Bulk 556 Brass prep and reloading process

[T2C]

I looked at the Giraud Power Trimmer, but decided to not spend the money. I attached a cordless drill to the drive shaft of the RCBS Trim Pro manual case trimmer and I can trim a lot of cases in a short period of time. With the RCBS 3-way cutter you don't have to worry about deburring the case mouths on the brass after it's trimmed.

[PracticalRifleman]

I looked at the Giraud Power Trimmer, but decided to not spend the money. I attached a cordless drill to the drive shaft of the RCBS Trim Pro manual case trimmer and I can trim a lot of cases in a short period of time. With the RCBS 3-way cutter you don't have to worry about deburring the case mouths on the brass after it's trimmed.

I’ve got the RCBS with their power unit. I rarely use it anymore because I got so much variance in length after trimming as well as neck distortion that increases runout. Ultimately that only matters for precision loads shot at long ranges but it was enough I rarely use mine anymore.

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[T2C]

I’ve got the RCBS with their power unit. I rarely use it anymore because I got so much variance in length after trimming as well as neck distortion that increases runout. Ultimately that only matters for precision loads shot at long ranges but it was enough I rarely use mine anymore.

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I don't have experience with the RCBS power trimmer. I have the hand crank version I bought in the early 1990's. It took a little work to make sure the trimmer is properly aligned and it pays to check it after trimming 1,000 pieces of brass.

Variance in length for me is +/- .002" from my target trim length, which is halfway between maximum and trim length. Most of the trimmed brass is at my target length. Brass is concentric enough to develop loads that will shoot 1 MOA at 300 yards with a good rifle. I manually operate the trimmer if I am working up 600 yard loads.

Spray on case lubes save a lot of time, but I don't use them. I apply Unique case lube to the body of the case by hand in addition to the dry neck lube. Each piece of processed rifle brass gets inspected before priming.

[Ned Christiansen]

Any time I want to stick a case in a die I use some kind of spray lube. It never fails! You guys must have the technique down better but I stopped trying years ago.

I used to do all my trimming in the surface grinder-- which I realize not everyone has..... it's super fast and accurate but then each one still has to be deburred. I have the 3-way cutters for a few calibers now and a rig with a ball bearing in it which I've used just a little. A local guy made it but I think someone offers the design commercially. It's slick, it stops the case on the shoulder.

I don't reload rifle calibers very often, I tend to do it once in a while in fairly large batches.... so I'm a little foggy on exactly what I have, but these 2000 5.56's I just got processed, I'm gonna need to go through and deburr them all so I will be refamiliarizing ere long......

[opngrnd]

I tried not using the expander ball with the M die in the next station. It ended up leaving the case mouths balled inwards which would shave brass. I can't seem to find a RCBS expander neck die in stock anywhere.

Edit- I've only been using the bottom portion of the M Die that measures .221x. If I use the top portion that measures .225, will the Lee FCD close any belling with sufficient tension? What's the diameter of the RCBS stem at the top of the brass's contact where you guys are having success?

[TNTall]

I tried not using the expander ball with the M die in the next station. It ended up leaving the case mouths balled inwards which would shave brass. I can't seem to find a RCBS expander neck die in stock anywhere.

I think I'll try not using the M die after the Dillon size/trim. Deburring them by hand seems like a good way to inspect the neck for cracks anyway. Hopefully deburring will be enough to keep from shaving copper.

[PracticalRifleman]

I tried not using the expander ball with the M die in the next station. It ended up leaving the case mouths balled inwards which would shave brass. I can't seem to find a RCBS expander neck die in stock anywhere.

Sinclair universal neck expander with carbide expanders. Or if you’re really meticulous you can use pin gauges.


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[opngrnd]

Sinclair universal neck expander with carbide expanders. Or if you’re really meticulous you can use pin gauges.


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Thank you. I'll order one when it comes back in stock. For giggles, I went downstairs, adjusted the M Die to the .225 section, and ran 15 pieces of brass through. Then I seated flat base VMax and 55 FMJ-BT bullets and checked for tension by trying to set the bullets back. I'd press against the bench hard enough to dimple the wood 5 times and measure set back, of which there was none. Looks like I have some experimenting to do.