Chamfer and Debur even if I am not trimming?

[Marksman_92]

So I am new to reloading and I actually haven't started yet but I have a pretty good understanding of the process. However I am curious, for those of you that dont trim for every loading session, do you chamfer and debur the case after sizing or is the chamfer and debur from the previous loading good enough?

 

[Supersubes]

The previous chamber doesn’t go anywhere. They can get dinged up a bit during ejection though.

 

[Marksman_92]

The previous chamber doesn’t go anywhere. They can get dinged up a bit during ejection though.

So probably not a bad idea to give the case a quick touch before seating?

 

[Supersubes]

That’s what I do. Don’t even remove any material until you encounter one you can feel the cutter hanging up on burrs/dents.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I would examine under magnification and decide if you need to or not.
Does the chamfer Look good? Do bullets seat without a hard start?
A really light 2nd, or 3rd cut shouldn't hurt as your case is likely growing anyway.
I take a piece of 400 to 600 AlO2 paper by hand to the front edge of the neck to clean up the edge.

Obviously chamfer after you trim

 

[ditter]

I chamfer after every firing. But just a slight touch. Barely any brass taken off.

 

[MarinePMI]

Giraud user here, so yeah, case mouths get a quick touch for each loading. With the Giraud, it's so fast, I figure, why not?

 

[Dthomas3523]

Giraud user here, so yeah, case mouths get a quick touch for each loading. With the Giraud, it's so fast, I figure, why not?

Same. I have my Giraud set up to take about .001-.002 off factory brass to make sure they are all the same length (I turn necks, so it helps with that). Then I just run them through Giraud every time. If they need trimming, it trims them. If not, it just cleans up the chamfer.

My logic is, if you’re a “close enough” loader, then do different steps based on how you feel or what it looks like at the time.

If you’re going for consistency, take the time to make the brass the same all the time, every time.

Neither method is wrong. Just preference and what your intended results are.

 

[Steel head]

I only chamfer after trimming.

 

[sab567]

It's all a time manners.
If you have time, why not. If you're like me, you don't camfer if you don't trim. And I trim only when it's necessary.

And I still have really good result on my reload

 

[Alabusa]

I give them both a kiss on the tools if not trimming. Just enough to clean up any dings.

 

[jsimonh]

Only after trimming for me, and I don't trim very often.

 

[SNOW JW]

I think it depends on what accuracy you need minute of prairie dog or if your your looking for a perfect reload

 

[ifgator]

So I'll add my 2 cents. I'll do a really fast touch with 0000 steel wool. The bullet base is hyper critical for accuracy and you don't want a sharp edge or bur or anything to mar the base of the bullet. I'm still testing my method to see if it actually makes a difference or not.

 

[Gatorshark]

It's on a case by case basis; get it?

Some may need a tweak. Sometimes the expander may leave a little to be taken off the OD.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I think it depends on what accuracy you need minute of prairie dog or if your your looking for a perfect reload

I'll take head of prairie dog @ 400 Alex.

 

[LG65CM]

I only trim when needed but do chamfer and debur each time.

 

[MarinePMI]

I only trim when needed but do chamfer and debur each time.

When you chamfer and debur, you’re essentially trimming (removing material), just not aggressively.

 

[isofahunter]

Light touch every time.

 

[lash]

I lightly ID/od chamfer every time by hand. The need to trim becomes almost never. Maybe once at first to make case length consistent and one at around 10 reloads down the line. I do it after tumble and before sizing. I get consistent seating pressure and low SDs. You could argue that it’s unnecessary and I won’t argue back, it’s your process. I’ll do mine. ?

 

[LG65CM]

When you chamfer and debur, you’re essentially trimming (removing material), just not aggressively.

Perhaps so, but in my experience not measurably. At least with my calipers and skill using them (or lack thereof). When I do trim I trim to 1.916 and other cases to 1.918 and then C/D and after C/D I am still at 1.916 or 1.918. I am using the hand held Lyman (orange) tool with the chamfering tool on one end and the deburring tool on the other. And I don't see the cutters of either touching the top of the case necks' mouths.

 

[lash]

Perhaps so, but in my experience not measurably. At least with my calipers and skill using them (or lack thereof). When I do trim I trim to 1.916 and other cases to 1.918 and then C/D and after C/D I am still at 1.916 or 1.918. I am using the hand held Lyman (orange) tool with the chamfering tool on one end and the deburring tool on the other. And I don't see the cutters of either touching the top of the case necks' mouths.

The way that I read @MarinePMI’s post is how I also perceive my regular ID/OD chamfering. Every time that you do this, it removes a small amount of material even though it doesn’t actually change the length of the case at all.

We all know that the act of repeated firing and forming of a case moves material towards the neck and eventually requires that that material be trimmed off. People that turn their necks will eventually have to re-turn to remove the buildup of material in that area.

I believe that the slow removal of just a little material during a light chamfer, while primarily done to facilitate consistent bullet install and consistent cartridge feeding into my chamber, reduces the need to trim my cases during their life of many reloadings. Thus, as MarinePMI correctly stated, you are effectively trimming the case a little bit at a time. It’s a perception thing.

 

[LG65CM]

Hi lash, and a reason why I said 'probably' (allowing that I could be totally wrong) and agree it's a perception thing. I dug out three of my Lapua brass, the brass that I did not need to trim. I can see a shine on the outside caused by the chamfering cut and a shine on the inside caused by the tooling of the deburring, as well as the angles caused by both. But looking at the very top of the case neck mouth. it is flat. So at best all I can say is that the part of the neck that was C/D'd is thinner than the rest of the neck.

I think if a person C/D's excessively, the case neck mouth would have a knife like edge to it and the case definitely would have been made shorter. Not wanting to argue as I am still on the uphill side of the bell learning curve. Again, it is what I measured (correctly or not) and am now seeing.

 

[lash]

I’m not wishing to argue either and agree that what you are seeing is also what we are seeing. Read carefully through what I wrote above once again and understand that I’m not disagreeing with what you said. I’m pointing out what we were saying.

That is, that the slow regular removal of the little bit of material done each time by chamfer and debur reduces the amount of material buildup in the neck. While not actually changing the length of the case from the process, it reduces the need to trim as often. If not altogether depending upon the case.

 

[LG65CM]

I’m not wishing to argue either and agree that what you are seeing is also what we are seeing. Read carefully through what I wrote above once again and understand that I’m not disagreeing with what you said. I’m pointing out what we were saying.

That is, that the slow regular removal of the little bit of material done each time by chamfer and debur reduces the amount of material buildup in the neck. While not actually changing the length of the case from the process, it reduces the need to trim as often. If not altogether depending upon the case.

Hi lash, I think I (finally) 'got it'. And see what you two are talking about and agree. (Y)