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.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

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”

@NoStepOnSnek
Sneck
You are over thinking thing give your brain a rest mate.
No need to tumble before and after just when cases get dirty.

Trim cases when they exceed normal length.

Always chamfer the inside and outside of the case neck before seating any projectiles.

Slightly bell the neck of straight walled cases before seat a projectile to stop the case from crumbling

Differt projectiles will give you different cartridge overall lengths(COAL). Pointy bullets cann usually be loaded to longer length provided they still fit the magazine unless using a single shot.

Slow down read more on reloading and don't sweat the small stuff. If in doubt do as you are doing and ask someone.
Life can be short if you make a mistake
Bob

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

This Hornaday Lock-N-Load tool is useful:

 

[Ridge Runner]

+1 On @Bob Nelson 35Whelen 's and @PHOENIX PHIL 's advice.

Here's my nickel (inflation and no more pennies) worth to answering your questions.

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)

Since you are just getting started into reloading and you are working on reloading target loads....those 350 grain 458WM "target" loads should easily be effective hunting loads for all North American Big Game...a 45-70 on steroids.

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

My reloading sequence is:
Inspect cases for stress and deformities.
Tumble in walnut media with polishing cream for 1 to 3 hours; depending on number and size of the cases.
After removing cases from tumbler place cases in an old bath towel and vigorously shake them to get any media dust off and out of the cases.
Check case length, trim the one's needing trimmed down
Deburr and chamfer all cases
Spray cases with One Shot case lube
Check powder scales
Check dies and shellholder for clearance
Start reloading,
Check and adjust COAL as needed, first ten rounds. Once satisfied with my COAL
Start reloading/producing ammo
Checking the COAL of 3 successive rounds after every 10 to 15 cartridges, make any necessary adjustments, check the COAL of the previous produced 10 to 15 cartridges, setting long COAL cartridges to the side. At the end of my reloading session the long COAL cartridges are ran through the bullet seating die again to proper COAL length, and IF Used, recrimped.

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

As long as the case length is between minimum and maximum case length I don't worry about trimming the cases.

I only trim cases to .02 below maximum case data length.

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

I presume you are referring to the COAL.

When I start to reload for a new, new to me, rifle:

"Dummy Round"
Once the forementioned case prep is done I take an unprimed case, full length resize it and just seat aù bullet enough into the case to hold it in place.

Then I place the "dummy cartridge" into the rifle and let the bolt seat the bullet. I'll repeat this process using the same "dummy round" 3 times measuring the COAL each time.

Note: Make sure during each chambering of the "dummy round" Not to inadvertently push the bullet into the case.

After the 3rd time, I put the "dummy round" into the bullet seating die to seat the bullet another .02 to .05 below the minimum measured COAL.

NOTE: To save time and going back and forth to the range. I reload 10 COAL test rounds in increments of: .02, .05., .1 below my "dummy round" COAL. I'm looking for what "bullet jump" a particular rifle likes.

At the range I'll use my chronograph and note down the velocity of each bullet in each of the test groups. I also note down which test group has the best accuracy.

LOL....Then down the "rabbit hole" testing:
different powder weights to get the. velocity that I want,

different bullet weights to get the optimum bullet performance

different primers (from different manufacturers) to find out which primer works best for that powder charge and bullet weight.