Tumbling Question

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  • Sfrye5853

    Plinker
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    Jan 29, 2017
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    Indianapolis, IN
    For those of you who tumbler, do you deprime first? I was thinking that I would deprime then tumble to clean the primer pocket as well. However, I just spent several minutes cleaning out each primer pocket. I'm now thinking I should wait to deprime after I tumble.
     

    turnerdye1

    Master
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    Dec 26, 2010
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    North Central IN
    I leave my cases primed for that exact reason. I no longer even worry about cleaning my primer pockets. I'm on about 10k 5.56 and havent had an issue with general plinking rounds.

    If wouldn't worry too much about the primer pockets unless youre loading match rounds or something.
     

    ilfishin

    I don't like this
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    Nov 8, 2008
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    Eastside Indy
    I deprime after tumbling for that very reason. Unless I'm loading rifle for accuracy, I don't worry to much about dirty primer pockets. I load my rifle rounds on a single stage, so cleaning the primer pockets before priming is not a big deal.
     

    Fullmag

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    Sep 4, 2011
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    Unless there’s a lot of carbon left behind in the primer pocket then it is not necessary to clean out. Tumbling after the primer has been removed will only cause more work and increase the possibility of failure to fire. If your having trouble seating the primers flush that is when the pocket should be examined.
     

    BeDome

    Sharpshooter
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    Mar 20, 2013
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    NOBLESVILLE
    I have done it both ways.

    Never any problem with either method when loading handgun rounds.
    Rifle rounds, I find that tumbling first makes everything easier. Tumbling after depriming cases on occasion causes at times a bit of tumbling media to become clogged inside the primer pocket.
    I generally use walnut shell for polishing and removal of lubricants after resizing or corn cob media for cleaning really dirty ones.

    The finer the media, the more likely it is to bind itself into tiny places, like primer pockets.
    So, it is an extra step of work to tumble after depriming, possibly. You must definitely inspect each casing before re-priming.

    Never tried the liquid tumbling with the little pellets. Sounds like a good answer to a number of possible concerns.
     

    Bennettjh

    Grandmaster
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    Jul 8, 2012
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    I tumble, then deprime. I've deprimed, then tumbled ONCE. If the primer pocket is really dirty, I'll make a couple rounds with the brush but usually it's fine.
     

    Broom_jm

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    Dec 10, 2009
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    Haven't cleaned a primer pocket in at least a decade. I used to obsess over it and I hated how the pins in the little wire brush would get all bent and twisted around. Read an article by Rocky Gibbs, talking about how critical it is to accuracy for a primer to be firmly seated in every case. He mentioned reaming the primer pocket and deburring the flash hole (once) on each case, but that cleaning the primer pocket after each firing made no difference whatsoever.

    I started sizing/depriming after tumbling, which makes the process faster and keeps my sizing die clean. The only challenge is wiping off any lube after resizing. If I'm doing a large batch of rifle cartridges, I will tumble for about an hour, resize them, then tumble again for 20 minutes or so, to get the lube off.
     

    mark40sw

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    Jul 5, 2015
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    Roanoke
    I wet tumble with ss pins & deprime first. Aids in draining water & drying.

    Never had pins stuck in primer pocket or flash hole. Only problem i have with pins is 223 can get packed with pins that have to be shook out a bit. That happens about one out of couple hundred.
     

    throttletony

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    Jul 11, 2011
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    I'll give my 2 cents here also.
    I wet tumble with SS pins, so I remove primers first. I do this for handgun (38/357, .45) and for rifle (.223, 300blk) and have had zero problems... plus they come out very clean, including the primer pocket.
     

    IndyGlockMan

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    Jul 19, 2011
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    Fishers
    Since I wet tumble with SS pins that are the correct diameter to go through the primer hole, so I naturally de-prime first.
    I just like having the whole case clean and shiny like it was when loaded the first time.
     

    Microairman1

    Marksman
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    May 9, 2016
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    New carlisle
    Depending on what I am loading depends on what I do. For most stuff I just deprime after tumbling, and if any of the primer pockets are dirtier then normal then I will clean it out. If I am doing more Important stuff like hunting loads or match grade stuff I tumble, deprime and size then tumble again and have had good luck with that
     

    BeDome

    Sharpshooter
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    Mar 20, 2013
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    NOBLESVILLE
    I have done both, before and after de-priming. I usually give them one good scrubbing tumble before I do anything else.

    I find that tumbling after de-priming can allow media to become clogged in the primer pockets with some small primer pockets.
    I use walnut and corncob media. This is easy to fix, but an extra step to consider.

    Never had this happen with large pistol, but often with .223 or small primers.

    Mostly, I intend to trim most of my recycled .223 anyway, so just a look and a tamp is enough to get going on trimming.
     

    natdscott

    User Unknown
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    Jul 20, 2015
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    I think to some extent how you clean your casings has to do with your goals and/or mindset.

    I am almost entirely precision-minded in my handloading, so my casings get cleaned accordingly. I remove ALL of everything that is not brass, simply because that is the ONLY way to make them consistent from case-to-case.

    Brass is deprimed, then SS pins 30 minutes with light soap and warm water, 10 minute rinse cool water with a little Lemishine. I tumble all the pins out, then dump them on towels to dry most of the outside water off.

    Once they are dry the final step that canNOT be skipped with SS pins is to check every casing for pins that got stuck either in the flashhole, or were just held in the casing by a bead of water. Any pins that get stuck in the flashhole are tossed in the garbage, and by doing that, you gradually improve the quality of your media (all the ones small enough to jam 2 in there sideways are weeded out).

    -Nate
     

    Sling10mm

    Expert
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    Mar 12, 2012
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    I know my process is overkill, but it's how I like doing it.

    I tumble in corncob media with primers in to remove crud before sizing, that way I'm running relatively clean cases into my sizing die. After dry tumbling I decap/size, wet tumble with ss pins, rinse in clean water, and dry on a towel.
     

    Flyingbrian

    Master
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    Jun 12, 2009
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    I know my process is overkill, but it's how I like doing it.

    I tumble in corncob media with primers in to remove crud before sizing, that way I'm running relatively clean cases into my sizing die. After dry tumbling I decap/size, wet tumble with ss pins, rinse in clean water, and dry on a towel.

    Exactly what I do except I wet tumble both times
     

    noylj

    Marksman
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    May 8, 2011
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    I can say that for any of guns, from my .25 ACP Colt pocket to my .30-06 Ruger, NONE of them shoot better with a clean primer pocket.
    If you have a 0.75MOA or smaller grouping rifle, maybe it could help.
    I have been depriming first for over 40 years because some cases have white powder in the primer pocket that falls out and gets in the press, so I deprime and let the tumbler take care of the issue. I don't need that powder on my press.
    I have cases that I picked up almost 45 years ago I still shoot and in all that time, the black soot in the primer pockets has never gotten any worse and I just don't worry about it after running my own tests.
    If you have a rotary tumbler, go to SS pins and you'll get your totally clean primer pockets (and totally clean case, inside and out) and all the shine you could ask for (but you'll tumble for about 6-8 hours with any cases not already SS pin cleaned). An Ultrasonic will totally clean cases in 10-20 minutes, but it doesn't give that shine that so many simply must have.
    Or, you can stop worrying about it...
    Here is my write-up:
    Case Cleaning
    Without a doubt the least important and most talked about part of reloading.

    1) All that is needed is to wipe off the outside of the case with a rag, unless shooting black powder. All you need to do is remove any dirt/grit from the case exterior so the sizing die isn't damaged. Accuracy does not go up with cleanliness of the case.
    2) 30 minutes with 20/40 corn will clean and polish the case exterior and remove some of the interior soot. If you deprime first, you will remove the residual white powder sometimes left in the primer pocket. The use of 20/40 grit keeps any media from packing in the flash hole or primer pocket.
    For very dirty cases with dried mud or whatever, ground nut hulls work well--but they also produce a lot of dust that can pack inside a case and take a lot of elbow grease to remove.
    Some folks like to add an abrasive to polish the brass (jeweler's rouge or Nu-Finish) and some like to add mineral spirits and paper towel/used laundry softener sheets to the media to remove some of the powder. Corn doesn't produce much powder.
    3) 10-20 minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner, using hot water/Dawn/citric acid will completely remove the soot and give the brass a slight polish. You will need to rinse the cases and let air-dry. Some go as far as to dry the cases in an oven and then tumble them for more polish. I find just air-drying on a towel is more than adequate.
    4) 6-8 hours with a rotary tumbler (some say 2 hours, but 6 hours is about the minimum for me), stainless steel pins, hot water, Dawn, and citric acid will completely clean and polish the cases. The pins have to be separated from the cases and the cases need to be rinsed and air-dried. It is best to pour off as much of the dirty solution as possible and then keep adding water and pouring it off until the solution is clear. Then, you should have a media separator (my RCBS works perfect) with the tub/bucket full of water to get the pins to fall out from the cases. Bottleneck cases can be quite stubborn.

    Everything beyond step #1 is done for the reloader's pleasure and not for any need.
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

    Future 'shootered'
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    Nov 8, 2016
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    At the Ranch.
    Those that wet tumble-ss pins... What is your wash recipe? Dawn, lemishine? What ratios? I sometimes get a result with a pale looking brass. Not real brassy brass which is what I'm trying to achieve.
     
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