[buster40c]

I ordered a new XsDot Standard Tritium sight for my LCR so I loaded around 600 rounds of 38 special.
I used 2.5 gr of Hodgdon Clays powder and Rainier 38 cal 125 fp bullets. Used my own used brass.
I had a couple times my thought drifted and I screwed up 3 rounds. I should have rotated to the bullet loading position but was still in the powder position. It shoved the bullet to far into the casing making the min oal way to short.
I figure I am around $ .18 per round which isn't to bad but not great IMO.
Now when I get the new sight I will have plenty of rounds to check it out.

 

[Tommycourt]

Buster,

You ain't done nothing that we reloaders haven't done before. It's so easy to get side tracked for 1 nano second and then you realize what you have done. I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. I have 26 rounds of .45 where the primer protrudes from the head of the casing. I loaded over 500 rounds and didn't stop to feel the head to make sure the primer was properly seated so now I have to tear them apart so I can save the bullet and the casings. And I did this on my Dillon which is supposed to be fool proof. I still prefer to hand primer but the reloading process becomes very tedious that way. Thing to do is take a break every now and then and just sit and have a glass of ice tea before you start over again. No sweat buddy!!!

Tommy

 

[buster40c]

If I get a ? about the feel of the primer setting right then I set the round on my scale to see if it sits flat. I did find one that was not flush with the head. At this point there was no powder in the casing and I reset the primer flush. Maybe shouldn't have done that but I did and didn't blow anything up.
The rounds with the bullet shoved to far in will just have to stay like that. I am not taking a chance of it going boom messing with it. They will be my reminders of what not to do.

 

[VThillman]

An inertial puller will still work, just takes longer.

 

[MagBlackhawk]

Hey buster, I've accidentally CRUSHED a primer when seating. No kaboom. I don't recommend that of course.
If I find a primer that's not a little below flush with the head of the case I re-seat it.
So far so good.
Wear safety glasses just in case though.

BTW, I use a hand primer, easier to 'get the feel for it'.

 

[buster40c]

I hand place the primer on the install tool on the press then I seat the primer by hand pulling the lever. If it doesn't feel right then I check it. Better to check it before loading the powder! LOL

 

[MagBlackhawk]

If Lee was still making the same hand held Lee Auto Prime that they made for many many years I would recommend it. It has a built in primer flipper tray. Easy to do 100 at a time.

The 'new and improved' XR model I bought as a back up is a pain to keep the primers in the correct position.

I'm on my last connecting rod for the original, when it breaks I'll have to shop hand held priming tools.

 

[buster40c]

I have a Lee ergo hand primer that has the trays for little and big primers. In order to use that I would have to remove the decap pin from the sizing die on my press so I don't use it.
I was checking prices and I figure I saved around $60 + freight costs by reloading these 600 rounds.

 

[greg_r]

I have a Lee ergo hand primer that has the trays for little and big primers. In order to use that I would have to remove the decap pin from the sizing die on my press so I don't use it.
I was checking prices and I figure I saved around $60 + freight costs by reloading these 600 rounds.

Why would you have to remove the decapping pin?

I like to clean my cases. Then run them through the sizing die and decap. I then clean the primers pockets and trim if necessary and reprime. Flair the case if necessary, charge the case, seat the bullet and crimp.

 

[buster40c]

When resizing the decaping pin would push out the new primer. Been there done that.
I de-cap my casings before I run them in the cleaning tumbler. That way the primer pocket gets cleaned during the tumbling. Takes more time but I have plenty of time to use up and the primer pocket gets cleaned also.

 

[greg_r]

When resizing the decaping pin would push out the new primer. Been there done that.
I de-cap my casings before I run them in the cleaning tumbler. That way the primer pocket gets cleaned during the tumbling. Takes more time but I have plenty of time to use up and the primer pocket gets cleaned also.

Still having a hard time grasping. You prime before you size?

 

[VThillman]

Still having a hard time grasping. You prime before you size?

I don't know everyone's theories on the reloading process, but if you go by the rule that cleanliness is a very good thing, Lee offers a 'universal' decapping die. One uses it as step one. the case clearance in the die means the unclean case doesn't mess with the die. Tumbling or otherwise cleaning is step two. Priming is step three. Sizing - with the decapping pin removed - is step four. Then the expand — powder — seat steps as usual.

I usually don't reload that way, but since I use a primer pocket cleaning tool after the decapping/sizing step, there are just as many steps in there. Checking the flash hole opening happens either way.

It's The Rock Chucker Way [secret handshake optional].

 

[greg_r]

I use the universal decapper often, but not as much as I used to.

Here is how I do it.

1. clean
2. size and decap
3. inspect case, clean primer pocket, trim if necessary
4. prime
5. expand if necessary
6. charge
7. seat
8. crimp

A lot of times I seat and crimp at the same time

I was just trying to understand why you were sizing after priming and what was the reason for it.

 

[MagBlackhawk]

I like to clean my cases. Then run them through the sizing die and decap. I then clean the primers pockets and trim if necessary and reprime. Flair the case if necessary, charge the case, seat the bullet and crimp.

That's about the same procedure I use as well.
Only difference is I don't clean primer pockets on plain old practice ammo.
Hunting or doomsday ammo does get the pockets cleaned.

 

[buster40c]

I find on almost all 38 spl that if I don't resize then the bullets will not fit into the casing. If that's wrong then I don't know what to tell you. I am new at this so I am not about to tell any of you old time reloaders how to do it. I figure you all know more than I do.
No I don't prime before sizing. I size then I put the primer in. Then I load powder then install bullet. I have not been crimping because Rainier says best not to crimp their plated bullets. I am open to advice.

 

[VThillman]

Buster, size&decap, then prime, is pretty much SOP. When you size, the case gets, ah, squeezed a little, to get the case body back to 'like new' diameter. That makes it too small for the bullet, especially lead or most plated bullets. That's what the expander die is for.

A light taper crimp won't peel the plating off a plated bullet - Berry's or Rainier's either. Whether you need it or not will be obvious toward the end of the cylinder when shooting.

 

[MagBlackhawk]

Sounds like you got a handle on it buster. I guess everyone goes about it differently.
I don't have any advice, can tell you my procedure.
Most of the time I load 100 at a time, sometimes 150.

Clean brass in tumbler
Size / decap (Both in same die)
Check length, trim if needed
Mouth flare (Just enough to start bullet)
Prime with hand held priming tool
Throw powder charge using powder measure (Adjust measure w/scale to start)
Seat bullet and *crimp, both at the same time (If a crimp is to be used)

* A roll crimp is used for revolvers and can be done with bullet seating.
* For auto-loaders a taper crimp die is used and is done in a separate step.

 

[phideaux]

Sounds like you got a handle on it buster. I guess everyone goes about it differently.
I don't have any advice, can tell you my procedure.
Most of the time I load 100 at a time, sometimes 150.

Clean brass in tumbler
Size / decap (Both in same die)
Check length, trim if needed
Mouth flare (Just enough to start bullet)
Prime with hand held priming tool
Throw powder charge using powder measure (Adjust measure w/scale to start)
Seat bullet and *crimp, both at the same time (If a crimp is to be used)

* A roll crimp is used for revolvers and can be done with bullet seating.
* For auto-loaders a taper crimp die is used and is done in a separate step.

This is my procedure also.

Only on target ammo, I will clean primer pocket of each case after sizing and decap step.


Jim

 

[SavageGuy]

^^that's what I do except I prime on the press during the flaring stage.

About crimping, on my lee dies (unless I misread) it says that the bullet seating die will perform a taper crimp on the 9mm?

 

[buster40c]

A light taper crimp won't peel the plating off a plated bullet - Berry's or Rainier's either. Whether you need it or not will be obvious toward the end of the cylinder when shooting.[/QUOTE]

VT What will be the obvious toward the end of cylinder?
SG that is what I understand the Lee seating die does also on the 38 spl. I bought a Lee crimping die but I have yet to install and use it.