Reloading Advice

[NoStepOnSnek]

I have recently got into reloading. My “mentor” per se primarily reloads revolver cartridges for range day, so I figured I’m come here for some rifle advice. I’m currently in the process of loading some 458 WM 350gr loads for target shooting, and I’ve got everything resized (not trimmed) and have seated one dummy round (2.449”CL, 3.225”OAL)

How often do yall tumble brass? I tumbled before and after depriming, do I need to tumble after resizing?

How close in size should case length be before loading? I’ve got cases ranging from 2.496-2.518”

How close in size should overall length be? Data is 3.105” and dummy round is 3.225”

 

[Bullthrower338]

Get a decamping die, deprime and tumble your brass.
Measure your throat with a modified case, you are limited on OAL by your throat and magazine. You may be able to gain some powder volume if you can seat your bullet out further.

 

[45-70guy]

I have recently got into reloading. My “mentor” per se primarily reloads revolver cartridges for range day, so I figured I’m come here for some rifle advice. I’m currently in the process of loading some 458 WM 350gr loads for target shooting, and I’ve got everything resized (not trimmed) and have seated one dummy round (2.449”CL, 3.225”OAL)

How often do yall tumble brass? I tumbled before and after depriming, do I need to tumble after resizing?

How close in size should case length be before loading? I’ve got cases ranging from 2.496-2.518”

How close in size should overall length be? Data is 3.105” and dummy round is 3.225”

I tumble my brass once in a while once it’s dirty enough I don’t want to run it through my dies.
I start with cases at the trim to length in the manual and monitor it from there, keeping them as close as possible for as much consistency as possible.
OAL is determined by your chambers throat, though I start with the book recommendation and once I find a load it likes I’ll tweak it to see how it changes

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Some reloading resources, be it online or paper manual, will say to trim to 0.01" to below SAAMI specified maximum, others will say 0.02". You really only need to be at no more than the SAAMI maximum. The shorter you trim them, the less often you'll need to trim them again. However you're giving up neck tension when you do so.

I enjoy the hobby very much, but I do grow tired of case trimming quite quickly. That said, I normally trim to 0.01" below SAAMI myself. The goal should be to have your case length as close to the same for each piece as possible as this will improve accuracy, at least in theory. You can drive yourself a little nuts if you get a bit to OCD about this however.

As for tumbling, to each his own, but I don't own a de-capping die for any of my calibers. I keep a relatively low count batch of brass that I'm working with and keep working with at any given moment. Any spent rounds will likely be resized shortly, thus they don't get much of a chance to get dirty outside of the moment they're shot.

As such, I don't normally clean them prior to getting sized. They'll get some lube on them and into the press they go for deprime and resizing. Next the primer pocket gets cleaned. Then, I measure the brass and separate those that need trimming from those that don't. Those that need trimming get that done and then the whole lot is put into the tumbler.

I want that lube cleaned off before I reload them and chamber again. I don't want that crud getting into the chamber.

Every so often I'll spray some brake cleaner into the sizing die to keep it clean.