Advice on reloading rifle ammo on a progressive press?

[lrrifleman]

Normally, I load my rifle ammo on a single stage RCBS press because of my match accuracy requirements. However, I am looking to do a run of 223s replicating M193 for my M4 type CQB AR.

I do not have carbide dies for my 223, and I would need to run my cases through the press with lube on the cases. This is where the rub is.

Normally, when I run my rifle cases in the single stage press, I tumble the cases right after sizing in order to remove the lube, but this would be impossible with the progressive.

My question: if I do a light but adequate coating of spray lube (either aerosol or pump) then run my cases through the progressive press, am I running a risk of contaminating the powder and primer?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Neumann]

Most bottle-neck rifle cartridges, including .223 Remington or 5.56x45mm, are slightly tapered, and must be lubricated for resizing in both steel and carbide dies. In addition to the outside of the case, it is customary to lube the inside of the neck for the expansion button on the decapper.

Unless used to excess (standing liquid in the case), spray-on resizing lubricant will not contaminate the powder to any significant extent. You could spray it on a pad and roll the cases too, but I have dispensed with that.

I wipe the loaded cartridges with a clean cloth to remove excess lubricant, or run them in a vibrating bowl cleaner for 15-30 minutes.

 

[Ballistic147]

I'm in the same position as the OP with the exception that I'm new to reloading and only have a progressive press. I have reloaded several different pistol calibers and have become mostly comfortable with that. Now beginning to move into 223/5.56 for our AR stuff. Not sure if this will help or not but this is my plan. This is using all once fired brass from factory ammo:

First the brass gets a run through the tumbler for about an hour. This will remove any dirt/grit from the cases to avoid scratching the sizing die. I run the brass through a full length sizing die on the progressive using Imperial Sizing Die wax. This goes really quick since there's only the sizing die. I run it as fast as I can stick a new case in the shell plate and cycle the handle. Once that's completed I then trim as I've found the case length to vary quite a bit as well as some being over the max length. This way all brass is of equal length which should help when it comes time to seat the bullet and crimp (if I choose to crimp, still on the fence there). Once trimmed it will then get the mouth deburred and chamfered. The primer pocket will also be reamed on any brass with a crimped primer. Then back in the tumbler overnight to remove the sizing lube and make the brass like new. Yes, I like my reloads to look all purty!

From there install and set up the case activated powder drop (I'm using the Hornady LnL AP) and the bullet seating/crimp die and roll on. I've put a lot of thought into this and can't see a way to run bottle neck rifle stuff through it all in one step with any real consistency on the ammo but again, I'm a newbie and don't know all the tricks.

 

[da gimp]

B147, I'd urge you not to use a reamer to do your military surplus brass's primer pockets & use a Dillon Super Swager or equivalent to remove the military primer crimp.

Years ago, I saw a friend's reloaded LC 5.56 case that had the primer crimp removed by reaming, lose it's primer when it was fired thu a service rifle AR15 .. bits of primer & gas came back thru the charging handle & hit the shooters face & eye.. the rest of the gas went thru the magazine.. blowing out the bottom & injuring the shooter's L hand (he was shooting from a bench over sand bags).. The guy got very lucky & suffered no permanent injury... You only get one set of eyes.. & often injuries to them are not repairable... Swaging is as quick as primer pocket reaming & is idiot proof safe.......... as ZERO metal is removed from the primer pocket/case.

He broke down the remaining rounds & those cases were discarded... powder & bullets saved...I bought the Dillon swager & it's type are very easy to use & are very quick... on the reamer method of removing the crimp.. there is no way to ascertain how much metal is being removed........After you get a basket or box on the floor situated to catch the completed cases you drop... you can run a 1000, 5.56mmNATO cases thru one in very short order.......

This year.. more than ever.. we need everyone to join the NRA.... and to make sure you are registered to vote & then vote... The next president will select between 1 to 4 US Supreme Court justices... the future of our nation & our very right to own, possess & use firearms will be at stake.... We need your help now... Join the NRA & get your friends to join...

 

[ameridaddy]

With shoulder seated semi auto rifle cases, the distance from the shoulder datum to the back of the case is important. If too long, the bolt might not lock and you could have a slam fire, or if you set the shoulder back excessively in the sizing die, your cases won't last as long. For .223/5.56 I use a Wilson CG-223R cartridge case go/no go length gage. These measure from shoulder datum to bolt face on the case. Take a case and set your sizing die to knock the shoulder back until even with the gage go face and you have the comfort of knowing things fit as they should assuming your headspace is correct. I was surprised how much more than necessary my sizing die was setting the shoulder back. I also found out that my LNL had enough vertical play in the turret (.006-.007") to vary the length more than I liked when sizing only as Ballistic 147 described, and cycling the press with the forces of all the operations in play. I bought a shim pack [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Arbor-Assortment-1008-1010-Chemistry/dp/B002C2GPJ4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00"]Amazon.com: Steel Arbor Shim Assortment Kit, Matte, Full Hard, AISI 1008-1010 For Chemistry, 1'' ID, 1-1/2'' OD (Pack of 19): Industrial & Scientific@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XQ2CdYwJL.@@AMEPARAM@@41XQ2CdYwJL[/ame] to stop that.

 

[teletech]

I would also set up a decap/resize die and run all my brass through once, then swage and prep primer pockets, chamfer necks, etc.
You can have a power case-length trimmer set up in the same toolhead you use for your resize and take care of that issue or you have to measure all your brass after the first pass anyway.
Then after a nice cleaning run it through your press again, this time set up to actually reload.
It's not all that much more work for a lot of quality and peace of mind.

 

[Doubless]

I run a Rockchucker and a Piggyback II. I have loaded several thousand rounds of 5.56/.223 using the Piggyback, but I do my brass prep separately, as the post above suggests. I re-size and trim, then put the Piggyback on the Rockchucker and load.

 

[iouri]

I load my rifle ammo on progressive but I do prep separately. I size, then tumble then trim, chamfer, unify primer pockets and only after that cases go back on press for rest of the operations.

 

[andyo5]

Run them all through the sizing step, then tumble them all.
Then prime and proceed with the other steps.
....or....
Most of the time I just lube, size, prime, charge, install bullet, and crimp. I use a cloth and rubbing alcohol to wipe down the cases afterwards.

 

[Twoboxer]

Normally, I load my rifle ammo on a single stage RCBS press because of my match accuracy requirements. However, I am looking to do a run of 223s replicating M193 for my M4 type CQB AR.

I do not have carbide dies for my 223, and I would need to run my cases through the press with lube on the cases. This is where the rub is.

Normally, when I run my rifle cases in the single stage press, I tumble the cases right after sizing in order to remove the lube, but this would be impossible with the progressive.

My question: if I do a light but adequate coating of spray lube (either aerosol or pump) then run my cases through the progressive press, am I running a risk of contaminating the powder and primer?

Thanks for your advice.

You need to consider trimming may be required, and that can only be known after sizing. So unless you have the ability to trim (or at least measure or are otherwise certain no case is over-length) on the press, it's difficult to go from fired brass to finished reloaded rounds in one run on your progressive.

The typical method on an AP is 2-press-steps: to (clean and then) decap via the resizing die, complete the required case prep, and then clean the brass for finishing the reload.

Alternatively, many decap with a universal die, clean, then resize. This may clean the primer pocket sufficiently but creates a 3rd press run.

 

[ageingstudent]

Normally, I load my rifle ammo on a single stage RCBS press because of my match accuracy requirements. However, I am looking to do a run of 223s replicating M193 for my M4 type CQB AR.

I do not have carbide dies for my 223, and I would need to run my cases through the press with lube on the cases. This is where the rub is.

Normally, when I run my rifle cases in the single stage press, I tumble the cases right after sizing in order to remove the lube, but this would be impossible with the progressive.

My question: if I do a light but adequate coating of spray lube (either aerosol or pump) then run my cases through the progressive press, am I running a risk of contaminating the powder and primer?

Thanks for your advice.

I just get a little imperial sizing wax or Hornady Unique lube on my thumb and index finger to lube the cases as they go in the sizing die. Just a quick wipe of the loaded cartridge gets most of the lube off. There is so little lube on the case doing it this way that I'm not sure it matters. These are paste like lubes that don't get inside the case. Haven't had a stuck case yet doing them this way.

 

[rwsmith]

A little lube.....

A little lube and keeping it in the right place goes a long way. It doesn't hurt to clean your dies every once in a while anyway. I use a q-tip to put some lube in the neck for expanding. Lubes made for reloading don't affect primer/powders.

I believe that most better primers today are sealed with a thin membrane so that water/oil/whatever can't reach the priming compound as easily as in the old days.

 

[Clovishound]

There are a number of lubes on the market that are marketed as being safe for powder and primers.

I have both Lee resizing lube and RCBS case lube2, which is water soluble.

I have had good luck with both. You will need to lube inside the neck on .223. I found out the hard way you cannot get the decapping pin out of an unlubed case neck without a lot of difficulty, destroying the case in the process. I made a neck luber from a piece of wood I turned on my lathe with a small bit of cloth glued and wrapped around the end. An appropriately sized dowel would probably do the job, or you can get commercially available tools for the job. In a pinch, a Q-tip works, but the cotton doesn't like to stay compact, and you end up with a big ball of fuzz on the end by the time you have done a few cases. Thinking about it, a .22 caliber cleaning mop might just do the trick. Just use a new, uncontaminated one.

 

[fredj338]

Not at all. I use a 550 to load my 223, plenty accurate for my ar. I use one shot, doesnt have to be removed, but i roll them in a towel when done.

 

[Ballistic147]

B147, I'd urge you not to use a reamer to do your military surplus brass's primer pockets & use a Dillon Super Swager or equivalent to remove the military primer crimp.

Thanks for the heads up on that. I've already got the RCBS Military crimp remover on the way. Lots of good reviews on it and by design it's not supposed to remove material from the primer pocket and only cut a light chamfer on the outer edge of the pocket just removing the crimp. I'll give it a go and proceed with caution.

I've got a real good feel for seating primers as to what they should feel like going in. With the LnL press seating the primer is a completely separate step from all the other processes making it really easy to feel a tight or loose primer. You can also easily remove a case from any station which I do like about this press. Makes it simple to stop and double check stuff anytime you feel something weird happen.

So far I've only run about 30 cases through the sizing die using the Imperial wax and everyone of them has been perfectly smooth. So far I've had no issues with the expander coming back through the neck either. Just a touch of the wax inside the case neck on every 10 to 15 cases seems to be plenty there to eliminate any hang ups but it's not like I have thousands of rounds under my belt so this could definitely change over time. Still going to run them through the tumbler after sizing/trimming/deburring just to be safe.

 

[Tom S.]

Normally, I load my rifle ammo on a single stage RCBS press because of my match accuracy requirements. However, I am looking to do a run of 223s replicating M193 for my M4 type CQB AR.

The idea that you can't do match accuracy ammo on a progressive press is a myth. Provided your press is a quality made unit and you use the same precautions and techniques used when single stage loading, such as weighing bullets and powder, you can make ammo that is just as accurate as that made on a single stage.

I do not have carbide dies for my 223, and I would need to run my cases through the press with lube on the cases. This is where the rub is.

Normally, when I run my rifle cases in the single stage press, I tumble the cases right after sizing in order to remove the lube, but this would be impossible with the progressive.

There are a couple of methods you could use. #1: Lube the cases, resize with just the resizer die in place and them tumble. Then clean the cases and load as normal with the sizer die removed. #2: Lube the cases and load them. You would have to get really crazy with the lube to effect the powder and primers. Clean the lube off the loaded rounds after loading either manually or by running in a vibratory tumbler for 5 minutes. #3: Use a fast drying dry lube like Quick Lube and load as normal without cleaning afterwards. Quick Lube products do not lube as well as some of the lanolin based products but aren't near as messy either.

My question: if I do a light but adequate coating of spray lube (either aerosol or pump) then run my cases through the progressive press, am I running a risk of contaminating the powder and primer?

I, and others, have loaded thousands of rounds using various lubes and never had contamination problems. New primers with the possible exception of some of the 'stuff' coming in from foreign countries are well made and sealed enough to make this a non issue. It would also take an exceptional amount of lube to effect powder. If your using that much lube, you have issues.

Thanks for your advice.

Hope that answers your questions and concerns.

 

[fredj338]

I guess you need to define match grade accuracy, but it isnt tough to get sub moa ammo on a 550. The myth is you cant load accurate ammo on a progressive. Consider the range limitations of a 223, wind being a huge issue, 3/4 moa ammo works fine for most work a 223/ar will do.