Tumbling

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jwr0201

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I'm about to get a tumbler for cleaning 38, 357 & 223's and have a question about when to tumble. Do most reloaders clean cases with the old primers left in place or after removing the primers? Seems to me that if cases are tumbled with the old primers are left in place, then the primer holes need to be cleaned - ?
Advice, recommendations more than welcome!
Thx - RR
 
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You'll get many opinions to your questions. As for me, I tumble my brass before removing primer. I size and deprime in one step. Cleaning/polishing the brass helps the resize effort and some say it will make the die last longer. I will occasionally clean my primer pockets in a separate step with an appropriate brush.
 
The main point of cleaning cases is to protect the resizing die, as I understand it. Since that die also contains the decapping pin, that means that tumbling needs to be done beforehand. When you refer to the "primer holes", do you mean the flash hole, or the primer pocket? Residue in the primer pocket doesn't really pose a problem, at least for awhile. I've not cleaned mine to date, and I've had no problems whatsoever. Any residue in the flash hole will be punched out by the decapping pin.

A second issue with decapping before tumbling is the probability of media getting stuck in some of the flash holes. Most of us would rather not spend yet more time knocking the stuff out.

Andy
 
I tumble fired brass before removing the primer for about an hour in walnut with Flitz polish.

I decap and resize, clean the primer pocket then tumble again for about another hour.

The second tumbling step gets rid of any lube and residue in the primer pocket.

It's important to chech every case after this step becuase some walnut may get stuck in the primer pocket/flash hole.

I know its more work than necessary but I like clean brass :D
 
I tumble first, before the cases touch my dies. If you remove the primer first, there's a good chance you'll scratch the die, and then the flash hole gets clogged with tumbling media, so you have to "deprime" again.
 
For my 38 spl brass, I tumble with the old primer still in place. Then I resize and de-prime in one step. I have watched a tutorial DVD by Mr Brian Enos on reloading straight wall cartridges on a Dillon progressive press. He basically says that cleaning primer pockets on revolver/pistol brass is not worth the effort. Now, for rifle bottleneck brass (.308), I do clean the primer pocket...but I still tumble it first with the old primer in place since I don't have the patience to knock out the media that always seems to find a way to get in there...:-)

BR,

Guy -
 
Tumble with primer in then resize. I never really cleaned the primer pockets untill I got me a few of the new fangled S&W's with the new frame mounted fireing pin's. Started to run into missfires and it would take a second whack on the primer to fire. In my opinion the frame mounted fireing pin system is weak. Started to clean the primer pockets every time and the missfires went away.
 
As you can already tell, everyone has their own view of what is best for them.

When I get back from the range, I knock the old primers out with a universal decapping die. Then I clean the primer pockets (using an RCBS primer pocket brush in the Lyman powered case trimmer). Why do I clean primer pockets?

1. I just don't like seating a new primer in the CRUD in the primer pocket - do I need to, NO.
2. I don't want primer dust in my tumbler. So I control where the lead dust goes.

After tumbling to get them nice and shiny, they are ready for sizing.
 
Yup everyone has their own method. Personally I remove the old primers and clean the primer pockets before they go in the tumbler. Then when they come out they are completely clean and ready all steps of processing. I don't like grime or spent primers around my bench and loading equipment, all the grunge if you will is dealt with in another room.
 
I tumble for 30 mins to a hour with old primer in place. I then decap and resize and through back in the tumbler for another hour or three.:) I then inspect, short and bag or can up the prepped brass.

When I'm ready to reload, so is the brass.
 
With pistol brass and carbide dies, I am decapping and sizeing, trimming, chamfering, cleaning the primer pocket and then tumbling. Finally I wet wash them with some simple green and hot water to get the dust off. The last step is to dry them off and then make sure there is no media stuck in the flash hole. For rifle brass, I do it pretty much the same except I tumbel the brass before I size as well as after the process is done.

Is it to much, probably, do I get any failures with my ammo, rarely
 
Like most posters I tumble first then resize and deprime. I tried deprime then tumble but media would get lodged in the primer pocket and flash hole.
 
I always tumble before the case touches a loading die and unless it is a target specific round, I dont clean primer pockets on handgun reloads.
 
I decap first in my RCBS decapping die, then clean the primer pockets and tumble in my Thumler Model B tumbler. By doing it this way, my tumbling media is cleaner, not having primer residue in it. Then I wipe each case with an isopropyl alcohol dampened rag, which eliminates any tumbler residue from the other dies to be used.
 
I use a vibratory bowl with lizard bedding. Harbor Freight has walnut blasting media for a buck a pound which I will try when my lizard bedding supply runs out. A hour or two and they are shiny. I leave the primers in. The small granules are punched out when I deprime/size. I use Hornady Unique Case Lube. A little goes a long way. I also use carbide dies. I always clean my primer pockets in anything. Single stage reloading for me for right now.
 
Like many here, I tumble before depriming, but I also wash (decontaminate) my fired brass before I tumble it. I use the old NRA mixture of water, vinegar, salt and detergent (D-Lead detergent) in an ultrasonic cleaner, but shaking in a plastic jug will work also. The washing is followed by a hot water rinse and air drying. This gets rid of the crud, so the dust from tumbling and separating isn't quite as full of lead as it would have otherwise been; And as an added benifit your tumbling media stays clean longer.

I also tumble my loaded cartridges. The first tumble is about two hours in walnut media with NuFinish and used dryer sheets while the second one is about fifteen minutes in corncob media with NuFinish and mineral spirits. I'm pretty sure the second tumble is purely cosmetic, but SWMBO believes bullets slide down the barrel of her snubbie better when they are shiny, and if pretty looking ammo gets her to come out to the range with me more often, it is well worth the effort. :D

John
 
I've been decapping then tumbling. Yes, the decapping die gets a lot of crud on it. Powderblast cleans it right out.

After reading this, though, I am going to start with a walnut tumble prior to 'capping. Seems like a good idea.

I give the polished cases a once over in a 100rd box and knock out the media I see, then bag 'em.

When loading I run them through the (cleaned) sizing/decapping die again. If there's any media I mised the pin will take care of it.

Considering these are .45ACP range plinkers I may have a bit of OCD going on...:rolleyes:

I, too, like bright shiny brass.:cool:
 
jwr0201 said:
I'm about to get a tumbler for cleaning 38, 357 & 223's and have a question about when to tumble. Do most reloaders clean cases with the old primers left in place or after removing the primers? Seems to me that if cases are tumbled with the old primers are left in place, then the primer holes need to be cleaned - ?
Advice, recommendations more than welcome!
Thx - RR
Click to expand...
It depends on the cartridge and use I usually size, then tumble but then there is sometimes something stuck in the flash hole. Some I don't care and others get primer pockets reamed ,flash holes demurred,trimmed and chamfered
Target and Varmint cases get the works
 
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