flash hole,primer pocket,& crimping

[volunteerbee]

Does prepping your brass to this extent really increase your accuracy that much.I have also been told that crimping will increase volocity and accuracy. I am new to reloading and just trying to learn all I can. thanks in advance to any replys.

 

[johnnyk]

volunteerbee,
I have read of these steps being done one at a time to see whether they did or didn't enhance accuracy. Seems like the writers concluded that individually they didn't amount to squat, most of the time, but together they helped. I will say that with reloading, consistency is a key factor. That goes from brass prep, to powder charges, to bullet seating depths. I think alot of our accuracy improving operation were adopted from the BenchRest community and if it helps them shoot bug-holes, it has to help the rest of us.
I do de-burr the flash hole on all my brass. This only has to be done once and the theory is that it aids in perfect ignition, everytime (consistency). I do clean my primer pockets each time I prep my brass. I don't like that crude on my casings, not sure that it hurts anything, just a personal peve. There are alot of other steps that are used but you have to settle on what works for you and develop a consistent routine. JohnnyK.

 

[Winchester 69]

Crimping is for handguns and gas guns, but not always gas guns. Flash hole is for consistency. Primer pocket is for reliability.

 

[Buffalobob]

The higher the quality of the brass the less prep you need to do. For Norma, Lapua and RWS I do very little brass prep. It seems that the European flash holes are slightly smaller than American so I quit opening them up. For other brands I do the full spectrum plus weight sort.

Also if you are not an especially great rifle shot it doesn't do much for you and if you are shooting a rifle with a sloppy sized chamber it will not do much for you.

If you you are one of those people who worry more about their groups size than whether you are going to draw an elk tag then by all means spend your days and nights playing with your brass.

 

[Stratmeister]

The Lapua brass (and maybe Norma not sure...) has the flash holes drilled whereas most other brass has the holes stamped through. This is the reason the Lapua brass doesn't need the flash hole cleaned up.

The stamping process used by say, Winchester and Remington, can and often does leave a burr on the inside of the case which 'can' hinder the even ignition of the powder. I always deburr/chamfer the inside of the flash hole of brass when its new. You only have to do it once, and I think it's worth the effort. You'd be suprised what drops out of the case after deburring new cases sometimes...

 

[DKA]

Deburr the flash hole and clean the Primer Pocket, so the primer will seat properly.