KSB209
Well-Known Member
Just received some new Lapua brass. Do you guys clean and prep new (never fired) brass the same way you would fired brass?
New brass
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If I measure new brass and it needs trimming and/or chamfering, I will do my standard alcohol bath to get rid of anything from the tools. Many times, I just need to circularize the case mouth if any have been deformed from shipping, by a slight insertion into the sizing die, just enough to reshape the case mouth.
memtb
Well-Known Member
If ultimate precision is desired. I would size, deburr flash holes, check for uniform neck thickness, trim all to same length, then weigh and separate into similar weight batches.
For my casual use, deburr flash holes, size, trim to same length! memtb
For my casual use, deburr flash holes, size, trim to same length! memtb
cursc0tt
Active Member
Following this as I had the same question.
KSB209
Well-Known Member
I'm new to the reloading game so 1000 yard precision isn't in the cards yet. This is to learn with the process of loading but I want to start off doing it correctly
memtb
Well-Known Member
Lapua brass is generally of very good quality. If high precision is not a requirement. Size it prior to loading.....and "use it like you stole it"! I don't think you'll be dissatisfied! memtb
epags
Well-Known Member
And deburr inside and outside of neck...I found there are occasional burrs.
Lapua is good stuff. Having said that, i would still chamfer and size at a minimum before firing. My last lot's neck sizes varied somewhat.
Run all through a neck die, check length and chamfer. Found some out of round mouths, probably from handling. Some lesser quality brass needs flash hole deburring, trimming and sorting. Wish Lapua made a greater variety of brass.
In the past I used to want to trim my new Lapua brass, but I soon realized the majority of the casings were pretty uniform and already at the trim-to length. Of the few that weren't, they were typically shorter than trim-to by only a couple thousandths, no big deal, so I've stopped trimming the new stuff. Now I just neck size, debur the flash holes, chamfer and debur the necks, toss them in the tumbler for a quick cleanup afterward and call it good.
Critter Picker
Well-Known Member
I agree totally.Neck size,demurred, and check length ( usually not required with Lapua) and don't look back.
I just ran my first ever batch of Lapua brass through some quality checks. Out of 100 rounds 70 rounds were 165gr within +/- .1gr. 91 pieces were 165gr +/- .2gr , 2 were -.4gr and 7 were +.3 gr. All cases in a range of .8 grains. Lapua brass does not have a bur on their flash holes. If you look inside the case with a flashlight you can see that. All cases went through a Wilson headspace/max min length gauge and all were within tolerance. When I tried to cut uniform primer pocket the pockets were a tad to tight and I could not fit the cutter inside the primer pocket. In my judgement virgin Lapua brass would need case mouths rounded out and cleanliness verified before loading.
I treat every piece of new brass like it was a piece of range brass that I took out of the brass bucket at the range. For me that means full length resizing without the ball resizer in the die, then annealing, then neck size with a mandrel die, trim to length, debur the inside and outside of the case mouth, debur the flash hole inside of the casing and ream out the primer pocket. Depending on neck thickness I will skim turn the necks, however generally not on the first reload. I've never had the luxury of reloading use Lapua brass so not certain about how close it is, even though some reloaders will say that it is not necessary to do much of anything with Lapus brass I would still use the same process that I described above. If I am fire forming my brass (.270 Ackley Improved), I will do a second anneal after I fire form the case.
