confused about trimming cases

[O6nop]

Currently, being new at reloading, I am trimming cases 100%. I know it's not necessary, but I am working on consistency until I feel more comfortable. However, I'm not sure where in the cycle that trimming takes place.

What I'm doing is decapping and resizing clean brass as a first step. Then I use a case length gauge and trimmer (attached to a variable speed hand drill) to get them to the right length. Am I doing this backwards? Can you trim it before you decap it? should I resize it again after I trim it? Am I missing a step?

I'm just a range shooter right now and the ammo in question is for .223 on my AR.

[BobCat]

You are doing just right.

Resizing alters length, so you resize/decap first, then trim. Trimming does not do anything to the case other than cut excess neck length - no point in re-resizing.

If you wish to clean primer pockets you can do that any time after decapping - before or after trimming. Now the case is ready to load.

I clean primer pockets on rifle brass only, only because I know that scores can be affected by confidence so I want the best confidence in my match ammo I can get. Other people never clean primer pockets and never have any problems.

Regards,
Andrew

[Tom]

Currently, being new at reloading, I am trimming cases 100%. I know it's not necessary, but I am working on consistency until I feel more comfortable. However, I'm not sure where in the cycle that trimming takes place.

What I'm doing is decapping and resizing clean brass as a first step. Then I use a case length gauge and trimmer (attached to a variable speed hand drill) to get them to the right length. Am I doing this backwards? Can you trim it before you decap it? should I resize it again after I trim it? Am I missing a step?

I'm just a range shooter right now and the ammo in question is for .223 on my AR.

Trim AFTER you resize. Keep the length between 1.750 and 1.760.

And if you intend to shoot a lot of .223 do yourself a huge favor and get the RCBS X-Die.
It freezes the length wherever you want it. I have mine set at 1.752.
Once you trim all of your cases down below your selected length the X-Die will not let them grow
more than a thousandth or two beyond it. I chose my length to ensure that my cases never got
near to the max of 1.760. It has worked perfectly for many years.

I have X-Dies for every caliber that I shoot lots of. It has saved me hours of trimming time.

Kind Regards,

Tom

[mcub]

You are doing it right for two reasons, the one mentioned by BobCat and the seater die needs the case to be the same length, if you want the bullets to set , crimp correctly and fee consistently. Which is important in a Semi like the AR

If you do it in the reverse order, the seizing die might alter the length as it straightens out the shape of the case.


I'm new also, I took a few cases and wasted a few bullets tinkering with different techniques and found the standard order of tasks, is also the only order of tasks.

[O6nop]

Thanks, all! It's a relief that I haven't messed up my first loads!