New brass prep

[Dennis]

OK, I just recieved 200 new Lapua 308 cases.

What is the procedure to prep the case for it's first time use?

[savageboy]

If you check the 6mmbr.com site they go thru an extensive write up on that

[Balljoint]

Personally i do nothing unless its for over 600 yards then would do all usual prep

[TechHunter]

I would just put them through a Full-Length resizing die and that is about it.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Basically the Lapua brass should be ready to run straight out of the box. I would run it all through a full length die for the first loading only, just to make sure the necks are still straight from shipping, then never again, unless it's shared in multiple guns ( I use a seperate body die when bolt closing gets too stiff). Sometimes you may have to "bump" the shoulders also. Most of the other brass "chores" are not required for Lapua brass ( flash hole deburring, pocket uniforming, casemouth chamfering, etc.). That's one of the good things about Lapua brass, it's one of those times you really do get what you've paid for.

[tomme boy]

You never FL size NEW brass. It is already sized too small to begin with. If you run it threw a FL die it can and will push the shoulder back farther. This will create even more excess HS and the brass will have to stretch even more to fit your chamber. I have seen cases fail on the first firing by FL sizing NEW brass. Just run it threw a neck sizer if the neck is messed up and fire them.

[Dennis]

WOW, interesting replies!

Nobody mentioned trimming after the first use! Does Lapua ever need trimming?

[Hylander]

You never FL size NEW brass. It is already sized too small to begin with. If you run it threw a FL die it can and will push the shoulder back farther. This will create even more excess HS and the brass will have to stretch even more to fit your chamber. I have seen cases fail on the first firing by FL sizing NEW brass. Just run it threw a neck sizer if the neck is messed up and fire them.

Trying to understand.
If the Brass is already sized to small, how is running it through a FL die
going to push the shoulder back even farther ?

[rjtfroggy]

I have no experience with Lapua, but I have used many other brands bought in bulk and some of these every single one had to go through a fl die. Years ago QC was much much better than today and it wasn't necessary to do but today It has just become routine for me, deburr,resize, champher,load.

[Dennis]

Nobody mentioned trimming after the first use! Does Lapua ever need trimming?

Again, does Lapua "ever" need trimming?

[tomme boy]

You never FL size NEW brass. It is already sized too small to begin with. If you run it threw a FL die it can and will push the shoulder back farther. This will create even more excess HS and the brass will have to stretch even more to fit your chamber. I have seen cases fail on the first firing by FL sizing NEW brass. Just run it threw a neck sizer if the neck is messed up and fire them.

Trying to understand.
If the Brass is already sized to small, how is running it through a FL die
going to push the shoulder back even farther ?

Most people do not know how to set up their dies to begin with. They follow the manufacturers directions and that is not the best way to do it. It will work the way they tell you but your brass life is not going to be very long. New brass has been sized down very smal as to fit all chambers. This and not knowing how to set up your dies will push the shoulder back even farther.

[jo191145]

Lapua comes already trimmed and chamferred. If it stretches beyond Sammi spec you'll need to trim and chamfer again. You could measure your chamber length and probably find you never need to trim them. I keep mine trimmed to keep lengrh variances down and case mouths square.

My virgin Lapua brass prep? Brush Imperial dry graphite inside the neck. Let the xpander from either a neck or FL size die run through the neck but DO NOT allow the die to resize the neck. This gives me a neck tension thats closer to what I'll be seeing after its fireformed. Most virgin brass has a little to much tension straight out of the box. I simply loosen em up a little.

tomme boy gets the gold star for understanding headspace and most importantly for realizing manufacturers FL die set up instructions should go straight in the trash! ;D ;D

[pa hog]

Whats Lapua brass, new fancy stuff?

[firemachine69]

My bags of Winchester go through the FL die (all I got). I only lube the inside of the mouth. Otherwise I'm scraping the copper off the bullet. It's pretty obvious that nothing happens when it goes through the die based on feel alone, save for the mouth opening.

[Dennis]

Most people do not know how to set up their dies to begin with. They follow the manufacturers directions and that is not the best way to do it. It will work the way they tell you but your brass life is not going to be very long. New brass has been sized down very smal as to fit all chambers. This and not knowing how to set up your dies will push the shoulder back even farther.

OK: I have both the FL and Neck dies from RCBS. Please tell me how to set up my dies as the only thing I know is "follow the manufacturers" recommendations!

PS: Dies sizers for my 243 and 308

[82boy]

When I have new brass I expand the necks to iron out the dent, then I size the cases back down, and then fire them. In my experience I have found that some dies can be short and push the shoulder back too far, but most standard commercial dies (RCBS, Reeding, Forester, Lyman, Lee) are not, mostly I have found this with custom dies. (Depending on caliber I may just fire form the brass, No bullet.)

After firing, I measure all the cases and find the shortest piece and trim them all to the shortest length. I then uniform the primer pockets. I then chamfer the lip of the neck. If necks thickness need trimmed, I do it in two steps. Before I go to load I brush the inside of the necks with a nylon bore brush. On lower priced brass I will weigh them out and segregate them if they do fall into my range of deviation. I find that lapua brass is excellent on weight deviation from case to case.

Yes, lapua is like any other brass and it will need trimmed from time to time.

On setting up a sizing die, basically you put the ram to the top of the press, with the shell holder in place and run the die down until it touches. You then use a case head-space/shoulder gauge to measure the fired brass, and then you measure the brass after sizing to see how much the should is being pushed back, and adjust accordingly. You can turn the die, and re-lock, and repeater the process, or you can use shims, under the die. I have found in a few incidents that the die was too long to properly size the brass back, so I had to place 400 and 600 grit sandpaper on a glass plate and run the dies over it in a figure 8 formation until the proper length is achieved.

[Dennis]

Patrick, As always, I appreciate the reply.

FOLLOWUP: I loaded some 52gr Bergers in my 22-250 last weekend and put 5 in the same hole. Two times. I am loading up some 55gr Vmax's, 52gr SMK's, and some 55gr NBT's as we speak and I hope I get the same results!

Later,

Dennis

[82boy]

Patrick, As always, I appreciate the reply.
FOLLOWUP: I loaded some 52gr Bergers in my 22-250 last weekend and put 5 in the same hole. Two times. I am loading up some 55gr Vmax's, 52gr SMK's, and some 55gr NBT's as we speak and I hope I get the same results!
Later,
Dennis

Good News!
Don't get your hopes up on the 55gr bullets, I have never had much luck with them, except in my 14 twist 22br. I found that the 50gr V-max work better than the 55gr vmax

[stevec]

I agree. never had good luck with 55gr anything. 50,52,53s are what I keep in stock. Bergers,sierras, and vmax.

Steve