25 replies to this topic

[Loopdog]

Howdy I just bought a new Hornady AP loader and i have seen some talk about cleaning them up real good before you use them. I know that Hornady says to use ther One shot cleaner. What other options are out there? Will carb cleaner work just as well? I dont want to wait a week to order the One shot. I also have a RCBS charge master combo and a tumbler with stainless steel media on the way.
Thanks
Jeff
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[KNOCKED UP]

LD,
Check with your local Gun shop,They should have the dry lube.Tom

[tawnoper]

brake cleaner/carb cleaner will work fine and is probably all that the one shot cleaner is. They might be a bit hard on the paint though.

[Loopdog]

cool thanks guys... now all i have to do is read up and start at it

[Jason]

Congrats! Looks like a nice set up!

[Loopdog]

Thanks Jason

[Bisley]

I highly recommend starting with a straight wall rimmed cartridge first (.357, .44, .45Colt) if you have them, they are super easy, darn near fool-proof, and a great way to get a feel for it at first.

[Loopdog]

Thanks Bisley i have a few thousand 9mm i'll start with. I may have to trade a squeek shoot for some help someday

[Jason]

Be careful with auto cartridges. They get a little tricky since they head space on the cartridge rim.

[Loopdog]

oh great something else to look up head space on the cartridge rim....LOL
Well the Tumbler and stainless media is sitting on the poarch i'll start cleaning brass tonight..wahooooo..
i dont have the powder or bullets for the 9mm yet. Perhaps i'll start with some .223's ..If i start puking blood this stuff will be for sale cheep...LOL

[Bisley]

PM sent

[clampdaddy]

Be careful with auto cartridges. They get a little tricky since they head space on the cartridge rim.

Actually, they headspace off of the case mouth. Revolver cartridges headspace off the rim.

[Loopdog]

Thanks guys for your input. I have a question about the order.
Is it
Clean
Decap/resize
trim
clean
Prime
load???

[Clownpuncher]

Not if you're using stainless wet media. You'll want to decap/resize then clean, trim, prime, load. If you're using straight walled pistol cases, you don't need to trim. Decapping/resizing prior to cleaning with stainless media will allow you to get the flash holes nice and clean as well.

I have the same set up. I love it. I recommend the RCBS lockout die when using the progressive. It has saved my baccon many times.

[Stan]

You left out neck turning,primer pocket uniforming,flash hole reaming,(SJ's Favorite) annealing your brass

[Bisley]

If you're using straight walled pistol cases, you don't need to trim.

Hate to rain on your parade, but it is 100% the opposite. Straight wall pistol case should be trimmed, or at least checked, quite often. The length of the case directly affects the amount of crimp put on the bullet and also the height at which it crimps it to. But hey, what do I know

[Loopdog]

So i think i have the first part down.. I am running the brass through the vibrating bowl to take off the crud. Then I am going to resize, deprime, trim, chamfer and debur. Then run it through the SS Tumbler to clean it up REAL SHINNY..whew... i know its going to be worth it. Thanks again for all the help.

[Bisley]

Only trim if needed. I usually let mine lengthen a short bit before trimming. There is 0.010 leeway in the specs for rifle before "having" to trim. I usually set my calipers at 0.005 over the minimum length and run the brass through therm. If it fits, it doesn't get trimmed. If it doesn't it gets set aside and trimmed. But again, everybody is different, doesn't make it right or wrong.

Also, if you don't have to trim the pistol brass, don't bother chamferring or deburring it as it will belled open anyway. And I don't know if you will really need to clean the brass a second time, but that is totally your call as only you know what it will look like after the sizing etc, and how clean you want your final load.

Good luck again, be sure and tell how it goes.

[Kephers]

brake cleaner/carb cleaner will work fine and is probably all that the one shot cleaner is. They might be a bit hard on the paint though.

Yeah but it gives is that manly look that makes our reloading benches look great

[Loopdog]

Update... I bought a Wilson case guage for my .308 so everything should be good to go. I have about 100 cases resized trimed if needed and cleaned ( with the SS media)((Nice and shinny and oh so clean)).. Where can i find Bullet seating and crimping for dummies??? I am going to do a ladder load test?? Starting out with the lowest load first to find out where the max load will be.(looking for signs of over pressure) I know my COL is 2.8 if i remember right it is in the book so i will look it up before i start..I have only broke the index ram and a shell holder so far... and got one case stuck when the shell holder broke. I used the drill, tap and nut/washers to pull out the case ...seems i read that here once or twice. Thanks for all the patience and input

[GSH]

For my 300 Win Mag. I seat the bullet into the case only far enough to fit in the magizine and I don't crimp, haven't had any problems. These are 180 grain, about the only size I shoot.

[Desert Fox]

Where can i find Bullet seating and crimping for dummies??? I am going to do a ladder load test?

308 is pretty mild round so crimping is not necessary.

Lot of shooters subscribed to the practice of ladder test. I'm not sold to it. In my opinion it's a total waste of time and ammo.

308 is easy to load. Use Varget, Reloader 15, IMR 4064, 4895, BLC-2, and VV N150 and you can't go wrong.

I use Varget, Reloader 15 and BLC-2 in my 308 with good result.

Read the link below and you'll find everything there is to know about 308.

http://www.6mmbr.com/308win.html

[tawnoper]

Lot of shooters subscribed to the practice of ladder test. I'm not sold to it. In my opinion it's a total waste of time and ammo.

Agreed.

And I will add...the majority of the people that practice the ladder theory do not have the slightest idea of what they are doing.

[Loopdog]

ok out goes the ladder

[Hipshot Percussion]

If you load 9mm / 45APC etc invest in a taper crimp die and all of your feeding problems will go away. I shot in IPSC matches for years and first had feeding problems with my guns it disappeared when I started using a taper crimp. Since that time I've probably loaded a 100,000 rounds or so and it seems to work.

[Loopdog]

Cool i just shot my first IPSC/USPSA shoot in Norco/Corona a couple of weeks ago.... It was awesome..Thanks for the info