A simple step by step of reloading our beloved cartridge, the .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO. This a very simple how to, everyone has their own methods, tricks, tools, and process. The very first step is SAFETY, reloading is rewarding but can be dangerous if care is not taken. When beginning new loads ALWAYS start low and work your way up.

The tools








Components



1st Step: Tumble
There are 2 types of media, corn cob for fine polishing and walnut for more agressive rough cleaning. I prefer to use 2/3 treated corncob with 1/3 walnut, this seems to give me faster tumble times and clean brass in one step. Tumbling times will increase as your media ages and becomes contaminated.




This post has been edited by pdog1517: March 19th 2009 10:52 PM

Step 2-Lube
Throw em in a loading block and spray em

Step 3- Size/Deprime
Follow the manufacturers instructions on die setup



Step 4- Trim, Chamfer, and Debur




Step 5- Case Prep
This involves as little or as much as you wish to do. It can include deburring flash holes, uniforming pockets, uniforming flash holes, cleaning primer pockets, and swaging for mil spec brass. Swaging is a required step for brass with crimped primers.
Swaging with an RCBS Swage die


Cleaning the primer pocket with a home made tool




Step 6- Prime
I prefer the off press method using a Lee Auto Prime




This post has been edited by pdog1517: March 19th 2009 12:50 AM

Step 7- Charge
This one requires extreme care, refer to your loading manual for specs. Start low and work your way up. Safety is paramount.

Step 8- Seating the bullet
COL is another step that requires extreme care. Refer to your manual for COL based on bullet weight and style. Seating the bullets to deep into cases or long/ jammed into the rifling can cause high, unsafe pressure levels. Crimping can be acomplished at this point, some dies have the crimp built in while others use a seperate die to achieve the desired crimp.


Check your COL with calipers, and adjust the die as needed.


The Finished product


Box em or bag em. Label all containers with bullet style and weight, powder and charge weight, primer, case, COL, load date, and any other info that pertains to each specific load.

Remember to be safe. Wear eye protection during all reloading work. Start new loads low and work em up.
Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the results.

This post has been edited by pdog1517: March 19th 2009 1:07 AM

cool, thanks!

Dang, Pdog. That's a lot of work to do this thread.

Thanks pdog...great post

Great post. Thanks!

Awesome job man. I appreciate the time and effort you put into this thread.

Anyone feel like the thread needs anything added or changed? Any steps anyone needs more detail on? I don't do a lot in the case prep dept. other than trim, chamfer, debur, and clean pockets. I know that some guys like to get em perfect for consistancy. There's also sizing cases to your specific chamber, and loading bullets to -.010" off the lands or closer for accuracy gains. Let me know if anything seems too vague. I feel like I finally added something worthwhile to the Armory and its' members.

This post has been edited by pdog1517: March 19th 2009 11:20 PM

Thanks pdog...I just made a decision to reload and the information here is great. Now if I could find cases, primers and bullets I would be happy.

That was great. I just finished getting all my supplies and have been reading several manuals. One question do you crimp your or just seat them? I was just wondering if I need a crimp die.

I have the same dies set as you have for the .223 (RCBS FL Die Set .223 Part# 11101)

By the literature, those dies have a roll crimp built into the bullet seater. Whether you crimp or not is controlled by how far down you set the die in your press.

Most competition seaters do not have a crimp built into the die so you can opt for a second operation to crimp on canelure bullets.

I am waiting on my dies to get here to start reloading .223. So I have a Q,, What is swaging and why is it needed?

Very good instruction. I am thinking of reloading but quite confused on the process. It is a very good first step for me to start.

Its very easy once you get it down. Just alot of little things that have to be perfect.

Thats why we have a reloading section. Ask away. Between myself, Pdog517 and TJ, we patrol this place heavy so ask away.

This is awesome thanks for the time and effort put into this.

Very helpful

"Swaging" is to remove the crimp from the primer pocket on Military brass. The RCBS set-up is one of the best and easiest I've used. It's a good investment for the $15, sooner or later you'll need it.