case, so do I even need to put lub on the outside of the case at all. Can I just put a little lube inside the mouth to keep it from sticking? You are right about it being belligerent, if you mean it kicks a bit. But it is so light and toy-like that I'm thinking of loading some very light loads with 110 grain bullets so that my wife can try it. Thanks again.

[cfvickers]

When I am using new cases I usually run them through a FL Sizer die, but it isn't always necessary. unless the case mouth is out of round or you are using flat based bullets you can usually just load them. A chamfer would normally do. But Myself, I measure every case length, run them through a sizer die, lube as necessary, trim if needed. With the 270 WSM remington brass will not fit in the seating bushing or hornady dies, I just learned that today. Those necks will need turning, before they are useful. Well, All but the two I ruined.

[esshup]

A buddy loaded up 50 new 30-06 shells without doing any case prep and had one bullet stick in the throat, making a mess of the action when he removed the case.

With new brass, I'll neck size them, and chamfer the case mouth. I'll use new brass for range work, and won't get serious about accuracy until they've been fired 1x in the gun. Then I'll resize, trim to length and chamfer/deburr.

I prefer the dry neck sizing compound from RCBS over the regular case lube. I noticed the extreme spread of the loads dropped when I did.

If the cases are resizing easily, I won't use lube every time, but if a case feels a little bit tight I'll stop, and lube it. Cases that need full length resizing get lubed.

[Al]

I just ran 100 new 7mm short action ultra mag cases thru my Forster sizer yesterday, only thing that it touched was the necks, so I lightly chamfered the inside of the neck, and loaded them up. Like Esshup, I don't get serious about accuracy until they have been fired in my chamber.

Browning Ti, man those are sweet. My bud has a 325 WSM and she has a little thump but tolerable.

[spoonover]

Try SR4759 20-25 grains with mag primers (I use Remington mag primers for their different color in light loads) and cheap bullets.

Kids load I try to keep under 2000 FPS with 165 grain bullets. Many deer have been whacked with my small game loads, one being 150 yards.

With more energy than a 357 Mag the 165 grain bullet hits 100 yard targets under .75 MOA in my 300 WSM. They pencil through small game with about the same effect as 22LR's and if you get caught with one in the chamber when elk, deer sneak up you are good to go, not saying I would want to use them on elk.

[cowhunter]

Thanks for the great info. I'm so impressed by the willingness to help.

[esshup]

Cow, I have the same rifle, except in .243 Rem. Duratouch stock. The only thing that I did to it was change springs in the trigger. I got mine because there were days that we'd spend all day spot/stalk in the big deer woods of Northern Wisconsin. getting back to the truck after sunset. It sure makes it easier walking thru the woods when the gun is light! I really like the 60° bolt lift like the Wby Mark V's without the weight of the Wby's.

[ricksalisbury01]

My new brass prep:
Anneal
Full length Size
Trim
Check to make sure the case will chamber in the rifle (adjust seating die until it just chambers, then size the rest)
Dedur flash hole
Uniform Primer pocket
Turn Neck (out side)
Resize
Tumble again to get rid of the case lube
Sort by weight
Prime
Powder
Seat bullet (base to ogive for best "off-the-lands" distance)
Shoot.
Then I:
Tumble
Size
Check to make sure the case will chamber in the rifle (adjust seating die until it just chambers, then size the rest)
Trim if needed
Tumble
Prime etc
I anneal every five shots for non-magnums, but for WSM (very hard on brass), anneal every time, or every other time.
I have found that the WSM rarley needs trimmed. I do full length size every time...but that is just me.

[esshup]

rick, what do you use to anneal? I'm going to have to get something set up, I have 200 pieces of brass that I have to anneal before loading them. (loaded a few and the necks showed cracks at the shoulder junction. They're all primed, so they have to be deprimed first..... )

[ricksalisbury01]

Dec 10, 2011 1:01:16 GMT -5 esshup said:

rick, what do you use to anneal? I'm going to have to get something set up, I have 200 pieces of brass that I have to anneal before loading them. (loaded a few and the necks showed cracks at the shoulder junction. They're all primed, so they have to be deprimed first..... )

I use this, and it has served me well:
www.cartridgeanneal.com/
it is fairly cheap, and works well. I would love a Girard, but the cost is prohibative. The only problem I have with this system is that my boys think that the torches are theirs for the taking..... to light the wood stove or wood boiler.....
I hope that helps.

[esshup]

Rick, thanks. I looked at the Giraud annealer, and that would be the way to go if I needed to do any sort of volume annealing. But, for the small amount that I need, I think the one that you linked to will work just fine. It's on order now. ;D

I didn't see any on-line instructions, but I'm assuming that you remove the case and drop it in a bucket of water?

I've got probably a total of 400 pieces of brass that could use annealing, 200 for sure. .257 Wby and the 7mm Allen Magnum brass.

[cfvickers]

I just use a propane torch, a drill and a lee shell holder drill attachment. works great.

[sw]

Cowhunter, I recommend you get really serious about reading about benchrest / accuracy reloading and see just how far you really want to go. I reload for 3 rifles, each at a different level of preciseness. 223, 22-250 AK IMP, and a Varmint rifle (SSS) in 6PPC USA but tight neck. 3 shot groups are, respectfully, 0.5, hi 0.2", and very low 0.2" . Starting with excellent cases(Laupa is my favorite, Norma next, and Winchester - good and inexpensive) makes everything easier. With Laupa there is a lot of case capacity, little case creep, VERY uniform necks which can help avoiding neck turning , long case life, extremely uniform case capacity, etc. When possible, I use Laupa. At a minimum, I'd case length trim/uniform, bevel inside and outside of throat, lube case neck(I use dry lube just before loading), uniform primer pockets, de-bur flash holes, fire form with a light load and cheap bullet, then I'd use a Redding full length (tyoe S )die with a neck sizing bushing and bump the shoulder very slightly each reloading. Get a good benchrest shooter to learn the ropes. I went to the IBS school in NY to help get started in precision shooting . Also going to 1 or more days of one on one with Tony Boyer can really help.
Winchester cases are likely the best value for the money. However, Laupa are so good, just 100 cases will likely be all you could ever use with that barrel. Either read a lot or get someone to show you ; or better, do both.

[Richard]

Phil...............Go to Bruno Shooters Supply (they have everything for the benchrest shooter and precision accuracy) www.brunoshooters.com and get a copy of the Precision Shooter Benchrest Primer @$22.95 and imerse your self in it. You will get a lot of answers to lot of your questions!
Richard