Decap before or after cleaning?

[tmd17]

The biggest reason to decap before sizing is to reduce your expose to lead. Almost all the lead exposure associated with reloading is due to lead based priming compounds.

How much reduction to lead exposure is achieved by priming 1st? 75%, 50%, 25% ?

 

[Paul in Nevada]

How much reduction to lead exposure is achieved by priming 1st? 75%, 50%, 25% ?

90+% would be conservative. This can be verified with a lead test kit. Those of you still using vibratory tumblers are at the greatest risk.

 

[Inland7-45]

When I started reloading in the early 70's my equipment consisted of a used press, balance beam scale and powder measure. For the longest time I just loaded .38 Special from a lot of about 300 to 400 once fired nickeled brass. My main concern was to avoid over charges or double charges
of Bullseye. Case prep consisted of cleaning the primer pocket with a small flat blade screw driver and wiping the case lube of with a paper towel.

Now days I pay a lot more attention to case prep. I have an RCBS media cleaner that I bought in 2008. This has served me very well but I decided to up grade to the liquid and stainless steel pin method. What works best for me is to run the brass through the RCBS with corn cobb media if brass is dirty. I then resize, decap and brush clean primer pocket. I then use a Frankford Arsenal pin tumbler with their soap packet. After 2 hours the cases come out super clean. Next step is retrieve the steel pins and rinse the cases. This is actually the worst part, but not too bad. I use their pin magnet to gather up the pins.

Next step is to dry the brass . I use a Frankford case dryer. While I have heard some negative reports about the FÃ case dryer mine works well.

After the cases are dried they are trimmed , deburred and and flared and are now ready to reload.

I am very satisfied with the results of this case cleaning method. While there is some extra work involved the brass comes out of the steel pine tumbler thoroughly leaned inside and out and looks like brand new brass.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

For all that still think priming media stuck in flash holes still causes problems.........I use 38 spl deprimed hulls to push through 1/2" canning wax blocks. Then prime and shoot.........The primer force alone will propel the wax bullet very fast......Enough speed to hit a target at 10-12 feet.

 

[Skeet 028]

I use both methods of cleaning my cases. I prefer the wet tumbling method. But I deprive most of the time. Using the dry I bought a big bag of walnut hull bedding from pet smart. It is pretty fine and not prone to clogging up flash holes.. Even though I deprime I size after cleaning anyway so no worries about stuck media....even with wet cleaning. My wet tumbler is a FA brand. Got it at a garage sale new in box...40 bucks.. After loading I clean the case lube off with a dry large Dillon tumbler with corn cob media as I spray lube even pistol cases. 150 or more for 5 mins does the job. Yeah more work but never have any worries with ammo. I just put the loaded stuff in military ammo cans with a label inside and out. Shotshell goes in 5 gallon buckets or plastic totes. I used to clean them in an OLD gasoline powered washing machine till about 1999 when it kinda wore out. Way back I even picked up plastic wads to reuse. They even got washed. AA wads were usually good for at least 2 loadings. Time was money you know? Not as important nowadays. My 45 auto cases are pretty even if you can't read the worn out head stamp on some

 

[filipows]

Cleaning 9 mm cases

I used dry media media very briefly. Clearing media was a problem. For a while bought used cleaned brass. Came with primers still in. Checked the pockets and cleaned quite a few prior to installing primer

Switched to wet tumble. I pre clean with soak in dishwasher liquid and lemishine. I am using a Lee APP for primer removal. APP with 4 feed tubes makes quick work of de prime.

Wet tumble with pins. They look like new.

A bit anal but not that bad with APP deprime. Preclean is in small plastic bucket. Soak and shake a little while to keep follow on process clean

 

[sophie]

I've always cleaned my brass and then decapped and primed my cases. Never had a problem with primer pockets being very dirty.

 

[sniper]

Reloading journey since the '70s

Being 95% self-taught when I started reloading in the '70s, "tutored" by a Brother-in-Law whose favorite load was ? gr. of 2400...about as much of it as the case would hold, then squish the Lyman gas check bullet on top. Impressive when he touched them off! Fortunately, he was shooting them in a Ruger Blackhawk. I figured it would be better to follow whatever information there was in my manual or gunzines of the time. "Skeeter" seemed to be a reliable source, and he spun a good yarn, too. I have always used vibratory dry media for case cleaning, usually a 50-50 combo of pet store walnut lizard beddding media and corn cob. I have a paper clip to use should there be some media stuck in the hole between the primer pocket and powder charge. I add a little Dillon case polish to every load, and it seems to work pretty well. (I have to try Mother's one of these first days!) I got some of the neat little RCBS primer pocket brushes, too(necessary? I dunno) but that's what they recommended back then. Lately, just to see, I used the hot water/Dawn dish soap/Citric acid mixture, then dried the brass on the driveway during the summer. Really clean brass...even the primer pockets are pretty good! I have enough brass that I don't worry about running out if I only clean and prep during the hot months. The liquid gets the brass really clean, but mostly I tumble my brass. I figure that the polish will do no more than shine up my carbide size dies, if I have removed any dirt or grit my brass may have picked up. I don't wipe my brass after cleaning, and am not sure it is necessary. The newer wet with pins method seems to work well, and one day, I may try it...just to see.