Tumbling brass - deprime first or after tumbling?

[James6406]

As the title asks - what is the best tumbling method? Remove the primers, resize, and tumble or tumble with spent primers? I have a Lyman tumbler and the instructions do not specify.

[garandsrus]

For pistol brass, I normally tumble with the primer in the case since these can be loaded without using case lube.

For rifle brass, I normally tumble with the primer in, them resize and deprime. I tumble aain to remove the case lube so the primer pockets get cleaned a little, but not much. After the second tumbling, the brass gets trimmed also.

If you are using stainless pins and water, you will want to deprime first or you will trap waer in the primer pocket. The pins do clean the primer pocket pretty well.

[km101]

I tumble with the primers in because I dont want to have to clean the stuck media out of the flash holes in my pistol brass. With a vibratory tumbler and walnut hull media, it doesnt clean the primer pockets much anyway. And I have never seen the need to clean the primer pockets on pistol brass.

For rifle brass, I use the same methold as Garandsrus. I works well, but you have to check the flash holes to make sure they are not clogged with media.

[462]

what is the best tumbling method?

There isn't one. Rather, it comes down to one's preference.

[lars1367]

Ask 100 people, get 100 different answers. I remove primers after I tumble. If the pocket is dirty, I'll scrape it or brush it. If a batch of them are dirty, I'll tumble again with primer removed.

[khmer6]

I do a quick wash and tumble as soon as I get home with 30-50# of brass. I deprime and sometimes size then tumble and polish.

[Lead Fred]

I want the primer pockets cleaned also.

Lube, size, tumble, prime, powder, projectile

I use a lock pick & compressed air to clear the primer hole.

[Huntducks]

Pistol with the primers out, rifle with the primers in then use a RCBS case master to finish after resizing.

[dragon813gt]

Primers in for dry tumbling. Primers out for ultrasonic cleaning. I load on a LCT so depriming beforehand is an additional unneeded step that just adds time.

[Griz44mag]

Pistol,
1. Tumble and full progressive reload.

Rifle,
1. Decap with Lee universal de-capper. (No resizing)
2. Tumble
3. Resize
4. Tumble to remove lube and polish with Nu-finish in the media
5. Trim
6. Clean pockets
7. Prime and store
8. Progressive or single stage reload depending on round or usage.

[lmfd20]

I run everything first in stainless pins. Then if it is pistol it gets fully processed and loaded on the progressive press. For rifle, I size, trim, prep & clean primer pockets, then clean again in stainless or walnut media. Then load them.

[DxieLandMan]

I've done both but now tumble with primer in. I have a paper clip that I've used to remove media from the primer pockets before but with the primer in, I haven't had this happen anymore.

[Wayne Smith]

I deprime everything first. I simply don't want to breathe the lead dust from the primers when I dump the cartridges out.

[cajun shooter]

This question has been gone over many times and it all depends on what your routine is when reloading. If you are loading Match type rifle ammo, then you deprime first and tumble in a rotary tumbler. You should use the SS pins ONLY!! The reason being that you will have like factory new primer pockets with no media to clean out.
I shoot BP cartridge in SASS matches. Before the advent of Ceramic I used walnut with rouge media but still had to clean out the stuck media in my cases and primer pockets with a prick of some sort. The same goes for the ceramic media. It cleaned the pockets very good but became stuck in the cases and after you break a few pins you learn.
The unprimed case cleaned with the pins has nothing but good results but if you only shoot 100 rounds or less a month then just use the standard methods.
The cleaning of the Primer pocket is probably one of the biggest mistakes that is done by reloaders.
If you take a close look at that primer of any size you will notice it has an anvil that projects above its rim. This anvil when seated in a clean primer pocket is driven against the base of the case and it ignites the powder charge to start the cycle of interior ballistics.
If you allow the case pocket to become filled with fouling then the primer does not seat to the proper depth so that the anvil is against the pocket wall. Then part of the hammer and firing pin blow has to first drive it forward to the proper depth so that it may ignite. It can reach a point to where you start to have ignition failure. It is all because of dirty primer pockets. This happens alot when one is using a super slick competition gun.
It all depends on what type of person your are and how much effort you put out when doing anything in your life. You may not care and let the hide go with the hair amd will only have misfires once in a while or you may produce ammo that is just as good as anything produced for sale to the public. Take Care David

[Crosbyman]

Use 2040 corn cob and your flash holes won't plug.

[jcwit]

Use 2040 corn cob and your flash holes won't plug.

While reading all the replys I was thinking the same thing. After all this time and all the reccomdations about using 20/40 grit corn cob there seems to be little excuse for still needing to dig media out of primer pockets or flash holes. Unless of course someone has a huge stock of larger media aor is using something like rice or walnut for media.

[dragon813gt]

Use 2040 corn cob and your flash holes won't plug.

Or fine walnut media from harbor freight. And while I understand why you should clean the pockets. I've found no accuracy differences, which some claim, or misfires from not cleaning them. I clean the pockets with new to me brass and shoot them till they fail.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

when I get a bunch of range brass....
I sort by caliber,
deprime (using a universal deprimer-no sizing involved)
wash in hot dishsoapy water,
soak in HOT (near boiling) citric acid solution,
Dry them.

Then I process them as needed. which includes FL sizing for Rifle, then a quick tumble in corncob media to remove the sizing lube. Then load 'em

Pistol range brass never gets tumbled.

=============================

When I process "MY" fired brass (rifle or pistol) All that's needed is usually just a short tumble in treated corncob media with primers in, to remove the sooty lube. Most of "MY" rifle brass gets neck sized only.

Good Luck,
Jon

[km101]

Use 2040 corn cob and your flash holes won't plug.


But it takes twice as long to get the brass to the state that I want with corncob media. So not really any gain.

[James6406]

I'm curious about the statement about lead dust from tumbling with primers in. How much of a concern is this?

[tom357mag]

what is the best tumbling method?

There isn't one. Rather, it comes down to one's preference.


Well said 462 , I personally tumble with primers out. Lizard litter and NU-FINISH car polish. Works for me :smile:

[smokesahoy]

I deprime first. So the first time I got media stuck in the flash hole with a primer inserted before I noticed the block, I decided to experiment and fill with powder anyway. Well primer popped out the media and ignited the powder just fine.

[rojkoh]

For pistol brass, I normally tumble with the primer in the case since these can be loaded without using case lube.

For rifle brass, I normally tumble with the primer in, them resize and deprime. I tumble aain to remove the case lube so the primer pockets get cleaned a little, but not much. After the second tumbling, the brass gets trimmed also.

If you are using stainless pins and water, you will want to deprime first or you will trap waer in the primer pocket. The pins do clean the primer pocket pretty well.


We do it differently, Pistol is easy.. but rifle you can deprime, tumble (for me in SS media) and then I come back and size after I uniform the flash hole and primer pocket (but I shoot LONG distances). Once sized, I'll toss it back into the tumbler and tumble for about 30 minutes to cut the lube. One caveat, with uniformed primer pocket (large pistol and rifle), you need to watch for pellets in the flash hole. It does happen from time to time with properly uniformed flash holes.

[rojkoh]

I deprime first. So the first time I got media stuck in the flash hole with a primer inserted before I noticed the block, I decided to experiment and fill with powder anyway. Well primer popped out the media and ignited the powder just fine.

Regardless of the fact it worked for you, it's a dangerous practice to fire ammo with the flash hole blocked by media.

[country gent]

I made a hand decapping tool that looks like a pair of needle nosed pliers. I deprime everything wash dry and tumble. A base with a recess of case dia and a pin of inside neck dia with a decapping pin set in it can be used with a hammer but is slow. I have seen pliers made up to do this also. I make mine out of aluminum flat stock so they are light and easy to handle.

[jeepvet]

I have read that most of the exposure to lead during reloading is due to spent primers. When you tumble with the primers in the lead can be powdered and easily breathed. I don't know if this is true, but it is one chance I don't need to take. I also don't like running potentially dirty brass through my sizer. So I have a Lee universal depriming die and all cases get deprimed first. Then I clean pockets with a primer pocket uniformer. This also makes repriming easier and seating more uniform. I then tumble the brass until good and clean, then resize. Although most pistol calibers may not have to be lubed to size, it sure makes it much easier to lube every 5-10 pieces. Then I will trim cases if necessary and tumble again for a few minutes to an hour to remove all the left over lube. Be sure to check all flash holes afterwards. A paper clip or another trip through the universal deprimer clears them easily. Every piece of brass I load is treated the same, rifle or pistol. I know this adds several steps to the process, but it is safer than possibly breathing lead and I enjoy the entire reloading process. I have more time than money, so I just go out to the shop have a grand old time.

[jcwit]

Regardless of the fact it worked for you, it's a dangerous practice to fire ammo with the flash hole blocked by media.

Question, please explain why/how this could be dangerous other than possibly in a self defense situation.

And again if one uses 20/40 grit media there is virtually no chance of media plugging flash holes.

[btroj]

I tumble, size, then tumble again if case lube was used.

I poke media out of the flash holes not for safety reasons but because I want to do all I can to ensure consistant ignition.
I know I have forgotten to clear the flash holes in the past and noticed no difference.

[gandog56]

I always tumble BEFORE resizing. Who know what grit could lurk on a fired case and possibly damage your die? But for all bottlenecked cases I give them a SECOND tumbling to remove the case lube, before priming them, putting in the powder, and seating the bullet. One tumbling is good enough for any straight walled cases as I have carbide sizers for all of those and don't used case lube.

[jeepvet]

I'm curious about the statement about lead dust from tumbling with primers in. How much of a concern is this?
You can read just about anything you want too on the internet. I read this somewhere in the past but do not remember where. I do not know if there is any truth in that statement, but it sounded like it might have some validity so I thought, why take the chance? As reloaders and shooters we should ALWAYS be concerned about safety. Since I already had the universal deprimer, why not go ahead and get those little boogers out and not worry about them? I also forgot to mention that after I deprime, if the brass is at all dirty or tarnished I will soak it in about 40% vinegar 60% water for several hours and rinse and dry them prior to tumbling. Talk about shinny brass!

[grampa243]

I load with a 550b so tumble first. {walnut haul]
and i don't want any dirt in my dies.
the de-priming pin makes sure the the primer hole is clear.
load all the way then tumble to take of the lube.{corn cob]

[45-70bpcr]

I load with a 550b so tumble first. {walnut haul]
and i don't want any dirt in my dies.
the de-priming pin makes sure the the primer hole is clear.
load all the way then tumble to take of the lube.{corn cob]

I'm loading on a 550b also. I wet tumble with the old ceramics I started with 15 years ago before I do anything else. Any primer residue is suspended in water and washed away. The cases are clean for my sizing die, only drawback is no cleaning of the primer pocket. I can't see where the crud builds up in the primer pocket. They always look the same to me weather they were once fired or 10 times fired? I have no problem seating the primers right down to where they belong. RCBS X-die is magic also so after initial trimming no more. I am not lazy and enjoy reloading but shortcuts in brass prep are always welcome.

[sigep749]

I use walnut lizard bedding fromPetco, cheap and fine enough it doesn't lodge in flash holes. I also use Nufinish and add some mineral spirits. Throw in a cut up dryer sheet and no dust. I've been doing all deprimed then tumble, but I'm thinking I will save a step and start tumbling with primers then run through on progressive, pistol only that is.