Painless load development (mine)

[Alpha Echo]

While on the topic of trimming there's always RCBS X dies.

Intriguing option for high volume 223. Anyone use these?

 

[DadWil]

How often did you need to trim the LC brass? I'm assuming you only trimmed when it was over trim length spec?

I don't measure my brass I just send it all thru the trimmer.. only the brass that is longer than the trim length would be trimmed... brass that does not need trimming still goes thru the process but nothing gets trimmed off...
My brass prep process is
de-cap
anneal
clean
resize
trim
clean (wipe of lube)
prime
load

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Trimming?
Trimming for no reason??
Wow, you guys have strayed from the Painless Reloading Method.

What’s next, cleaning brass?

 

[Alpha Echo]

Trimming, chamfering, and deburring, are my least favorite steps. I will avoid them at all costs if possible. Maybe be if i had a Henderson I'd feel differently.

 

[HighUintas]

I absolutely hate trimming. If I could find cheap enough brass I'd just toss it when time to trim

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Trimming, chamfering, and deburring, are my least favorite steps. I will avoid them at all costs if possible. Maybe be if i had a Henderson I'd feel differently.

The Frankford Arsenal platinum makes it very easy. Once you have trim length set you can knock out all 3 operations in very short order.

 

[Formidilosus]

Trimming?
Trimming for no reason??
Wow, you guys have strayed from the Painless Reloading Method.

What’s next, cleaning brass?

No doubt. Somehow this turned into “how to add 27 trick moves to make it more convoluted and not accomplish anything”.

 

[philcox]

No doubt. Somehow this turned into “how to add 27 trick moves to make it more convoluted and not accomplish anything”.

Ok, so serious question: Are you all really not trimming, nor tumbling? Just decap/resize and then load?

 

[HighUintas]

I want to see someone do a test to see if it's possible to not trim at all through 5-7 reloads. That's about how many I get before trashing it.

Trim it super short, or short enough to not have to trim for 5 reloads. Does the POI change from that first load to last? If not... I'd 100% do it.

Then my process would be:
Lube 25 cases in a ziploc baggie
Size
Prime
Load with powder thrower
Wash lube off in tub of soapy water

I don't think it could get any faster than that unless I bought a progressive press to do the priming, powder, and bullet in one handle pull

 

[Okie_Poke]

I want to see someone do a test to see if it's possible to not trim at all through 5-7 reloads. That's about how many I get before trashing it.

This is going to depend on what cartridge you are shooting. The sharper shoulders tend to grow less. I bet I get close to that with a 6.5 Creedmoor (bolt gun) but I highly doubt I could do it with my 30-06---the latter just grows more. I'd have to go back through my load book, but I rarely need to trim the Creedmoor brass. I would bet if you trimmed it all pretty short after the first firing and resizing you could get 5 out of it. I would be surprised if POI changed.

 

[Alpha Echo]

Sinclair makes chamber length gauges. What I do is take a case, trim the neck short enough to give the gauge sufficient room to slide back, and shove it in the chamber to get my length. Then, I know when my brass is over 0.020 short of the dummy cartridge OAL, I have to trim. I have also recently started using bushing sizing dies to try to work the brass as little as possible.

 

[Marbles]

Ok, so serious question: Are you all really not trimming, nor tumbling? Just decap/resize and then load?

Only when longer than spec as it is a safety issue as brass smashed into the the throat will cause a pressure spike.

On 223 and 243 that is ever 2-3 loadings.

I have Lyman case gauges, which makes checking case length easy. I check a random sampling of about 10% of the cases and if one is over I trim them all because that is easier than measuring all of them to find the ones that need it.

I don't think it makes any difference on accuracy, I only do it as a safety point and view not checking case length similar to how I view loading hot, only shoulder bumping, and jamming the lands; fun and cute but decreases reliability.

I'm not an expert reloader, just sharing my take on it. I'm hoping to trim less when I move to 6 Creedmoor.

 

[SUD1988]

Ok, so serious question: Are you all really not trimming, nor tumbling? Just decap/resize and then load?

I have been following this method for a couple of years now. I use cartridges that don't stretch much. I used to trim every firing, chamfer and debur each reload, and tumble each reload, ect. Now I chamfer and debur my initial load, and then everything else is just resized/decapped then loaded and shot. I also stopped trying to squeeze every ounce of life out of a piece of brass.

 

[flyfisher117]

I currently have 2x .223 that I hate trying to keep their respective brass and loads separate. As of today one rifle shoots almost exclusively 53 Vmax and one 77 SMK.

I would like both to shoot 77 TMK moving forwards.

Is there a painless method to find one load for both rifles or am I better off continuing to separate their respective brass and loads?

 

[Formidilosus]

Ok, so serious question: Are you all really not trimming, nor tumbling? Just decap/resize and then load?

I don’t own a trimmer or tumbler. Granted most of what I shoot enough to worry about trimming, are cases that don’t really stretch- but, I loose them by 5-6 firings anyways. I think the most reloads I have on brass right now is the 6XC and some of those are 6-8 firings.

 

[Formidilosus]

I currently have 2x .223 that I hate trying to keep their respective brass and loads separate. As of today one rifle shoots almost exclusively 53 Vmax and one 77 SMK.

I would like both to shoot 77 TMK moving forwards.

Is there a painless method to find one load for both rifles or am I better off continuing to separate their respective brass and loads?

23.5gr of IMR 8208 loaded at 2.26” coal. I have yet to see a single Tikka (150+) that doesn’t shoot it well, nor any other good 223 that doesn’t shoot it well.

 

[Formidilosus]

I want to see someone do a test to see if it's possible to not trim at all through 5-7 reloads. That's about how many I get before trashing it.

Haha. That’s been no issue with modern shaped cases. I am on 6-8 loadings of 250pcs of 6XC brass.

Trim it super short, or short enough to not have to trim for 5 reloads. Does the POI change from that first load to last? If not... I'd 100% do it.

Then my process would be:
Lube 25 cases in a ziploc baggie
Size
Prime
Load with powder thrower
Wash lube off in tub of soapy water

I don't think it could get any faster than that unless I bought a progressive press to do the priming, powder, and bullet in one handle pull

Or just spray with Hornady one shot, size and deprime, prime, dump powder, seat bullet.

 

[HighUintas]

Haha. That’s been no issue with modern shaped cases. I am on 6-8 loadings of 250pcs of 6XC brass.





Or just spray with Hornady one shot, size and deprime, prime, dump powder, seat bullet.

I didn't know you could leave that stuff on after sizing. I will be getting some.

I can't make it to 5 firings with my 243 brass without trimming. I think I generally start it 0.020 short of max. Perhaps I'll cut the virgin cases shorter and see.

 

[Ishootgunssometimes]

I want to see someone do a test to see if it's possible to not trim at all through 5-7 reloads. That's about how many I get before trashing it.

Trim it super short, or short enough to not have to trim for 5 reloads. Does the POI change from that first load to last? If not... I'd 100% do it.

Then my process would be:
Lube 25 cases in a ziploc baggie
Size
Prime
Load with powder thrower
Wash lube off in tub of soapy water

I don't think it could get any faster than that unless I bought a progressive press to do the priming, powder, and bullet in one handle pull

I load for 7 saum and have put about 6-7 shots on my brass. I never trimmed it, only because I use the Little Crow Gunworks WFT2 trimmer and I only recently bought the appropriate insert for 7 saum.

Can’t say I’ve noticed anything going haywire with my loads other than ES and SD getting larger. My range goes to 500 yd so I can’t say I’ve really noticed anything off with my loads. But mentally I’d feel better if I knew my SD were consistent.

I don’t particularly have distain for any part of reloading.

 

[flyfisher117]

23.5gr of IMR 8208 loaded at 2.26” coal. I have yet to see a single Tikka (150+) that doesn’t shoot it well, nor any other good 223 that doesn’t shoot it well.

Awesome thanks. That’s about what I’m shooting with the SMK so that will be nice.