How a machinist preps brass

[Nickb45]

I recently bought 2000 pieces of .223 brass, to add to my 2000 or so pieces I had sitting in a bucket. I sized/deprimed all of them last weekend, normal stuff on the rock chucker.
Then I realized about 2500 pieces were F.C .223 rem brass with a primer pocket crimp. So I headed down to my shop and put a case mouth debur tool in the spindle on the manual mill, got thru those in about 2.5 hours (I have been removing crimps this way for a while and never had a problem).

Today I got to thinking about trimming all of them and how it didn't sound like a fun job on the Hornady cam lock manual trimmer. So I took the trimmer apart, put the piece that holds the shell holder in a collet closer and the cutter in the spindle, set a stop, grabbed a stool and a couple plastic bins and went to town on it.

Here's a few pictures
I use a drop indicator to check length, it's set at 1.75 for 0 so I can drop the indicator on the shell and see if it needs to be trimmer and check my trimmer cases without measuring them with a set of calipers.


Here is my set up to trim them.

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums...D-1AEA-48F3-9ADE-288B9AFED523_zpsxwxnnnnf.jpg

I just wish I had an rcbs 3 way trimmer so I dont have to debur these when I'm done.

Next I will put a primer pocket brush in the spindle and clean the pocket in the mill as well. No bad wrists for this guy.

 

[jpwilly]

I'm not a machinist but prepped quite a few 223 cases on my bench top drill press; neck trimming (lee cutter set up to bottom out on a steel plate), primer pocket uniforming & crimp removal, plus primer pocket cleaning. I set it on the lowest speed and go to town. I have to figure out how to chamfer and debur but cannot chuck the tool up as it's too large. Makes processing a lot of brass go much more quickly but 1500+ pieces is still a lot of work.

 

[Rule3]

Well heck had I known I would have sent you mine that I did today. I do not have a lath but chuck the reamer in a variable speed drill, and clamp it in a vice.

What a pain!

jpwilly, get this handy tool from Sinclair and it makes the chamfering/deburring easier.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadi...se-mouth-deburring-tool-holder-prod34054.aspx

 

[41 Mag]

I have that RCBS three way on my Trim Pro and OHHH does it make things SO much easier. It might not be nearly as fast as you set up, but with the no deburring it has it's advantages.

If you get that three way head, you do know you can simply order the other pilots for the one head right? That way you only have to swap out the pilot for a different caliber and set the outside chamfer blade up. It takes all of about a minute and a half.

I just wished they made them in handgun calibers. I like to keep all of my revolver and 10mm cases trimmed to length. Sure does make a difference when I trim up a big batch of them verses a big batch of .308's.

 

[rskent]

lee cutter set up to bottom out on a steel plate

I used to do that too. For the last few years I have been using my home made trimmer. It trims and deburrs inside and out just like a real trimmer. I goes pretty quick, but more importantly, it is very consistent.

If you trim a lot of brass it is worth the time to make, or if you have it, the money to buy a good trimmer.

 

[Nickb45]

I have that RCBS three way on my Trim Pro and OHHH does it make things SO much easier. It might not be nearly as fast as you set up, but with the no deburring it has it's advantages.

If you get that three way head, you do know you can simply order the other pilots for the one head right? That way you only have to swap out the pilot for a different caliber and set the outside chamfer blade up. It takes all of about a minute and a half.

I just wished they made them in handgun calibers. I like to keep all of my revolver and 10mm cases trimmed to length. Sure does make a difference when I trim up a big batch of them verses a big batch of .308's.

.223 is the only round i load that needs to be trimmed, so once I get the 3-way cutter I won't have to re adjust for another caliber. I couldn't find them in stock anywhere is why I don't have one.

I told myself after this big batch I'm not letting my fired brass get over 250 pieces or so. No more runs in the thousands.

 

[Rule3]

delete

 

[GaryL]

A slick setup.

Sometimes I wish I had a Bridgeport in the garage.

 

[Weber]

I'm using the dillon trimmer on a progressive press with a case feeder. I can do a lot of brass in no time at all. The dillon cuts so clean, I don't have to debur or anything.

 

[Nickb45]

I'm using the dillon trimmer on a progressive press with a case feeder. I can do a lot of brass in no time at all. The dillon cuts so clean, I don't have to debur or anything.

Good to hear about the dillon. I've thought about getting one. I would still use it on the rock chucker. I like to be able to clean my primer pocket.