Originally Posted By: ackleymanOriginally Posted By: GCFull length resize, trim, chamfer and deburr in that order and then proceed with the rest of the operations.
+1
the chamfer actually helps "guide the bullet" into the neck and aid in getting it started smoothly into the neck.
Having pulled a lot of rounds on ammo, I saw early on that just a simple deburr on some occasions was an aid in scarring a bullet. After playing around with different de-burring methods for a while, I learned that a HEAVY chamfer on the case mouth was good insurance in the bullet getting started with out heavy scarring.
I don't "chamfer" cases no mo' !!!
Many years ago (shortly after the Civil War
), I had reason to pull down a bunch of rounds that were loaded with a heavy hand
Up to that point, I had always chamfered the case mouths, cuz that was how I was taught.
When I saw the pulled bullets, I was appalled since these were match bullets, loaded for a match rifle
. The bullet bodies were heavily scored... no, they were wrecked!!
At that point, I decided there must be another (better) way.
Then it dawned on my somewhat Rum soaked brain that factory cases are NOT chamfered, and factory bullets are not scored. Hmmmmmmmmm ??
After much asking around, I discovered one of the best kept secrets in handloading... the Lyman "M" die. This die is designed for cast lead bullet loaders, to put a flair on the mouth of the cases, so the bullet would NOT get damaged... and it was adjustable for a lot of flair, or a microscopic amount.
From that point on, I never chamfered a case again. (I don't "de-burr" either).
I pull the expander button out of my sizing die, so the neck is sized, but NOT expanded. This makes sizing MUCH more easy. Then I run the case through the "M" die, which is set up for the tiniest flair (so little that you can barely see it). Then the case is ready to seat a bullet. The flair is so small that it is not necessary to push it back with a taper die - I just leave it there. If the flair is not wanted, than it is easy to remove with a tiny touch with a taper crimper.
Held side by side, you cannot tell which is my hand load, and which is a factory load... it is that good. Plus the bullets are never damaged in the process, and if you have to pull them, they look like new.
Meow