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Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Cproflow

Cproflow

King of the Shank
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 12, 2011
336
4
Lyons, Colorado
#1
I really dread loading for pistol with my single stage. For how quickly I shoot through the lot, the prep time is really a drag. Now, I would never do this for rifle brass, but I was wondering if it is acceptable to skip the chamfer & deburr step when using straight walled pistol cases (9mm & .45 ACP specifically). It seems like the belling would eliminate any chance of shaving the bullet...and let's face it the weak link in accurate pistol shooting (in my case) is the nut behind the gun.

I would just love to tumble with stainless media (thereby cleaning the primer pockets), then go straight to resizing and belling.

It 'seems' like you could get away with this, but I thought I'd throw it out there to the gurus.

Thanks!
 
#5
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Total waste of time unless you are trying for long range accuracy in a high quality revolver. The single most important part for that is case length and that creates equal crimp which made the biggest improvement in ELR accuracy in my Freedom 44mag. For what you are doing just size and load them, you won't see any difference between your prepped and non-prepped brass. I doubt for the type of shooting you'll be doing with 9mm and 45 you'll see any difference with mixed range brass.

Don't work the case mouth too much, a slight bell to allow the bullet to slip in is plenty. It'll really shorten the case life if you bell it out so it looks like a funnel.

Topstrap
 
#7
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Don't even bother to tumble in stainless.

magazine-->ground-->vibratory tumbler-->casefeeder-->magazine

Refer to my signature...
 
#9
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

I do what everyone else stated but I Case Pro my brass first. My brass is what ever I find on the groud. This puts the rim back to spec, removes Glock buldge if shot out of a Glock, adds to realiabliity, I think. Plus, I have one (Case Pro) and not everyone does that is why I use it.
 
#10
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Thanks for the feedback everyone...this is making me very, very happy. Chamfering 100 9mm cases at a time was making me very, very sad.

I think I'll load some up this week in honor of this discovery :)
 
#11
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

LOL...I can't believe you were prepping your pistola brass.
smile.gif

I recently started reloading pistol - and was really not looking forward to trimming.
Then I searched and found out you don't need to trim - and was soo dam'd happy. I've been reloading Pistol more than anything now. Cranks out sooo much faster.
smile.gif
 
#12
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

I use a Lee 1000 press that deprimes, sizes and primes, which of course does not allow for cleaning the primer pocket. Seems to work good for me.

In 45 ACP and 9 MM, there is no crimp, and case length doesn't seem to be a problem.

In 38 and 357 MAG, I do crimp, but have not run into a problem with case length.
 
#13
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

From what I read - most do a slight taper crimp on 45 acp. After belling for the bullet, I end up at .474" (plated bullets).....and need to crimp back to .469-.471 in order to drop/plunk my SA RO 1911 chamber.

cproflo - I'd recommend the Lee factory crimp die - they work wonders. I had problems with my RCBS dies (taper crimp) crimping back to .471 - the best I could get was .472".
Switched to the Lee FCD - along with Hornady dies and .469 is no problem. They work great. (I'm doing this on a Hornday LNL)
FYI
 
#15
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

LOL....after starting to reload .223 on my LNL - I added the LFCD to my last station. I immediately noticed an increase in accuracy....then I ran into my 45 problem - and the LFCD fixed it. Just like you - I ran out and bought a LFCD for .308, and also 9mm. So now the 4 calibers I reload - are all getting the LFCD...
smile.gif
 
#16
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Chamfering pistol brass is not the preferred method to keep from shaving bullets. Just set the powder die so it bells/flares the case mouth just enough to set a bullet on it. Just enough to keep it from shaving the bullet metal.

Save the chamfer for rifle cases.
 
#17
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Only chamfer if you just trimmed, and that is kinda optional on most pistol brass. Some of my pistol ammo meets a Lyman M expander before seating a boolit. Most of it sees a LFCD set to squeeze just enough to ensure proper functioning in the gun. Certain steps become more important to pricier brass (like 25-20 and .357 AMP).
 
#18
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

When I bought my first trimmer in 1980, I got collets for trimming my pistol brass. To this day, I have never used them. It follows that I have never chamfered or deburred.
 
#20
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

absolutely skip it, tumble clean, resize and bell the neck enough to start the bullet in straight and taper crimp enough to chamber.
then get a dillon progressive so you can reload your ammo faster than shoot it.
cheers.
 
#21
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

You can skip the trimming if your cases aren't too long,but I would measure them to be sure.All it takes is one case that is too long, to get pinched between the bullet and barrel,then you'll possibly get to take a ride in the ambulance.The load books give a max case length measurement for a reason.I measure my cases,put all that fall between min and max in a bucket,trim the ones that are too long,toss the ones that are too short.I will usually keep them up to .005" under min.Much shorter than that and you run the risk of misfires.
I should have added that this applies to semi-auto's only.
 
#22
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

Clean, Deprime, Prime, Bell, Powder, seat. Nothing else to do besides check for damage.
 
#23
Re: Can I skip some case prep for pistol brass?

I always used progressive presses for pistol. My Dillon 650 skipped some of your steps. I tumbled the brass clean then lubed. From there the sizer also knocked out the primer and pushed in a new primer with a then upward stroke of the handle. Therefor NOT cleaning the primer pocket. Another step in progressive loading involves belling and metering powder therefor again eliminating the chamfering step.
Your brass will eventually become long and will require trimming or Sh--canning.
My rifle brass is done single stage and involves multiple steps.
 
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