Brass Prep for long range accuracy

[pjmdy]

I have tumbled my brass with both the corn mash and walnut - not happy with that. I then bought a sonic cleaner, and about the same. I then bought into the Franklin steel pin cleaning system, and what a difference!! They almost look newer than factory and everything is clean. I decap all my brass before cleaning so the primer holes get the benefit of that. I did notice one thing with 6.5 brass - once in a while one of the pins will get stuck crossways in the case mouth, so have to watch for that. Usually it's only 3-4 cases out of a batch of 100 or so. As for drying the cases, I use Franklin's dryer, works very well. The system process takes a bit longer, but it is worth it.

 

[Mike AVM]

I FL size and it seems to work perfectly. Just don't overdo it. A couple of thousands is all it takes. I have 0.5 MOA rifles that have never seen a turned neck. I do anneal every third firing, sometimes two if I'm bored.

 

[Stgraves260]

How many people clean their brass after every firing?

I do.

 

[Stgraves260]

I know when I reload new brass I full length resize. Why ? Because they feed better for some reason. After that I neck size only for the life of the brass till It is unfit for future reloads. I don't get into all that science about neck tension, crimp this, weight every bullet then weight my brass. All I use is Redding dies. PO there is more important thangs to worry about. I load the bullets as far as I can as long as they feed in my Mag. Do my later test, load my rounds and call it good. 5 shot 100 yard group. Without the BS. Guess I need to learn how to Reload. LoL

 

[Orange Dust]

View attachment 148986 I know when I reload new brass I full length resize. Why ? Because they feed better for some reason. After that I neck size only for the life of the brass till It is unfit for future reloads. I don't get into all that science about neck tension, crimp this, weight every bullet then weight my brass. All I use is Redding dies. PO there is more important thangs to worry about. I load the bullets as far as I can as long as they feed in my Mag. Do my later test, load my rounds and call it good. 5 shot 100 yard group. Without the BS.

I have a .308 that shoots like that. Fed GMM brass, 210M primer, 168Sierra MK and a full case of Varget. No prep, no fuss no nothing, just load and shoot. Every other rifle I have requires every trick I can think of, and a little magic to get groups two to three times that size. Funny thing is that rifle is a 20year old Remington Varmint. I have over $7K invested in my new .28. It will not shoot that well with anything I have tried in it yet. Just haven't found the right combo it likes, I guess. About 1/2" is the best I can get using every bit of Voodoo I can conjure up. I keep hearing Unobtanium N570 is the answer. Someday maybe we will see.

 

[muleystalker]

I will have to verify but I think you are not,correct.

Ok

 

[freddiej]

Since I competed in 1,000 yard comps I see some things that I need to add to this discussion.. first, I reamed all the necks of your brass to be uniform and concentric. even Lapua brass has 0.001" to 0.004" variation from side to side and from one piece of brass to another. I used to do both, and found only that the brass wears out faster with full length sizing if you did not anneal the cases. next most all seating dies these days use the primary bore diameter to seat the slugs so they are never consistent COAL they are all ogive or lead uniform. next I use a wet/steel media polishing method and it cleans both inside and out, even the primer pockets get clean. I also keep my necks at maximum length just because I choose to. other than that. I used some of the things I saw up there for prep but not many. I was the odd man on the 1,000 yard team.

 

[Csafisher]

The reason an unfired round sticks in the chamber often times is because they are jamming bullets into the lands and if unloaded ends up dumping powder in the action and they are done for the day. This is why competition shooters preach full sizing

Nonsense. You can jam and stick a bullet just the same if you are neck sizing.....

 

[muleystalker]

I dont. I have a custom whidden full length die, non bushing, that gives me 2thou neck tension so no need for an expander. I wipe them with a cloth, lube and size, wipe again, and load more powder.

This is what I do, start with new brass, never clean just wipe before full length sizing and after. No expander. And yes I shoot new brass and fire form loads in 1000 yard F-class comps with no ill effects. If you look at the top f class and BR shooters almost all full length size and don't clean their brass. As far as the annealing, all new brass is annealed, just because you can't see the discoloration doesn't mean it isn't annealed. They polish the brass to make it pretty. The practice of leaving the annealing marks comes from the military contracts, the anted to be able to see it for quality control purposes and it was the polishing one less process they could save cost on. Even ADG brass offers it annealinging marks showing or polished. Anesling is part of the manufacturing process, it is annealed several times through the forming process.

 

[dana bodnar]

Over 90 % of world class shooters and F-class are all full length sizing now. And I do neck turn all my brass.

 

[Orange Dust]

Nonsense. You can jam and stick a bullet just the same if you are neck sizing.....

A firechecked throat will grab and pull them out too, and it will do it far from home, with no solid rod to remove the bullet. Don't ask how I know this. Found out on that trip you can save the trip by removing the bullet from another case, spill a little powder, load it in the gun, and fire it. Saved the trip, but a lesson for all on what NOT to do...

 

[Barrelnut]

As far as the annealing, all new brass is annealed, just because you can't see the discoloration doesn't mean it isn't annealed. They polish the brass to make it pretty.

Very true. I usually polish my brass after annealing with 0000 steel wool. Signs of annealing pretty much vanish. Have read that the color from annealing is really on the surface and is a kind of oxidation left over from heating the brass.

 

[Stgraves260]

Steve,
Pretty much don't do most of those things either. However would like to see a good picture of that camper in your avatar.

Hey what up Bravo. You the man. LoL. I like you. You make me laugh.

 

[Orange Dust]

I neck turn new brass. Just enough to knock off the high side. Then I size it again,. Trim, primer pockets, and flash holes if needed. Debur with VLD cutter,load and shoot. First firing is usually no better and sometimes worse than unprepped brass. Second firing is a different story.