[ShagNasty1001]

So I come home to work to all of this! My roommate made a run home and brought back almost all of their reloading supplies. We have a press for shotgun shells and a single stage for rifle/pistol. The 3 main calibers we're gonna do right now are .223, 9mm and 22-250. Now I reload for my .308, or used to when I lived with my parents so I'm not a complete stranger to it but I am to when it comes to using used brass, all my .308 brass was new as a gift. How do I go about cleaning it without a tumbler (I've heard of the simple green and water) and do we need a case trimmer or can I just run it through the resize die when I extract the primers? Also, what are some of y'all's loads? We both have 1/7 twist barrels in ARs and right now we have 200 55 grain bullets and 100 53 grain bullets. I also have about a pound of Varget powder from my .308 that I've read from Hodgdon's website is good for .223 as well. Thanks for the advice in advance!

[blucoondawg]

I run them through the full length size/decapper then trim them, I have a Forester case trimmer. As far as cleaning them I have always used a tumbler or didn't bother cleaning them, just clean the primer pocket out and reload, works fine. Though I haven't reloaded for the ar yet, maybe clean shiny cases work better in them, I couldnt answer that.

[nitestalker]

Harbor Freight has some little viberators for cleaning brass. Just put a few pounds of cheap rice in it and go. An AR-15 chambered in 5.56 will take the brass just clean the cases with 90% rubbing alcohol after they are loaded.

[Muliemaster]

Originally Posted by nitestalker

Harbor Freight has some little viberators for cleaning brass. Just put a few pounds of cheap rice in it and go. An AR-15 chambered in 5.56 will take the brass just clean the cases with 90% rubbing alcohol after they are loaded.

Lil viberators for cleaning your brass?????? Harbor freight ???? Were u at the xxx shop ????

[fupuk]

Originally Posted by nitestalker

Harbor Freight has some little viberators for cleaning brass. Just put a few pounds of cheap rice in it and go. An AR-15 chambered in 5.56 will take the brass just clean the cases with 90% rubbing alcohol after they are loaded.

I like the wording. I bought a tumbler from harbor freight and its worked great, no issues with it so far. Ive cleaned around 2000 pieces through it.

[ShagNasty1001]

Originally Posted by nitestalker

Harbor Freight has some little viberators for cleaning brass. Just put a few pounds of cheap rice in it and go. An AR-15 chambered in 5.56 will take the brass just clean the cases with 90% rubbing alcohol after they are loaded.

We went to harbor freight today and got one of them and 5 pounds of crushed walnut shells. We're about 350-400 casings in on .223 and so far so good! The picture is missing the last batch of the day, which is going as I type

[ccrow175]

I use the simple green method, works fine for me, a lot cheaper than brass media

[robocop10mm]

In the fast twist AR you will likely find the thin jacketed .224 bullets give less than satisfactory performance. If the 53 gr bullets are "match" or "varmint" type bullets, keep them on the slow side (no more than 3000 fps). I have had may of these type bullets spin themselves apart upon leaving the muzzle. You can get a gray puff about 15' from the muzzle as the bullet vaporizes.

[ShagNasty1001]

Originally Posted by robocop10mm

In the fast twist AR you will likely find the thin jacketed .224 bullets give less than satisfactory performance. If the 53 gr bullets are "match" or "varmint" type bullets, keep them on the slow side (no more than 3000 fps). I have had may of these type bullets spin themselves apart upon leaving the muzzle. You can get a gray puff about 15' from the muzzle as the bullet vaporizes.

Here are the 200 I have now. Both are 55 grain. I plan to pick up 62 and 69 grain here soon

[robocop10mm]

The Sierra's should be OK. I have no experience with the Speer Varmint bullets. Work up a load and watch for overrotation problems.