Rifle Dies

[RX8er]

I just heard from the place that I ordered my dies from, saying that it's still 3 months out.

This gives me more time to read and research and I'm glad I did. I've been reading up on the dies and now I am cornfused.

I have 223 and 308 brass that has been fired before. Some from my rifles and some from others. I am guessing I should use the Pacesetter dies and just stick with those, correct? With these dies, do I need to lube the brass? If so, are there dies that fit my needs that I don't need to lube?

I need:

Pacesetter Dies
5 Hole Turret - 1 for each die set
Riffle Case Feeder
Case Lube???

Another question I have. What is your favorite size checker to use? Is there one that you don't have to remove the primers from before checking and resizing?

And, I'd like to add that I bought some "red" corncob media. I'm going to through that stuff away and just stick to the plain ole white stuff. The red is just too darn messy.

[RX8er]

And I think I will need the large primer feeder as well.

[MoJo]

Bottleneck brass must be lubed when resizing. If you are shooting a semi automatic rifle the brass should be full length sized every time. If the brass is to be shot in a bolt action rifle full length sizing if it was fired in another rifle if fired in your rifle then neck sizing is adequate.

Try TITAN RELOADING are the distributor of Lee products. I saw they had some .308 RGB dies in stock.

[DocV]

I have the pacesetter dies. They do the job.

Yes, you need case lube. Get some imperial wax. Lightly rub your index finger on the wax. Rub thumb and finger together to spread the wax on your finger tips. Then rub a little of the wax on the outside of each case. You don't need much lube and you will get the hang of it after a few cases.

Measure after de-prime and sizing. Use a set of calipers. Most of the 223 cases that I have may never need to be trimmed. Lake City brass seems to want trimming as does the few Hornady cases that I have. I bought a World's Finest Trimmer for 223. I only destroyed five pieces of brass when I set it up

[Jumping Frog]

I would not bother with the rifle case feeder. It is easy to feed rifle cases by hand.

[RX8er]

Thanks for the feedback. Okay, I am on the right path with my initial research and nothing to change. Jumping Frog, I agree and didn't have it in my initial order.

[RX8er]

Bottleneck brass must be lubed when resizing. If you are shooting a semi automatic rifle the brass should be full length sized every time. If the brass is to be shot in a bolt action rifle full length sizing if it was fired in another rifle if fired in your rifle then neck sizing is adequate.

Try TITAN RELOADING are the distributor of Lee products. I saw they had some .308 RGB dies in stock.

Thanks. Okay, I had the "logic" right in my own head. That's wehre I ordered most of my stuff the last time. Dennis is a great help.

I have the pacesetter dies. They do the job.

Yes, you need case lube. Get some imperial wax. Lightly rub your index finger on the wax. Rub thumb and finger together to spread the wax on your finger tips. Then rub a little of the wax on the outside of each case. You don't need much lube and you will get the hang of it after a few cases.

Measure after de-prime and sizing. Use a set of calipers. Most of the 223 cases that I have may never need to be trimmed. Lake City brass seems to want trimming as does the few Hornady cases that I have. I bought a World's Finest Trimmer for 223. I only destroyed five pieces of brass when I set it up

Thanks for the heads up on the wax. The other day when I was at a big box talking toe the "expert" he kept trying to tell me to use their house brand alcohol spray telling me how easy it was.

I would not bother with the rifle case feeder. It is easy to feed rifle cases by hand.

Thank you. Plus, you would only fit a couple in each tube before they were full.

Imperial Case Wax or Hornady One Shot Wax - I have the latter and it's a godsend.

Don't get suckered into the alcohol-based spray-on lubes; just so you know, lube is added to alcohol and mixed so it's liquid enough to spray from a bottle - spray on the cases, leave for a few minutes to let the alcohol evaporate leaving behind the lube. That's the theory and perhaps for some it works, but I've had cases stuck in the sizing die a number of time and will never use it again.

A teeny smear of wax around the case-neck works beautifully - much less pressure needed and fast, too.

I was almost suckered in.

Are you guys applying the wax just as you place the brass on the press?

Are you guys trimming the brass before each loading or just measuring each one each time? I know with my handgun brass it is not growing at all. I have a couple marked pieces that are on the 4th reload, three times being shot and the case has not grown at all.

[Don2]

Imperial Case Wax or Hornady One Shot Wax - I have the latter and it's a godsend.

Don't get suckered into the alcohol-based spray-on lubes; just so you know, lube is added to alcohol and mixed so it's liquid enough to spray from a bottle - spray on the cases, leave for a few minutes to let the alcohol evaporate leaving behind the lube. That's the theory and perhaps for some it works, but I've had cases stuck in the sizing die a number of time and will never use it again.

A teeny smear of wax around the case-neck works beautifully - much less pressure needed and fast, too.

Say Andy, if you like using Imperial wax as I do, you will love another brand I tried called Royal Case and Die Lube. It has about twice as much product as Imperial at the same price, plus it SMELLS LIKE HONEY..!!!!
No Doubt....It really does....Just throw some in on your next order...you'll like it if you like honey..!!!!
Check the link out...I think I bought mine at Midway

http://www.sharpshootr.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Don2

[ddstuder]

When I first started loading 223, I used the Hornady One Shot Spray. After getting 3 cases stuck in the sizing die, I called Hornady and talked to them about that spray.

They were kind enough to send me a FREE tub of Unique Case Lube, and a stuck case removal tool.

Since I started using Unique, I have not had to use the removal tool.
The cases go through the sizer like butter.

It also has a pleasant smell, keeps your hands soft, and is a good water repellant for leather.

It takes such a small amount of this when sizing, I dont think I will ever go through the first tub of it. I have sized more than 5000 rounds, and the tub is still full.

[DocV]

Are you guys applying the wax just as you place the brass on the press?

Yup. Once you get the wax you will see how it works. I just wipe the case with my fingers as I put it on the shell holder. I usually am able to deprime several cases before I have to "reload" my fingers.

Are you guys trimming the brass before each loading or just measuring each one each time? I know with my handgun brass it is not growing at all. I have a couple marked pieces that are on the 4th reload, three times being shot and the case has not grown at all.

I measure each batch of cases after depriming and separate those cases that are at the maximum trim length - 1.76 for 2.23. I adjust my trimmer to be not less than the trim-to length of 1.75. I am satisfied with a trim between 1.752 to 1.754. As I recall, 5.56 brass max is around 1.772 but the Lake City cases that I have seem to stretch a bit more than the 2.23 cases do.

Oh, you did say you were getting a chamfer deburring tool, correct?

[LTUME1978]

I am surprised to hear about the problems with the spray lube. I have used it for several years and loaded a very large number of 223 with no problems. My method is to take a 1 gallon zip lock bag (freezer bag works best), spray 4 shots of the lube in the bag (after shaking the lube bottle well to get the lube mixed up in the alcohol), then add about 250 - 300 pieces of 223 brass to the bag. After zipping the bag closed, I then shake the bag full of brass vigorously for about 20 - 30 seconds to get the lube on all the cases. I then open the bag and go to resizing. It has worked great every time.

For those that had issues, how were you applying the lube?

[RX8er]

Yup. Once you get the wax you will see how it works. I just wipe the case with my fingers as I put it on the shell holder. I usually am able to deprime several cases before I have to "reload" my fingers.

I measure each batch of cases after depriming and separate those cases that are at the maximum trim length - 1.76 for 2.23. I adjust my trimmer to be not less than the trim-to length of 1.75. I am satisfied with a trim between 1.752 to 1.754. As I recall, 5.56 brass max is around 1.772 but the Lake City cases that I have seem to stretch a bit more than the 2.23 cases do.

Oh, you did say you were getting a chamfer deburring tool, correct?

Thanks DocV. I didn't say that because I have one already. I am assuming deburring is only if you trim the case as it is with the pistol brass.

So, here is my process I am working up in my head:

1. Tumble brass
2. Inspect and measure for max length
2a. Too long = pile for trimming
3. Put wax on fingers and on each neck apply very little as loaded
4. Place brass on carrier
a. deprime
b. prime
c. powder
d. bullet
e. crimp
5. Check length
6. Clean wax off?
7. Storage

[loneranger4x4]

So, here is my process I am working up in my head:

1. Tumble brass
2. Inspect and measure for max length
2a. Too long = pile for trimming
3. Put wax on fingers and on each neck apply very little as loaded
4. Place brass on carrier
a. deprime
b. prime
c. powder
d. bullet
e. crimp
5. Check length
6. Clean wax off?
7. Storage

if you are loading for accuracy then you will probably want to add a few steps in there.
1. Tumble brass
2. Put wax on fingers and on each neck apply very little as loaded
3. De-Prime and resize (full length resize if this brass did not come out of the gun you are loading for, and neck resizing if it was previously fired in the gun you were loading for)
4. Inspect and measure for max length
5. find the shortest case and trim all to match
6. debur and chamfer case mouth
7. clean and uniform primer pockets
9. prime
10. powder (not sure how accurate your powder thrower is, but I usually do this off the press and measure each charge to within .01 of a grain)
11. bullet
12. crimp
13. Check length ( I only do this on the first couple of rounds then about every 10th round afterwards)

there are a few more steps that are done which some say are unnecessary like
weighing and seperating the bulletts
weighing and seperating the brass
deburing the flash hole
checking each round for straightness
i am sure that there are some more that I can't think of right now.

But if you are just loading for something like a semi auto or for plinking rounds, you should change your pattern up a little to make sure you a least resize before you check the length. full length resizing will change the length of the brass.

this is just the way I do things and in no way am I implying it's "the only / best way" just some suggestions.