back to reloading 223 rem.

[fats429]

Well it happened 223 is over $1.00 a round with most shops having limits on how many boxes you can buy. its like the fall of 2008 all over again things just got back to normal. Over the last 2 years it was the same price to reload a descent 223 or just buy for the same money and get a new brass. I knew that was not going to last


I love shooting this round but hate to reload it God I hate it. I hate primer pocket crimps, I hate case trimming the little brasses, I hate putting little bullets in little brasses .

What are some of the tools you guys use to make the job easier, I am on a single stage RCBS

[DucatiRon]

Well I never stopped reloading 223. Cost me about 17 cents a round to reload. Never seen those prices out there for 223. But I digress.

Tools:

Progressive press
Dillon super swadge
Dillon power trimmer
Giraud Power Trimmer
Cement mixer for a tumbler using wet stainless media

Buy in bulk and stack it deep

Btw I load about 10k 223 every winter for the upcoming season.

[fats429]

Giraud Power Trimmer

I have never seen that before no wonder I hate trimming . what do they go for

[DucatiRon]

The Giraud is 500. Hands down the best. The Dillon works well at 150ish but you may still have to chamfer and deburr regardless of what the meatheads on YouTube say. Also there is the "WFT" trimmer for 70 but you must supply your own power source and still may have to chamfer and deburr with that one also. I don't have time to chamfer and deburr.

[dgood71]

What are some of the tools you guys use to make the job easier, I am on a single stage RCBS

I think the Dillon Super Swage is definitely worth the $100 if you're doing a lot of NATO/Military brass with crimped primers. A pull of the handle and the crimp is gone. I think another company makes a cheaper swage, although I can't remember who and I've never used it. Anything beats using a hand reamer to work the crimp out -- that kills your wrist.

I don't have a power trimmer yet, but thanks to this thread I now have a couple to check out.

[762xIan]

Another +1 for the Dillon Swager.

As for trimming, I use a cordless drill with the Lee trimmers myself. I sit at a desk with the drill in front of me, the Lee case holder in the chuck and just go at it.

1. Insert brass, tighten chuck
2. Trim
3. Chamfer/deburr with the Lyman tool.
4. Depending on case sometimes I will hit it with some 0000 steel wool.
5. Remove brass from chuck.

Rinse...Lather...Repeat.

Works well for me, I have a good working desk that is the perfect height, I operate the drill with my left thumb and the tooling with my right hand. I recommend something like a cardboard tray (like you find with a case of soda or soup cans, etc.) to place the drill in to catch the chips.

I originally was going to buy a more expensive set up, but bought a Lee trimmer set to get started with way back, found out it actually worked pretty well and built my procedure around it. I use the Lee stuff for all of trimming now. Lyman makes a great chamfer and deburr tool, RCBS and Lyman for primer pocket cleaning and uniforming. The whole set up cost like $50 and I already had a cordless Dewalt drill. Each additional caliber is less than $10.

Once I get a good rhythm going I can process 1-2 hundred or so before I need to quit.

I do recommend getting case gauges, I like Wilson brand best, but I have a few Dillons also and they are OK.

[BucksCountyBob]

I think the Dillon Super Swage is definitely worth the $100 if you're doing a lot of NATO/Military brass with crimped primers. A pull of the handle and the crimp is gone. I think another company makes a cheaper swage, although I can't remember who and I've never used it. Anything beats using a hand reamer to work the crimp out -- that kills your wrist.

I don't have a power trimmer yet, but thanks to this thread I now have a couple to check out.

I just bought this one for .223

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/880...vc=subv1447022

I think I paid around $60 at Cabelas, but I don't remember and I don't know where my receipt is. I haven't used it yet, as it's for single stage presses and I only have a couple progressives. I'm thinking of buying this one to use it as a dedicated swaging station:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/807...le-stage-press


Curious if anybody has a good reason why I shouldn't use this press, or if they would recommend a reasonable alternative (and please, don't tell me to buy a Rock Chucker or something...I wanna keep this on the cheap ).

I'll let you know how it performs once I get it up and running, likely in a couple weeks.

Regards,

BCB

ETA: I read the reviews on Midway for the Die itself and one said not to use the Lee press, as a certain part wouldn't fit. Just went out to Amazon and saw the RCBS Partner for $71 with free shipping (for Prime members, which I am). I will probably pick that up for this task, but not for a couple weeks, as we're still a little tight on money from the holidays.

[DucatiRon]

I just bought this one for .223

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/880...vc=subv1447022

I think I paid around $60 at Cabelas, but I don't remember and I don't know where my receipt is. I haven't used it yet, as it's for single stage presses and I only have a couple progressives. I'm thinking of buying this one to use it as a dedicated swaging station:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/807...le-stage-press


Curious if anybody has a good reason why I shouldn't use this press, or if they would recommend a reasonable alternative (and please, don't tell me to buy a Rock Chucker or something...I wanna keep this on the cheap ).

I'll let you know how it performs once I get it up and running, likely in a couple weeks.

Regards,

BCB

ETA: I read the reviews on Midway for the Die itself and one said not to use the Lee press, as a certain part wouldn't fit. Just went out to Amazon and saw the RCBS Partner for $71 with free shipping (for Prime members, which I am). I will probably pick that up for this task, but not for a couple weeks, as we're still a little tight on money from the holidays.

The partner press is good if you don't use big rifle casings. Anything longer than 223 may or will not fit. Again still a good press. Just not big enough for everything.

That RCBS primer pocket tool is next to junk. Yes it does work a few times. If you do a lot of 223 you might get 500 before the threaded rod is bent and worthless. I've replaced mine 4 times then just bought the Dillon. Also you have to seperate all casings by headstamp for the RCBS tool. And even then you run the risk of bending it. It is simply not made for doing any type of production work.

[Kramer]

Over the last twenty five years, I have reloaded tons of military brass, 5.56, 7.62, 50 BMG, and the best thing that I found for removing the primer crimp is a counter sink bit in a cordless screwdriver. You only have to do it once, it chamfers the primer pocket so the primers seat easier and no it does not weaken the brass.

[DucatiRon]

Over the last twenty five years, I have reloaded tons of military brass, 5.56, 7.62, 50 BMG, and the best thing that I found for removing the primer crimp is a counter sink bit in a cordless screwdriver. You only have to do it once, it chamfers the primer pocket so the primers seat easier and no it does not weaken the brass.

While I have cut many of primer pockets and never having a failure I just prefer to swage them. Because I load in bulk I'm always trying to minimize time spent prepping cases. I find I can swage them faster than I can cut them. Same reason I use wet stainless to tumble. Haven't had to clean a primer pocket in 4 years.