[blackops]

This is a simple one. Do you prep your cases before or after you tumble? Why?

[Afy]

Before.. it just is easier working with clean cases.

[shootinxd]

Before to keep my dies from damage,after to make em shinny!

[Franco]

Similar to shootinxd. I have two bags of walnut. One is older/dirtier and one is newer/less dirty. I run my dirty brass through the older walnut in my vibrator a couple hours before I size/deprime them. I want to keep all of that soot out of my dies. I then run them a couple hours in the new walnut to really clean them up before I work on the primer pockets, trim, debur, etc. After a couple months, About once a year, I throw away the old walnut, replace it with the newer walnut (which is now old) and then buy a brand new bag to replace that one.

[qajaq59]

I do it before simply to keep dirt out of my dies.

[jcwit]

I deprime with punch and hammer, not going into an explanation, its just how I like to do it. Then I resize, then polish, have shinnerbrass that way. If using carbide dies, dirt isn't going to wear them or hurt them any more than your wifes wedding rings diamond is going to wear flat.

Not saying its not not possible to wear them some, just that you'll never live long enough to measure it.

[Six]

Tumble first with some 1x1 pieces of dryer sheets to soak up the dirt.

It really cuts down on the mess at the reloading table, and, it's far easier to see defects.

[Walkalong]

Tumble, size, prep, tumble to remove lube and and any loose brass shavings.

[The Bushmaster]

Same as Walkalong...And for the same reason.

[SASS#23149]

I tumble before...why plug flash holes up with media? the pockets don't benefit from tumbling imho.

[Canuck-IL]

Decap, tumble, size, tumble. I use fine walnut shell only - no corn cob and no plugged flash holes.
/Bryan

[Peter M. Eick]

Tumble, size, prep then tumble again. Just like others have said. Get it clean to go into the dies, get the gunk out of the case after I prepped, and sized it.

[Nate1778]

Tumble, size, tumble with rifle

Tumble then load with pistol.

[Mags]

For Pistol cases I tumble, size then load.
For Rifle I tumble, lube, size, trim, prime, then tumble again to remove any lube residue and then I load.

[williek69]

Deprime

Tumble followed by a quick inspection to catch the obvious

Clean primer pocket

Resize/trim followed by cleaning off case lube if not using carbide dies

Tumble with newer walnut shell media followed by a 100% inspection under magnifier.

Then finish processing.

Before I consider my cartridges are ready to shoot, I do one last 100% inspection.

It's OK to call me anal, but at least I'm alive to take the abuse.

[blackops]

For Rifle I tumble, lube, size, trim, PRIME, then tumble again to remove any lube residue and then I load.

Tumbling primed cases? Honestly never heard of that one.

I noticed a lot of guys tumble twice. So tumbling won't effect with the factory dimensions or flaw any of your prep work on the cases either?

[Randy1911]

I tumble first. Then size and rinse in Acetone to remove lube. Acetone is a great de-greaser and dries very fast. I then trim, and deburr, swage primer pockets if needed. then I load.

[jcwit]

I tumble before...why plug flash holes up with media? the pockets don't benefit from tumbling imho.

Use 20/40 size grit corn cob and you won't have that problem.

[Mags]

Yep I tumble primed brass, no detonations yet. I don't get media in the flash hole when I tumble my primed brass.

[Joemyxplyx]

Pistol cases are easy. Tumble, then run through the progressive press where they are a) deprimed & sized, b) charged and belled, c) bullet seated and d) crimped.

Rifle is tumble, then a) deprime, lube & resize. Then various processes are done: trim if necessary, remove primer pocket swage if necessary before they go in the progressive press where they are b) charged, c) bullet seated and maybe d) crimped then they are e) tumbled to remove the lube done in step a).

I'm hoping the RCBS X-Die will enable me to run the rifle brass through just like pistol brass with the addition of the lube and then tumble at the end.

[billybob44]

I clean all brass first. Then I will load handgun ammo+pack it away. I will re-size rifle brass+trim to specs. then back into tumbler to clean off lube. I will load the rifle round+ sometimes back into the tumbler, just to dress up a little=20-30min.:D;)

[Franco]

You tumble after they are charged and primed? That sounds pretty dangerous. (to: Joemyxplyx). I tumble just a bit before resizing/depriming just to keep crap out of my dies, then tumble longer afterwards to get rid of lube and really clean. No adverse affect on the previous resizing at all.

[jcwit]

You tumble after they are charged and primed?

The ammo mfg's do this before ammo is packaged. Nothing wrong with it. Personally I don't do it as I shoot my own cast lead bullets, but no its not dangerous at all.

[Joemyxplyx]

France wrote: You tumble after they are charged and primed? That sounds pretty dangerous. (to: Joemyxplyx)

It's not dangerous. It's hard enough to get them to go off when hit with a firing pin. I've got factory ammo with dimples in the primers that didn't go off. I don't have a tumbler with holes in from tumbling loaded rounds.

There have been discussions here and there on THR about the safety of tumbling loaded rounds. The consensus is that that it's not dangerous.

Ammo is shipped all over the country loose in barrels and cans. The rounds never go off. The reason factory is all nice and shiny is because it's tumbled after loading it.

Now something that does have the potential for an explosion is decaping live primers. Something I do from time to time. :):)

[jcwit]

Now something that does have the potential for an explosion is decaping live primers. Something I do from time to time.


This also is OK as long as you use pressure and not a quick hit. Remember primers go off from impact not a slow crush. I.ve deprimed hundreds, probably thousands, of cases with no problem. My bigest problem when depriming is keeping track of the primer when the case lets it go. Dang gone BiFocals.

[bullseye308]

Deprime with the Lee decapper & base then tumble. Resize and tumble if they don't shine like I like them to. Hand prime then box them up by the thousand. Load as needed.

After the ride through the tumbler I remove whatever media is in the flash hole with the decapper. Only takes a min.