New reloader question

[fanchisimo]

I am trying to get into reloading and have finally gotten all of the components to start reloading. I ordered some once fired brass to start. I didn't get a depriming die but the sizing die does that. The question is

1) Is it okay to run the brass through the sizing/depriming die while still dirty to remove the primer then running it through an ultrasonic cleaner or...

2) Should I run it through the cleaner with the spent primer in it to clean the brass surface, resize/deprime, then run it through the cleaner again to get the primer pocket?

Thanks for whatever info provided.

 

[gspn]

I clean the cases first (with spent primers still in place)...then lube...then run them into the re-size/de-prime die. (Don't forget to lube the cases so you don't get one stuck in the resizing die.)

I clean the primer pockets manually with a primer pocket cleaning tool.

I think you'd be adding too much work by putting the cases back into the cleaner a second time just to get the primer pockets cleaned.

 

[LiveLife]

For rifle cases, I use a universal decapping/depriming die to remove the primers without sizing the cases. After the cases and the primer pockets are clean, I then resize the cases, trim to length and chamfer the case neck.

For pistol cases, I tumble them first in fine grit walnut media and NuFinish then resize/deprime.

 

[Shmackey]

For all but the most accuracy-critical rifle rounds, clean primer pockets are overrated.

 

[flipajig]

Pistol brass I clean resize,de prime,prime and load
Rifle brass there is a few more steps involved to loading.
Flip

 

[frankenstein406]

i just throw mine in a bucket of lemi shine and stir it around a few times, let dry then decap prime ect.

 

[steve4102]

Clean your brass before sizing. Keeps the crap out of the die, don't want crap in the die.

 

[noylj]

I prefer to deprime, inspect, and sort all my cases prior to loading.
I use 20/40 corn and it doesn't pack in the primer pocket or get caught in the flash hole.
If one goes ultrasonic or stainless steel pins, then NOT depriming first defeats the OCD need for the wet cleaning.
If you size a dirty case, you jam dirt/grit into the case and the die. If the grit is in the die, you will get racing stripes on all the cases that follow until you clean the die.
I have never bent or broke a depriming pin on my Lee Universal Depriming Die.

 

[Centurian22]

My brass comes out of the bolt gun and stays on the table 99% of the time so I resize / deprime, trim (if needed), chamfer/deburr, brush inside of neck, extra fine steel wool the outside, then US clean. Any range pick up I'd probably clean first and scrape the primer pocket.

 

[Grumulkin]

I have never cleaned brass before resizing.

 

[jcwit]

A few things to consider. In my case I deprime and resize then tumble to clean, this is for handgun cases which I have carbide dies for. I'm 69 yrs old and its highly unlikely I'll live long enough to wear out the carbide dies in the years I have left.

For bottle neck rifle I wash the cases before sizing then tumble, this way I have little to no chance of scratching the interior of the die.

This is the way I do it.

Frankly there is little danger of scratching carbide dies anyway. Unless you have diamonds in your dirt.

 

[Spammy_H]

1) Is it okay to run the brass through the sizing/depriming die while still dirty to remove the primer then running it through an ultrasonic cleaner or... No, don't do it. The priming compound will leach from the primers, staining your brass. Use a universal decapping die (Lee has one for less than $15) to decap before cleaning in an ultrasonic cleaner. I know this from personal experience.

2) Should I run it through the cleaner with the spent primer in it to clean the brass surface, resize/deprime, then run it through the cleaner again to get the primer pocket? - This is what I do for cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner: 1 - decap; 2 - clean; 3 - resize / reload. Resizing before cleaning will result in scratched resizing dies, which can also result in scratched brass. Cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner before decapping will result in stained brass from the priming compound. To be honest, I don't know if/how the priming compound staining would affect the properties of the brass, but it sure looks ugly.

I only clean with an ultrasonic cleaner, and use 1 oz. of Alconox Citranox per 2.2l batch of water. The 1 gal. bottle costs ~~$40 at Amazon, and lasts forever. It's a lab instrument cleaner, suggested on another forum by a labtech/reloader.

 

[James2]

I have reloaded for many years. It wasn't until just a couple of years ago when I got on the internet, that I heard about washing brass and tumbling brass. Believe me it is not necessary. Do it if it makes you feel better.

In the old days out rabbit hunting all spent brass went into a pocket, By the end of the day rattling around in the pocket, it was cleaned. Just size re-prime and load.

Sometimes in bad weather conditions some brass would end up with some mud on it. Just wipe it off with a rag, size re-prime and load. Or if they have a bit of black soot on them, same thing.

I have loaded many thousands of rounds with never cleaning a primer pocket. Doesn't seem to matter much as long as the new ones will go flush. Oh, I do clean some now and then, but my point is for the most part it is not necessary.

Brass does not need to be bright and shiny to work just fine. That dark patina doesn't affect its usefulness one iota.

And......... I have never worn out a set of dies. De-priming punches break now and then and I even had a stem fail, but the sizer itself seems to go on ............. and on.
Dies are made of carbon steel and hardened. Brass is not hard enough to ever mar them. It would take something hard, like sand, on the brass to make a scratch. A reasonable amount of caution will prevent that ever happening.

Now lets go unload some rounds so we have something to re-load.

 

[fanchisimo]

Thanks guys.