Do you decap as a separate operation?

[dverna]

The results are surprising to me. The majority deprime as a separate operation even though I would have expected the bulk of cast bullet users would be shooting pistol rounds.

I understand, and in fact perform, more anal brass preparation for rifle calibers. With pistol rounds, the benefits of cleaning and/or conditioning primer pockets seem marginal and not worth the effort. The downside is reduced production when using a progressive machine.

Most of my pistol loading is on a Dillon 1050. I average about 600 rds/hr. If I deprime on a single stage, it would take me about an hour to do 600 cases(10 seconds/case). Effectively cutting production by 50%

On the Dillon 550, I average about 300/hr. Production drops by 33% if I were to deprime separately.

Don Verna

[garym1a2]

Since I own a Lee Pro1000 and a loadmaster I have no choice, I run 9mm by useing the pro1000 as resize and decap in one step. Than I hand prime it with the RCBS hand tool. Than use the pro1000 to add powder and seat the bullet. If the prime tool on the pro1000 worked I would do it all in one stage.

[Smk SHoe]

I usually come back from the range and all brass goes into a tumbler with old media to do a basic clean. Then everything is sorted, deprimed, inspected. Then I decide if anything else needs to be done case prep wise. Then it all goes into a different tumbler with clean media to shine it up. Then brass is ready to load either single or progressive. Things may change soon, thinking of going to a wet system for cleaning.

[MyFlatline]

I deprime first, not doing production. All brass is clean the same, SS media. Then inspected, sized and primed.

I have a progressive press and had more problems with the dirt clogging things up, this works for me.

[Terryfromok]

Yes I do because I use stainless steel pins. I resize on the press whether it is a single stage or progressive.

[1_Ogre]

Just my opinion, but after shooting, I decap and swage the primer pocket if needed, then into a pin tumbler. 2hrs and they are clean and the primer pockets shine also. Then it's to sizing, trimming, and then they are ready for reloading. I try and resize after tumbling. The size lube has a tendency to stop any tarnishing of the brass

[Drew P]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lee-Precisio...8AAOSwQNRXL1oz

this item makes decapping or any other operation quite quick on a lee classic cast turret or single stage. Which, btw is probably the best press out there for decapping. Very clean.

[308Jeff]

Always

[RogerDat]

I'm loading cast lead, I need to run a expander down into the assorted brass to get consistent neck tension and avoid thicker brass swaging the lead down to fit the brass. 4 hole turret, powder through, seat, crimp takes up 3 so.... if I want an expander station then I have to do the de-priming and sizing as own step.

What I eventually hit upon is setting up turrets just for the sizing/de-priming if I have a 4 die set, for those with only 3 I don't need to, but I am inclined to get that 4th die when opportunity presents itself. I like seat and crimp as own die. Especially for revolver such as 38 or 357. Change bullet from RN to SWC to WC and only have to adjust one die, the seating one.

[WJP]

Pistol is tumbled and run straight through all stages. Most rifle I tumble, lube, size, tumble, trim, then load after checking for media in the pp. It gets old doing the tedious stuff especially when you want to knock out a couple thousand. I've tumbled 4 5 gallon buckets today, now to the fun stuff.

[XDROB]

I have a Hornady LnL. I reload only straight wall centerfire pistol. When I have a few thousand to do I take all dies out except first stage. Brass is corn tumbled first. Then run through Deprime/sizer. Then I wet/SS tumble to get primer hole cleaner. I know a lot of guys out there will say that's too much. I just like new looking brass. Keeps my dies way cleaner.
It's amazing how dirty the water is even after being tumbled/cleaned in dry media first


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[TCStehle]

I decap then wet tumble. That way the brass is clean. That's just me I'm sure there will be many others that do it different.

Same here, so that I have clean primer pockets and no spent primer residue on my progressive presses and rams.

[TES]

I run two dies on our automated processing machines. One die to just decap and in the next station we full length size with Dillon carbide dies. The reason is the first die is a rcbs fl die but the mandrels and pins are cheap in comparison to Dillons so we don't use the mandrel, carbide ball or pins in the Dillon dies. Then we tumble the brass. Next is flare/swage and prime on separate hand pulled 1050's. Then load on two automated 1050's. This makes for a lot of work but we break less stuff (there are a lot of other reasons but this will suffice) when its done this way and the ammo is way more consistent.

[toallmy]

Yes I do , I spent yesterday depriming a 5 gal bucket of LC brass to be loaded in 223 Remington , and I still have a bucket of 9mm's to go . Now to the primer pocket .

[ioon44]

I decap and inspect my brass then wet tumble, this keeps the primer residue out of my 550 so it runs smooth.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

I screwed up with my vote....too much haste.

I decap/resized in same step.

[Gee_Wizz01]

It depends. I live in Florida and any brass that hits the ground gets covered in fine sand. For rounds out of auto pistols and rifles I deprive on a Lee hand press with a Lee deprime die while watching tv. Then they go in the wet tumbler for cleaning. After that pistol rounds are reloaded on either turret press or a progressive. Rifle brass get sized and trimmed and then loaded, except for 5.56. 5.56 goes on the progressive for loading. Since I have deprime off my presses, it's amazing how much cleaner the presses remain. This seems to keeps progressive presses running much smoother. If you look at the amount of primer residue it is surprising the amount that comes out of a batch of cases. Again there is no right or wrong way; this is just the way I do it.

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[mjwcaster]

Pistol I deprime on my 550 as i load it.
I am seriously considering depriming in a separate step.
Most of my press issues are from it getting dirty, even with blowing it off and wiping it down.
It will take a little more work, but the actual loading step will be quicker.
And decrease the possibilities of screwing up a loaded round.

If I had an automated press with collator/case feeder it would be no question for me to deprime separately.

Rifle is of course deprimed in a separate step, then trimmed and processed.

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[LAKEMASTER]

I run all my pistol brass through my loadmaster to deprime, i can do 500 really fast and i dont see the point in not doing it. ( once i have a lot to deprime)

[XDROB]

All fired brass gets tumbled with # 5 corn/with Midway polish with primers in for about 4 hrs. Then run through my Hornady LnL to Deprime and size. Now I wet/SS pin tumble to clean primer hole. It's amazing how dirty the water is considering its been cleaned already. I know that takes time. But I like shiny brass. And my press stays cleaner longer. Shiny press is also easier to find in the grass and dirt.😎

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