Tumble brass before decapping?

[MrRob96]

Depends. With pistol brass and carbide dies, tumble first. The sizing die also decaps, so you want clean brass.

For rifle, I decap then clean, because I'm not using a combination carbide decapper/sizer combo.

The extra step to polish 9mm primer pockets in my opinion is just not worth it.

These guys know what's up. Anything more for pistol brass isn't worth the trouble. Too many steps to make the entire reloading process worth while.

Rifle cartridges are a different story. I want my primer pockets clean and inspectable for them.

Pistol: tumble before resizing and decapping

Rifle: decap and then ultrasonic cleaner

 

[MrRob96]

um
The de-priming pin in the sizing die will dislodge any media left in the primer pockets from dry/vibe tumbling.

Which then goes into my primer catch can... No thanks.

The media being stuck in the flashhole is a real annoyance and the decapping pin used to knock it out isn't a great solution. Best solution IMHO is to not get it in there at all.

 

[MrRob96]

To OP: experiment with the methods to find what you like. Case prep for pistols is very forgiving. Some people don't even clean pistol brass unless it's coated in dirt and grit from the range that could damage the dies.

 

[Flatfish]

So,

with the wet method, I can just use my regular Dillon tumbler, but I gotta dump a bunch of water/liquid out when I am done.

Had no idea those things were even waterproof.

I do like the idea of super clean brass. Even if it doesn't matter. Call it pride or vanity.

Edit- After watching a few vids, it don't look like I will be doing wet method any time soon. A lot of effort, time, equipment, space and crud. Clean brass sounds spiffy. But the downsides don't offset that much headache.

 

[RVTECH]

I do like the idea of super clean brass. Even if it doesn't matter. Call it pride or vanity.

So do I - and clean primer pockets prime easier than dirty ones - at least with my Lee hand primer that is.
Some of the brass in the pic is very old (30's -40's) and could never have been used without liquid tumbling with pins due to age tarnish and blackening.

 

[MrRob96]

I do like the idea of super clean brass. Even if it doesn't matter. Call it pride or vanity.

This is basically the primary reason I've ever heard to justify all the extra steps for brass cleaning.

 

[Helocat]

I do a pre clean of my brass with dawn, lemon juice & hot water in a plastic canister with a tight lid. I shake it vigerously then let sit for a while then rinse and dry.

I pre wash wet as well, but just a 5 gallon bucket and a few drops of dish soap. I reach in and adgigate it around for a bit, then dump the water and rinse with flowing water. I do not dry. They then go directly into the tumbler with SS pins and the concoction car wash w/ wax and citric acid. Only post tumbling/rinse to they go to drying.

Which then goes into my primer catch can... No thanks.

The media being stuck in the flashhole is a real annoyance and the decapping pin used to knock it out isn't a great solution. Best solution IMHO is to not get it in there at all.

Definitely a personal opinion item here. My spent primmer catch can is just used carbon and dead primers so recycle trash for me.

When corn cob vibratory cleaning I used to always get a few corn bits lodged in the flash hole even with the primer in place. Never had an issue with the de capping pin punching out the stuck media.

Since I switched to tumbling wet with SS pins, never had a pin get stuck. Even with rifle case deprimed.

Rifle: I prewash, clean, deprime, trim/resize, reclean, anneal, then prime and load. Loading for 5.56 is done on multi stage, precision loading for .308 final stage is on a D550 with seat and crimp stations.

Pistol: I prewash, clean and load on multi stage press. D1050

So,

with the wet method, I can just use my regular Dillon tumbler, but I gotta dump a bunch of water/liquid out when I am done.

Had no idea those things were even waterproof.

I do like the idea of super clean brass. Even if it doesn't matter. Call it pride or vanity.

Unless Dillon released something new, they do not make a tumbler to use for wet processing brass. All the Dillon brass cleaners I am aware of are dry vibratory cleaners. They do a decent job but wet is what gives us crazy clean looking brass. For wet usually a rotating tumbler is used with stainless steel pins, water and either commercial soap or home brew like most of us use. ANY questions on wet polishing, just search to topic lots of posts on it. Then post up a new question if not on the board.

 

[Flatfish]

I think there's upsides to super cleaning. Makes inspecting brass a little easier (Especially for those folks who's eyes don't see as sharp as they used to) to visually detect imperfections.

If you have some really ugly brass (That may be questionable at a minimum), and could use a QC session before deciding if it will go into inventory or garbage can. If for no other reason that to protect reloading equipment from crud. Totally makes sense.

 

[Helocat]

I think there's upsides to super cleaning. Makes inspecting brass a little easier (Especially for those folks who's eyes don't see as sharp as they used to) to visually detect imperfections.

If you have some really ugly brass (That may be questionable at a minimum), and could use a QC session before deciding if it will go into inventory or garbage can. If for no other reason that to protect reloading equipment from crud. Totally makes sense.

Remember inspecting brass starts when your picking it up at the range. That's when the majority of the rejects are ID'ed for me.

 

[RVTECH]

Highly cleaned, and pin tumbled brass cycles through guns easier - especially semi autos.

 

[Tilos]

Which then goes into my primer catch can... No thanks.

The media being stuck in the flashhole is a real annoyance and the decapping pin used to knock it out isn't a great solution. Best solution IMHO is to not get it in there at all.

OH, OK then...never mind

edit: I don't understand what's bad about media in the primer catch can?
To me, you are digging a hole, you might want to quit posting here, just sayin'

 

[Tilos]

I think there's upsides to super cleaning. Makes inspecting brass a little easier (Especially for those folks who's eyes don't see as sharp as they used to) to visually detect imperfections.

If you have some really ugly brass (That may be questionable at a minimum), and could use a QC session before deciding if it will go into inventory or garbage can. If for no other reason that to protect reloading equipment from crud. Totally makes sense.

Yes, all of that
PLUS doing a visual powder check is way easier with brass that's shiny on the inside.
So there's that, something else for the "dry" crowd to consider

 

[pharmseller]

Rifle brass:

Tumble
Neck size and deprime, reprime

I don't clean primer pockets.



P

 

[drillah]

Thanks everyone for the replies - much appreciated. Here's what I've decided.
Since I'm new to reloading I'm going to start with 9mm, be as detailed as I can then tone it down over time as I learn. (I've got 10k+ empty cases)
1) I'll wash the brass in a bucket. (Some of the stuff I have is pretty rough looking but might be good still)
2) I'll decap it without resizing.
3) Wet tumble.
4) Then run it through the proper die and prime.

Thanks again.

 

[awshoot]

It probably doesn't matter really, but since I'm cleaning the brass I feel I might as well get what I can out of the primer pockets, so I decap first then run through either a vibratory tumbler with corncob and a squirt of polish, or a rotary tumbler with steel pins. My criteria for which tumbler I use is the number of brass -- if it's just a hundred I'll use the vibrator.

I will say that brass comes out shinier in my vibratory tumbler, but cleaner in my wet tumbler (primer pockets in particular). I'm not using wax though -- I'll have to try that. It seems like the brass out of the wet tumbler is real shiny at first, but then dulls over the course of several days (maybe it's my well water -- it tastes great but definitely has minerals).

 

[MrRob96]

To me, you are digging a hole, you might want to quit posting here, just sayin'

??

Can't handle a contrary opinion about tumbling?

 

[osprey]

Don't overcomplicate things at first. Get a single stage press and a lee universal decapper to knock all the primers out. Then get one of the harbor freight dual drum rotary tumblers and some ss pins. Buy some good carbide dies for your straight wall pistol cartridges and a good loading manual and get your feet wet. You will develop your own preferences as you go.

 

[thorborg]

I decap first for 2 & 1/2 reasons.
First because the filth that comes from the caps is reduced by 3/4 either extending the use of the media and rouge, or making the rinse easier if wet tumbling.
Second, drying goes much faster because liquid is trapped in the cap and sometimes causing streaks regardless of lemishine when fluid drips out during drying.
The last is 1/2 due to the die used, Sizing steel dies wears faster with gunk and to a lesser degree can get build up in them whereas the carbide Seems impervious and just laughs it off.
It really all depends on how persnickety you are about your brass and maybe your dies. The finished product doesn't care how it got there or what it looks like.

Since I inspect all my brass regardless of my process, having the cap gone aids in that plus having a dental pick in my hand to remove any errant media lodged in the hole is no big deal.

 

[1911Man]

Welcome to the wonderful world of cursing Those Who Shoot Small Primer .45ACP with all the bad words you know and some you make up because you need them, too.

 

[bikemutt]

For rifle brass:

One of the reasons I wet tumble with SS pins is it cleans the primer pockets as part of the process, accordingly I de-prime the brass first.

Some folks don't like that SS tumbling also removes carbon from the inside of the neck, they see that carbon as being a lubricant of sorts ensuring more consistent neck tension. I don't feel that way myself but, to each their own.

The only downside I've found to SS pin tumbling is a requirement to ensure pins are removed prior to induction annealing; those pins can ruin a very expensive piece of equipment. Then again, do I want wayward pins in the case? Nope, I'd make sure the brass was free of pins anyway.