Am I too cautious in reloading?

[Walkalong]

If you are going to buy a case gauge, consider a Sheridan.

http://www.sheridanengineering.com/index-1.htm

It does the body as well as headspace and case length. The Wilson is cut generous in the body. I have both and like both.

For just quick checking case length, a simple gauge will work. Some people make their own for whatever caliber it is.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/559802/lyman-e-zee-case-length-gauge-ii

 

[243winxb]

12. Examine each case for under/over/no fill.

Always. www.photobucket.com/kabooom Make sure you have the correct powder.

 

[FROGO207]

I have made several length only case gauges out of 1/8" X 1"aluminum bar stock. I just cut a notch the length I want to use for my measure and it becomes a length trim/no trim tool. At first I was worried about them enlarging and after 15 + years of use they have not shown any lengthening so far.

 

[kwg020]

Devils4ever, I pretty much do it like you do. There may be some small changes but not many. I do anneal my brass usually around the 3rd or 4th firing.

kwg

 

[cbnoble]

I think you have a good, well thought out process. If it's working for you, keep at it.

There are only two things that I do different. The initial tumbling to clean the brass is 4 hours with the tumbling the remove the lube being about 30 minutes. I also inspect the brass for separation issues before lubing and check for neck cracking after sizing. I am extremely OCD about keeping everything moving through the process in 200 round batches and being a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in my day job, I hate the idea of wasting effort so I want to discard the bad cases as early as possible in the process.

 

[omerade]

to cautious

The more steps the better and I consider a Wilson headspace gauge a must but I just wipe down my cases ,I don't tumble.I started handholding before anyone tumbled and can't see a reason to change now.I do size flashholes however and clean the inside of the case.I also use the headspace gauge after every step -depriming,sizing(separate step), trimming and seating... maybe is unnecessary but I do it.I like all the steps except for the tumbling

 

[hdwhit]

I do anneal my brass usually around the 3rd or 4th firing.

I don't anneal my .223 Remington brass. That's because "in the field", I recover so little of it that by the 4th or 5th loading, it's all been lost anyway.

 

[redcon1]

I like to remove the media stuck in the primer pocket with a flash hole uniformer and I'm loving the forster 3 in 1 trimmer attachment for trimming, chamfering, and deburring. I typically deprime a few cases and take some head space measurements before I set up the full length resizer and I uniform all primer pockets before priming. As I'm seating, I like to check concentricty every 10 rounds or so too.

 

[devils4ever]

I have made several length only case gauges out of 1/8" X 1"aluminum bar stock. I just cut a notch the length I want to use for my measure and it becomes a length trim/no trim tool. At first I was worried about them enlarging and after 15 + years of use they have not shown any lengthening so far.

That is an interesting idea. I can make a length guage with my mini-mill. Do you make it to max length or trim length?

 

[Walkalong]

Make it to trim length, if they don't fit, trim them. Of course some folks don't trim until they get to max, and so they would want it at max, but I differ in opinion from them. Either is safe..