Tumbling Question

[oldguyguns]

Just started reloading this winter. Question, when tumbling pistol brass---do you remove the old primers first????

 

[SEIndSAM]

Just started reloading this winter. Question, when tumbling pistol brass---do you remove the old primers first????

I don't. I tumble the brass first so that the dirty brass doesn't scratch up my carbide dies.

 

[Vamptepes]

I do but i wash my brass and sort it out first. Then deprime/resize then tumble.

 

[T/C Guy]

Just started reloading this winter. Question, when tumbling pistol brass---do you remove the old primers first????

You can use a "universal depriming die" which doesn't touch the brass to remove the old primers before tumbling and your primer pockets will be cleaner but you will have to dig tumbling media out of most of those pockets. Or you can tumble first, remove the primers and then clean the pockets with a small wire brush made for this purpose. A third option, which I think most of us use, is to de-prime re-prime and not worry about having pristine primer pockets (except for premium performance loads). You will have to decide what is most important for your type of shooting.

 

[Ash]

Just as T/C Guy recommended. A universal depriming die is nice to have around.... also for another reason. If you are saving brass (range pickup, for resale, etc.) in a caliber that you do not reload (or never intend to), you can deprime, and tumble/clean the cases as needed. It could net a few more dollars, or you just may get around to using them in the future.

Cheers.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I tumble before I size.

 

[nascarfantoo]

I have a separate single stage press with a universal reloading die set up just for depriming. Mine are deprimed dirty.

 

[8th SPS USAF]

I never remove the primers before tumbling -you could fill the primer pocket with cleaner, and not be able to seat your primers.

 

[red_zr24x4]

A third option, which I think most of us use, is to de-prime re-prime and not worry about having pristine primer pockets (except for premium performance loads). You will have to decide what is most important for your type of shooting.

^^ This is what I do ^^ Tumble, De-prime, prime, load , repeat

 

[bmbutch]

^^ This is what I do ^^ Tumble, De-prime, prime, load , repeat

Just started reloading, thus far all went bang & on target. I've been doing ^^^This^^^ so far.

 

[Kirkd]

With corn cob / walnut media tumbling, I leave the primers in place. When I use the ultrasonic cleaner, I remove the primers first. If I had wet tubled with stainles steel pins, I would remove the primes first.

i think I'm convinced that a clean primer pocket would only benefit from precision reloading. That is what I use the ultrasonic cleaner for. I'm going to upgrade the Lee turret press to a Dillon 650 and will probably tumble, lube, and then drop the cases into the case feeder and run them through the progressive.

i'll keep the Lee single stage press for mu precision reloading. When I say precision, I'm referring to my F-class rifle where I shoot at 1K yards.

 

[dieselrealtor]

If using a vibratory tumbler then tumble with primers in.
Wet SS media tumbling you can use a universal decapping die to deprime, then tumble

 

[Contender]

I do it both ways. Sometimes de-prime with a universal de-prime die and then tumble in a vibratory with walnut media. If any media sticks in the primer hole it will come out when you size the case.

I also do sometimes throw them in the vibratory cleaner and deprime after. I do clean the primer pockets by hand if I do this.

 

[RSW]

No. The primer helps keep the primer hole free of media.

 

[87iroc]

First time I tumbled brass, I deprimed first. Saw that most don't do that and after digging walnut shells out of the primer pockets I've started depriming after cleaning.

 

[Gluemanz28]

^^ This is what I do ^^ Tumble, De-prime, prime, load , repeat

This is what I do as well. I do NOT cut corners, but I also don't do extra work to keep me from shooting them.

 

[FERLACH]

If I deprime first, I sometimes get priming media in the open primer pocket, so I always clean and then deprime.

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

I leave the primer in

 

[billt]

Curiosity made me try an experiment once. I had a dozen .223 cases I did a light tumble on in ground corn cob, to remove resizing lube from the case and inside the case mouth. After I removed them from the tumbler, they all had a kernel of media stuck in the flask hole. I left it and marked the cases, and went ahead and reloaded them. All 12 went bang.

It stands to reason if the pressure from a primer alone can stick a bullet in the barrel, it can just as well blow out a piece of polishing media from an .080 dia. flash hole. I'm not suggesting that anyone knowingly leave media in their flash holes. But if a few get passed your eye, it's nothing to lose any sleep over. Anything I tumble in corn cob goes through a decapping die before a new primer is seated. That way I'm guaranteed every flash hole is clear.

 

[Classic]

1. Universal depriming tool
2. Stainless media tumble
3. Dry lube
4. Load