First lesson in reloading

[leadchucker]

I kept noticing that some of the 9mm brass I was decapping was kinda tough to get the primer out. Then I noticed the two little holes on opposite sides of what I thought was the primer flame hole. Looks like I was using the decapper to make Boxer brass out of Berdan brass.

 

[twofifty]

That lesson can be extended to most reloading steps:

Whenever some operation requires undue effort or things feel weird,
stop and look at what's going on before proceeding. Powering through without investigating can be expensive or dangerous.

examples:
- when de-priming (wrong die? wrong brass?)
- when sizing (no lube = much effort = seized case OR too much lube = case dents. dirt in case? Dirty or unlubed inside necks add much resistance and overwork brass. Cracked cases feel weird.)
- primer seating (cockeyed or upsidedown primer, mismatched brass/primer? crud buildup? loose primer pockets barely resist primer insertion)
- when dispensing (wrong powder? out of adjustment drum?)
- bullet seating (wrong caliber bullet or case, damaged or unchamfered neck?)
- when chambering (wrong round for this rifle? obstructed chamber or leade?)
- press needs lubing or arm linkages loose?

 

[Walkalong]

That is a tough decapper.

I try to keep an eye out for berdan primed 9MM. It would be easy enough to miss one though. The more times you handle the cases the better chance you have to catch all of them. That is one of the reasons I like to hand prime and then size all the cases independently before loading them. I also gauge 9MM brass after sizing (Tight chamber) and that is one more opportunity to catch them.

I use a big magnet to check for those S&B brass coated steel cases.