Consider standard reloading with FL sizing:
The brass has expanded in the chamber
then is reduced in the die to undersize (remember, brass has a 'memory' or 'springback' so you have to size it smaller than you want it to end up as)
then is upsized with the expander ball or the expander plug to the right dimension for the neck tension on the dia. of projectile used (jacketed is often less dia. that the right cast bullet dia.)
then you seat the bullet and maybe do some crimp
This gives, for each loading, 3-4 stresses upon the case neck & mouth. No wonder it work hardens and splits. Some anneal (soften) the brass for every reloading and minimize the splitting.
As for me, I use the largest dia. cast bullet that will comfortably fit the fully fire-formed case mouth without fl sizing or even neck sizing if at all possible. My brass doesnt need to be annealed and mostly seems to last forever.
Note: If you are prone to make high intensity loads Your Mileage WILL Vary. Often the brass needs to be FL sized, etc., so annealing may be something you might want to learn about.
Think of this, though (an old reloaders 'rule of thumb') if you reduce the load by 10% you reduce the pressure by 20%. Years ago I learned this was significant to me and my equipment. A big plus was/is that the most accurate loads are very often something less than maximum loads.
That "reduce the load 10%..." part is why I elected 45-70 this time around... the bullet weight lets you get to energy levels at lower velocities... sure with a rounder trajectory. But the idea was to use Trapdoor level loads or less and be able to do the job.
I was running numbers in a ballistics calculator last night... looks like you can go from about 38 special / cap and ball energy level to nearly 30-06 levels of energy while staying below 1400 fps. About the only shortcoming I saw was that a round ball would weigh about 150 grains, so you can't really get down to .22 levels reasonably, like you could with say a 30-30 or other 30 cal cartridge shooting a 40 gr. round ball.
Of course if you're willing to go GC, jacketed, paper patched all bets are off on the top end of either caliber.
But yes, I hear that. I'm definitely into getting the most utility out of the gun with the least wear and tear.
Know anything about brass sizing? For example... seems to me that a die is basically a slightly smaller than chamber size hole in a block of steel you force the case into. So I'd guess, as long as the neck can be parallel, a simple hole drilled in block of the correct diameter would serve as a neck resizer. It just comes down to "how do you calculate the correct diameter?
Because unfortunately, if you start small and work up... soon as you take too much out... you have to start over, LOL! So you kinda want to know the proper diameter you are aiming for first.
Question about that, "...largest bullet that will comfortably fit..." part... is there some experimenting there? I could see where to large and you wouldn't be able to chamber.
Have to admit, after watching those vids on reloading shotshells without a press... minimalist reloading intriques me. Or at least... "with tools I can easily fabricate myself without lathes, milling machines, etc."
The idea that I cold possibly dispense with commercial tooling is interesting... even moreso if it can be done with the simplest tooling to fabricate the reloading tools. Safety of course being the main concern. Have to admit. those Lee Loaders for shotshells have always worried me a little... too much time spent with you hand over a primer and a charge while pressing down...
Anyway, in your methods I'm definitely seeing a less is more approach, and think that can be a good thing.
