Painless(ful?) Load Prep (Precursor to Painless Load Development)

Rifle specific brass, LCD with occasional shoulder bump via Redding body die, and not redlining very accurate ammo lets my brass last a very long time, with tight primer pockets. Life is good.
 
This is where I am having a hard time understanding. I get maybe two firings of my 6.5 Creedmoor brass before it is greater than 1.92. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, I’m using my resizing die as RCBS said, and what I’m doing there’s no way I would get five reloads out of my brass before it was over spec. Maybe I’m missing some major concept here. That is why I am trying to do a “not max” bump. Maybe I regret it, hope I find out over this season of practice.

Just measured some Lapua Brass that started life as berger 6.5 creed factory ammo. I think it has 3 firings/resizings on it. Longest of 10 i measured was 1.918", most are 1.915ish or less. I usually try to get around 3 thou of bump.
 
Why are folks in this thread talking about case trim length and shoulder bump as though they're the same thing? When cases get too long you trim them shorter, you don't smash the shoulders back further.
 
Why are folks in this thread talking about case trim length and shoulder bump as though they're the same thing? When cases get too long you trim them shorter, you don't smash the shoulders back further.

Who said they are the same thing? The point came up about never having to trim. If you want more firings without needing to trim, not bumping shoulders back 12 thou helps.
 
How I do it

Anneal with propane torch and drill w proper deep socket to fit brass
Resize, deprime at the same time
Trim with WFT
Debur
Prime
Charge powder, I use an old PACT dispenser I got off eBay, if not +/-0.1 gn I reject it.
Load bullet, I like the LE Wilson inline seating die with K+M arbor press

My scale/dispenser is inside, while my press is in the garage, so I like having the arbor press at my desk so I can charge powder and seat the bullet without running to the garage.

I used to track all my brass and keep lots together by how many times they’d been reloaded. I’ve stopped that, kind of as an experiment, but also bc I couldn’t keep track. No issues so far. Some brass has ejector swipe etc. Still load and go.

Send it

Loaded with an assortment of aged brass, all prepped the same, still hits an 8” plate at 500 yd just fine in rain snow and 18mph wind 🤷‍♂️

IMG_0820.jpeg
IMG_0819.jpeg
 
Was about to spin up a thread on this but I think the answer may be explicit but buried or implicit in this thread.

Are you NOT cleaning primer pockets and still having the same results as cleaned pockets?

Would you clean these? (Pls ignore the ejector marks...I'm aware)
 

Attachments

  • 20260101_092047.jpg
    20260101_092047.jpg
    262.6 KB · Views: 24
Was about to spin up a thread on this but I think the answer may be explicit but buried or implicit in this thread.

Are you NOT cleaning primer pockets and still having good results?

Would you clean these? (Pls ignore the ejector marks...I'm aware)
If I wanted to waste time prepping brass I’d say that cleaning primer pockets would be the bottom of my list.

If you wanted to debur flash holes and uniformly ream the pockets and thought it would get you another 0.05moa of accuracy, go for it, but I’d never dream of worrying about *cleaning* them.
 
If I wanted to waste time prepping brass I’d say that cleaning primer pockets would be the bottom of my list.

If you wanted to debur flash holes and uniformly ream the pockets and thought it would get you another 0.05moa of accuracy, go for it, but I’d never dream of worrying about *cleaning* them.


Edited above to define "good"

Thanks
No way I'm chasing .05 moa improvements.

I'm chasing less time loading more time shooting.
 
I rarely clean and uniform primer pockets. Really only if I notice significant build up after 5 or moreish firings. I do clean my brass often tho. For me, it is very little extra time because I usually reload in steps, over days. At the start, I buy 2-300 brass for each rifle. When I reload, I deprime and then throw the brass in my tumbler over night. The next day my brass is bright and shiny and ensures no "grit" gets in my sizing die. Size, trim ( if needed) and prime another day, then back in tumbler for a couple - few hours to remove the lube. Lastly, mandrel, moly and load another day. Short reloading sessions, broke up over days, I greatly prefer over getting it all done in 1 long session.
 
Back
Top