Page 219 - The Lost Ways

scrap bucket as repeatedly resizing them will weaken the brass and will eventually result
in catastrophic failure.

Processing Brass Cartridge Cases

In order to be an effective hand loader, one must inspect, sort, and process the brass
cases in order to ensure that the ammunition will be safe to load. Processing helps
eliminate the Berdan primed cases, aluminum cases, steel cases, and, hopefully, any cases
of the incorrect caliber or those that are not in their correct specifications.

While inspecting cases, the shooter should look for cracks in the neck and excessive bulges
near the base. More than likely these cases will not resize properly and will need to be
discarded into the scrap bucket.

When using brass that has been fired and collected from a shooting range, it is advisable
to clean and lube the cases. This can be done in a media tumbler with crushed walnut

shells or dried corncobs. Polishing chemicals can be added to speed up the process as well
as special lubricants that will reduce wear and tear on the reloading equipment.

Depending on the equipment used, the brass can be de-primed at this time. This is usually
done via a single-stage reloading press and a de-capping pin. This step in the process
resizes the case mouth as well.

Primer Pocket

The primer pocket is the part of the cartridge case where the primer is seated. Some types
of military surplus brass will have an extra crimp to hold the primer in place. While
processing brass for reloading, the crimp will need to be removed. In extreme cases, the
pocket will need to be de-burred or reamed so a new primer can be seated.

Bullets and Projectiles

Bullets are the one component that can most easily be made and stockpiled by any
shooter of any skill level. Again, the prospective hand loader has choices instead of simply
buying bullets or even the base material with which to cast them.

When it comes to store-bought bullets, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Leafing

through a supplier’s catalog or scrolling through a manufacturer’s webpage can be
overwhelming when it comes to choosing the correct bullet for a reloading project. Most

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