Author Topic: Spent Primers and Tumbling (Read 706 times)

rmtaylor · « **on:** January 01, 2006, 12:12:07 PM »

Just curious who knocks out spent primers before tumbling or do most people do it after as part of the sizing operation. I have always knocked them out first with a Lee depriming die but I am getting tired of having to pick the media out of the primer flash hole.

Richard

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #1 on:** January 01, 2006, 01:31:18 PM »

I leave them because It does get rid of a last bit of media if it's left in there. But if I'm cleaning two batches of the same type of case for different firearms I might leave primers in one but not the other so I can seperate them.

Tom W. · « **Reply #2 on:** January 01, 2006, 01:50:19 PM »

I punch them out, and poke the flashholes out as I inspect the cases.

Tn Jim · « **Reply #3 on:** January 01, 2006, 04:38:30 PM »

I've always resized and deprimed before tumbling. If there is any media left in the flashholes I've just been poking it out with a tooth pick as I inspected the case.

Chuck White · « **Reply #4 on:** January 02, 2006, 04:23:51 AM »

Quote from: rmtaylor

I have always knocked them out first with a Lee depriming die but I am getting tired of having to pick the media out of the primer flash hole.

Richard

Richard; Whether you deprime before or after you tumble, if there was going to be media in the flashhole it will be there either way!
If you deprime after you tumble, you stand a very good chance of bending or breaking your decapping pin or the rod itself, if there is media in the flashhole!

I resize and deprime in one step, before tumbling!
Next, I use a small scribe to pick out stuck media while I'm checking over my brass!

longwinters · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2006, 05:17:11 AM »

I am another guy that resizes and de-primes before tumbling. I dont know if having cleaning media, stuck in the primer etc..., can hurt or not, but I figure why take the chance. If there is media stuck in the flash hole I just poke it out with small allen wrench. I have to look at the primer pockets anyway since tumbling does not clean out the primer pocket so I do that on my trim pro.

Long

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2006, 07:41:08 AM »

It amounts to about the same amount of work either way you do it. Like Chuck White said, even if you tumble before you de-prime, you'll still get some media pressed into the edges of the flash holes, so you'll still have to check each case, and get it out.

The one plus to tumbling before sizing is that your cases go through the sizer a lot neater, and easier than if they're dirty. This is more apparent when running pistol cases through carbide dies. If you don't clean them first, a lot of times you'll end up with scratched cases from the powder residue on the brass.

Swamp Yankee · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2006, 07:55:40 AM »

RM Taylor,
I use a Lee depriming die before I tumble. I don't run dirty brass through my resizing dies as it can score the insides.......Jim

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2006, 03:01:49 PM »

I deprime every thing that I have shot using a RCBS universal decaper die. I inspect at this time also. The tumbling may get media in the flash hole, but the primer pocket gets clean too. I keep a "Dust off" spray can on the bench to blow off any media.
Jim

rmtaylor · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2006, 03:25:19 PM »

Thanks for all your replies. It sounds like most of you do what I do now. I also have always tumbled before sizing because I like putting clean brass in my sizing die.

I guess sometimes there are just no shortcuts:)

Thanks again,

Richard

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2006, 07:06:26 PM »

I tumble also before resizing and decapping.I use a RCBS pocket cleaner and flash hole cleaner next.Have been know to tumble them twice.I like them pretty

...........Rick

Dand · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2006, 10:54:01 PM »

I tumble first. The whole reason I got a tumbler was so I wouldn't be running dirty brass through my dies.

I didn't consider a special deprime die - an oversight (and cheap) on my part.

But I've had more hassles with media in the flash hole with deprimed brass than if I tumble first. I haven't had a lot of troubles with my deprime pins or rods. Maybe 'cause I usually clean up my flash holes with a Lyman tool when I start with new brass.

williamlayton · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2006, 01:19:03 AM »

Are most of these replys from guys who are talking about rifle/bottleneck cases when you resize and deprime?
Does it make any difference on straight walled pistol cases?
Blessings

TNrifleman · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2006, 02:37:02 AM »

I deprime with a Lee decapping die and then tumble. Yes, the media does often get stuck in the flash hole, but I quickly remove it with a 1/16" pin punch that I keep handy for just that job. No sweat, really...

bunsen · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2006, 02:43:18 AM »

I tumble first, then lube, resize/deprime, then tumble again to remove lube. I might be overdoing it but it doesn't hurt anything.

longwinters · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2006, 10:32:02 AM »

I dont let my brass fly out, on ejection, and hit the ground so it is not dirty when I resize and deprime. So it cannot scratch the inside of the die. But really I dont think it makes much difference.

Long

BigJakeJ1s · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2006, 04:46:43 PM »

I deprime before tumbling, before sizing. But I leave the depriming rod in the sizer so it will punch out any media in the flash hole.

Andy

Steve P · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2006, 09:53:23 PM »

Quote from: bunsen

I tumble first, then lube, resize/deprime, then tumble again to remove lube. I might be overdoing it but it doesn't hurt anything.

Sounds like the right way to do it to me. I do it the same. Have two different tumblers. One for dirty fired brass and one for cleaned/sized/lubed brass.

Quote from: longwinters

I dont let my brass fly out, on ejection, and hit the ground so it is not dirty when I resize and deprime. So it cannot scratch the inside of the die. But really I dont think it makes much difference. .

I have never seen powder burn so clean as to not get brass dirty. I bet you have smokey carboned up necks on your brass just like the rest of us. It won't make a difference on the first few hundred brass thru the dies, but it will begin to show soon enough. Keep checking those necks with a magnifying glass....

Dies and brass are cheap. Just load safe.

Have fun.

Steve

davem270win · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2006, 08:38:30 AM »

I tumble first, since I don't want to scratch my dies with dirty brass. (I don't know about you, but I usually manage to drop a few cases in the dirt, besides the powder residue, etc.). I use one tumbler, but two different medias. I clean the dirty brass with walnut hull media, and after I have resized, deprimed, and trimmed. I tumble again using less agressive corncob media. This removes whatever lube is on the cases and also cleans the now empty primer pocket. I have my tumbler on a cheap on-off timer, with only an 'off' pin installed. I just set the amount of time I want the cases to tumble, turn it on, and walk away. Once it stops, it won't come on again, even if I leave it for a week. I adjust the time based on how dirty the brass is, but generally 3 - 4 hours before resizing, and 2 hours after.

longwinters · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2006, 01:02:16 PM »

Steve,

Never thought of that. I have fired probably over a 1000 rounds, and resized etc..., out of at least one of my rifles and I have no scratching going on from powder residue. But maybe it has something to do with the powders we use. I would be interested in what experiences others have had concerning this.

Thanks for the info, it is worth thinking about.

Long