Tumbling primed pistol brass

[DLCTEX]

I now use a corn cob media that is small enough that it doesn't stick in the flash holes, but I'll bet you can't stick corn cob in the flash hole tight enough that the prime will not blow it out and fire the load just fine. It seems most stuck cob enters from the base, not the mouth of the case. Maybe there is no pressure on the cob that deep in the case. I say this because if I clean cases before depriming I very rarely have found blocked flash holes, and yes, I used to check because I was worried I'd break the decapping pins. Walnut is a different matter as it always plugs the holes very hard, is difficult to blow out with compressed air and sometimes even with a pin punch.

[Lloyd Smale]

to load 223s or 308s on a progressive press i will do it two ways. I size reprime and then tumble then bring it back to the press to finish or i will load the complete round and tumble them for about a 1/2 hour to get the lube off.

I would have two questions: why would you want to tumble brass that has already been primed and not reloaded? were the primers seated into filthy brass? If the brass is halfway decently clean I would reload the brass and then if you felt a need to tumble, then tumble after reloading. That would remove any doubt of damaging the primers. It's not so much of a safety issue as it is just being practical. I would not want any kind of media tumbling around all over the detonation side of the primers....too much chance of damage. Just my two little bitty cents worth.

[REDTAIL]

I agree with Jmorris, I tumble my loaded brass for years never any problems firing them or accuracy problems etc.

[Burnt Fingers]

I agree with Jmorris, I tumble my loaded brass for years never any problems firing them or accuracy problems etc.

Ya know this is a nine year old thread?

[RED BEAR]

I do it all the time i size , bell and prime my brass and place in plastic jar with stay dry pack. When ready to reload i just polish them back up or polish them after loading been doing it for over 40 years with no ill effects.

[onelight]

My knee jerk reaction is that is a terrible idea..... but apparently not it’s working all of you guys.
Learn something new every day

[BigAlofPa.]

Sometimes bumping an old thread is good. If someone had the same question.

[osteodoc08]

Attack of the zombie thread.

Some one took tumbled loaded rounds here years ago (Larry Gibson perhaps) and noted no change in velocity or performance. I think y’all are over thinking it. One of the gun rags took primered cases with cob in the flash hole and didn’t change a thing either.

Personally, I’d just load and shoot them. If someone doesn’t like how it looks, well, they don’t have to shoot them. If I had to have pristine cases I’d just tumble the cases as is before loading. But that’s just me.