The full reloading process at the range isn’t for beginners, it’s a method favored by competitive shooters and advanced handloaders who need real-time load development and fire-forming capabilities. This complete field approach allows reloaders to go from fired brass to ready-to-shoot rounds without ever leaving the range.
In this installment of the L.E. Wilson “Reloading at the Range” educational series written by Bill Gravatt, we’ll explore the entire process: cleaning, sizing, priming, charging, and seating with tool recommendations and proven techniques for achieving consistency from start to finish.
The Full Reloading Sequence
This advanced process mirrors what you’d typically do at your home bench, condensed into a portable system optimized for the field. Here’s the full sequence:
- Clean brass after first firing
- Lubricate cases before resizing
- Resize brass (neck or full-length sizing)
- Experiment with different neck tensions using L.E. Wilson Bushing Sizing Dies
- Optional: Uniform and clean primer pockets
- Wipe Cases down to remove lubricants prior to priming
- Prime cases
- Choose powder
- Throw powder to the desired weight/volume
- Choose bullet
- Measure seating depth to determine a baseline or starting point for adjusting depth
- Seat bullet to the desired depth
Compared to pre-prepped reloading, this process adds extra steps like brass cleaning and resizing, but it gives you full control over every variable affecting pressure, accuracy, and consistency.
Brass Cleaning at the Range
Keeping your brass clean protects your dies and improves precision. Obviously, you can’t bring a tumbler to the range, but that doesn’t mean you can’t maintain spotless cases.
- “0000” Steel Wool: Excellent for wiping the neck and shoulder area after firing. It removes light soot and prevents scratching the brass.
- Cleaning Wipes: Options like Krazy Kloths, Nevr-Dull, or paper towels with mild solvent work well for surface cleaning.
- Neck Brushes: Use an RCBS or Iosso brush by hand or with a cordless drill to remove carbon before resizing.
Primer Pocket Cleaning and Uniforming
Cleaning and uniforming the primer pocket ensures consistent primer seating depth, a detail that can tighten velocity spreads. Some reloaders skip this step, but Bill prefers it for confidence and uniformity. He uses a Sinclair carbide uniformer mounted in a rechargeable drill for quick, precise work.
To complement this process, L.E. Wilson offers dedicated Primer Pocket Reamers that remove crimps and prep pockets for reliable seating.
Lubricants and Field Use
Lubrication is essential before resizing. Bill prefers paste-style lubricants from Creedmoor Sports or Redding for field use. These are easy to apply and less messy than sprays or liquids. However, watch for heat - on a hot day, paste waxes can soften or melt, especially carnauba-based formulas that start to liquefy around 150°F.
Pro Tip: Keep your lube container shaded and tightly sealed when working under direct sunlight.
Resizing and Neck Tension Control
The heart of accurate brass prep lies in the sizing stage. Competitors often experiment with neck tension to control bullet release and pressure consistency. Bill typically uses full length sizing dies, L.E. Wilson Bushing Full-Length Sizing Die, or a Redding Type S Die. These allow field adjustment of neck tension by simply changing bushings.
For shooters demanding perfect neck uniformity, the L.E. Wilson Expanding Die ensures the neck interior is concentric and smooth after sizing, critical for consistent seating pressure.
Headspace and Case Gauging
Once resized, verifying proper headspace is essential for safe, consistent chambering. Bill uses L.E. Wilson Case Gages for this task. They double as trim-length gauges and can be used with calipers or Wilson’s Case Gage Depth Micrometer for precision readings.
Other reliable options include bump gages from Sinclair, Hornady, and PMA Tools, but Wilson’s multipurpose design makes it ideal for both home and field use.
Priming Tools and Techniques
For field reloading, hand priming tools are the most portable and efficient. Bill still uses his 35-year-old Sinclair tool, though excellent alternatives include models from PMA Tool, K&M, 21st Century, and Lee’s budget-friendly Auto Prime. Bench-mounted priming systems are less practical for the range, though they can offer more leverage if space allows.
Reloading Presses
To handle both sizing and seating, you’ll need a sturdy press setup. As in the previous blog, Bill highlights two preferred options:
- Arbor Presses: Compact, lightweight, and extremely precise when paired with L.E. Wilson Inline Bullet Seaters. They offer smooth, tactile feedback for uniform seating depth.
- Threaded Presses: Ideal for dies requiring standard 7/8-14 threads. Choose a model with enough throat clearance for your cartridge. The L.E. Wilson Single Stage Press offers approximately 4” of clearance, suitable for most rifle rounds.
Powder Dispensing at the Range
Bill recommends bringing your preferred powder measure and scale setup from home. Secure the measure on a clamp stand or small board. Electronic dispensers such as the RCBS ChargeMaster, Lyman Gen6, and Hornady Auto Charge remain popular for precision weighing, with integrated scales for convenience.
Tip: Always verify your power source, many reloaders use a portable battery pack to avoid relying on range AC power. Bill discovered this firsthand at a match where he forgot about power limitations until a friend loaned him a power pack. It worked so well, he bought one immediately upon returning home!
- Use a powder funnel for consistent drop
- Keep a trickler handy for fine adjustments
- Wipe dispensers with Bounce® dryer sheets to eliminate static
Measuring and Seating Bullets
Accurate bullet seating starts with measuring the relationship between the bullet and the rifle’s throat. Bill uses a Hornady (formerly Stoney Point) OAL gauge to establish a baseline. From there, he fine-tunes depth using a bullet comparator and calipers - either digital or dial, depending on preference.
- Inline Bullet Seaters: Compact, portable, and precise; ideal for range use.
- Threaded Seating Dies: For use in small presses with standard dies and shell holders.
Pairing an L.E. Wilson Inline Seater with the Wilson Arbor Press ensures precise, repeatable seating - critical when fine-tuning loads by thousandths of an inch.
Conclusion: The Advanced Art of Reloading at the Range
This full-process approach is demanding but incredibly rewarding. It gives you control over every variable that influences accuracy, consistency, and pressure. For competitive shooters and advanced handloaders, mastering brass prep at the range can mean the difference between good and great results.
With L.E. Wilson’s precision tools, from Case Gages to Expanding Dies and Bushing Sizing Dies, you can perform every stage of reloading with benchrest-level precision, no matter where you set up your press.
