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Preparation is to make all cases as uniform as possible. One step in case preparation that I didn't talk about was case neck turning. In the inspection phase we set aside the cases that had neck walls with one side thicker than the other. You can either trade the cases for new ones, or turn the necks to a uniform dimension. If you decide to turn the necks. You must understand that you are just making the cases more uniform not prefect. Adjust the cutter to cut no more than 50% of the case neck. It is important to leave at least 50% of the case neck untouched. Remember we are reloading for a rifle with a stander chamber, not a custom made chamber.
A final word on case preparation. I borrowed a RCBS case preparation center from a friend. I wanted to see how it worked and to see if it would speed up the process. The trim mate has five motor driven stations. One to chamfer, to deburr, to remove military crimp, a primer pocket uniformer, and a flash hole deburring tool. Instead of handling a case five deferent times to perform each of these task, with the trim mate you do all five task while handling the case only once. If you reload a couple of thousand cases a year, the trim mate will definitely speed up the process. The only question is how long will it last with hard use? Only time will tell.
Priming case is the next step. I have tried a variety of methods to prime cases. From the system that is on the press, to after market systems. You must seat primers to the bottom of the primer pocket, so the system you use must allow you to feel when the primer stop at the bottom of the primer pocket. I feel that a hand held priming tool allows me the speed and feel I need to get uniform results. After the primer is seated run your finger over the seated primer to make sure the primer is below the head of the case. This is to insure that there are no high primers.
We now have a sufficient quantity of primed cases. Its time to charge them with powder. There are two good methods to achieve this goal. One is to weight each charge on a scale. The seconded is to throw charges with a powder measure. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, lets look at both. Weighting each charge on a scale is a very precise way to charge a case with powder. Each case will have exactly the same amount of powder. The draw back is that this slow. Some people speed up the process by using a powder measure to throw a charge that is a few tenths of a grain less than the desired amount, then use a powder trickler to bring the charge up to the desired weight. I use a slightly deferent method. I set my powder measure to drop the desired amount of powder. For example 45 grains of powder, then throw a charge and weight the charge on a scale. If the charge weight falls between a preset limit, say between 44.9 to 50 gr. pour the powder in a case. If it falls outside your limits pour the powder back into the powder measure, and throw another charge.
Powder measure are fast and efficient way to charge a case. Use your scale to set the powder measure to throw the desired amount of powder. Once set the powder measure will throw that amount of powder over and over. Powder measure have their draw backs. First stick powders do not meter will. Second its takes lot of practice to be able to throw consistent charges. Powder measures work by measuring the powder by volume. The key to using a powder measure is to develop a rhythm to your operation, so that the powder measure will vibrate the same way with each cycle of the handle. Some people tap the handle at the end of each cycle. I slowly cycle the handle up and down, causing as little vibrations as possible. This method gives me very consistent powder charges. Check your method on a scale to insure uniformity in your charges.
Which method you use is your choice. I use both. Ammunition that will be used at 400 yards or less, I drop the charges strait from the powder measure. Ammunition that will be used at 400 yards and beyond, I use the drop a charge and weight it method.
For safety reasons you should charge up to 50 cases at a time with powder, then with a good light check the level of powder in each case. You can quickly tell if the powder
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