newbie case cleaning, depriming question

[chickenfried]

Hi guys a friend and I are about to start reloading, on a single stage press. For now I think we're just going to start with pistol calibers. We're having different points of view regarding case cleaning and depriming. After reading through his speer loading manual, he's planning to deprime as a first step then wet clean his brass with soap and water. Because he thinks his brass is too dirty to be cleaned by the tumbler. AFter that deprime the brass, then clean the brass in the tumbler.

My opinion is, that's the whole point of the nice lyman pro magnum tumbler he bought, to clean brass. Just clean the brass with the tumbler (that's what it's for) then deprime the brass when it's being resized. Why add an extra step and spend more money for an extra part?

 

[Valkman]

You are corect!

Single stage takes long enough without adding extra steps - tumble, size & deprime.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

A little clarification: If its dirty, the tumbler will do it's job. If it's corroded throw it out.

And I always tumble before I deprime. It's much easier on your dies. Then if I want it really pretty I use a second tumbler I set up with a less abrasive media for polishing.

BTW: If that's the only manual you have go get at least 2 more. Use them for load data cross-reference. That way when you see something that looks out of wack, you've got a second and third source to cross-check.

Go get a can of Hornady "one-shot" case lube. It will save you TONS of time.

And I hope you bought carbide dies?

 

[dodgestdshift]

I have the RCBS universal depriming die, so I deprime, tumble, then size. There is no right way in this, both ways work. I wouldn't use soap & water because you now have to get out all the soap, and then make sure it is completely dry. The tumbler should be enough. There are chemical cleaners that can be added to the media to make the cases shine. But, be careful they don't contain ammonia, which will weaken the brass.

 

[BluesBear]

If you deprime then tumble and then size you should make sure you also decap again when you size. If you don't, then sooner or later you will get a piece of media lodged in a flash hole. I loaded 10 that had walnut hull media lodged in the flash holes. Lodged from the pocket side. 2 of the 10 didn't fire. That was enough for me. SInce I was resizing/decapping before tumbling, I put the decapping pins back in my old RCBS expander dies.

I used to do it that way. I figured, heck why not clean the primer pocket in the tumbler. But it was an extra step. When you're loading 4000-5000 rounds a week that extra step takes a lot of time. So I did a bit of testing on dirty primer pockets. I fired 50 primers in 20 cases and could tell no difference in primer seating depth that in a case that had a clean pocket.
There was also no difference in accuracy beteween the "dirty" cases, the same load in 20 once fired cases and the same load in 20 brand new cases.

 

[dodgestdshift]

I use a straightened paper clip to clear the flash holes. It takes time, but I like to have the media work on the primer pocket (personal opinion no proof it does clean the primer pocket).

 

[yankytrash]

I likes da clean primer pockets. Usin carbide dies, you won't wear'm out in your lifetime - decap first.

If you're using single stage, as I still do, take the time you would've spent brushing the holes and just inspect each for stuck media. Even though the dodge lover there has a horrible taste in cars/trucks , he's hit the nail on the head with the paper clip idea, or use a pipe cleaner.


After all, if you're going through all the trouble of reloading, why not take the extra step making sure the primer pocket is clean, it certainly can't hurt. What I'm trying to say is this -

Don't take shortcuts now, so early in the game. As I tell all my beginning carpenters/laborers, "Do it right today if it takes you all day, speed will come with experience."

 

[Standing Wolf]

I use a straightened paper clip to clear the flash holes. It takes time, but I like to have the media work on the primer pocket (personal opinion no proof it does clean the primer pocket).

I do the same thing sometimes. My belief—I have no hard data—is that tumbling cleans primer pockets a little, but not as much as I'd like. If a pocket looks dirty, I use a brush on it.

 

[mete]

I have always first deprimed (only) then dumped cases into boiling water and detergent, then rinsed and dried. Depriming first helps get the primer pocket clean. Washing gets off dirt and lube ( sand is very abrasive and will even wear out carbide dies, I've seen it happen )Proper procedure always includes inspecting the brass which will save you embarrassing moments.

 

[jval]

Cleaning primer pockets is easy now-a-days with these new battery powered drills. They sit upright on the battery in the base...so just stick the little brush in the chuck, keep the drill on your bench in reach and it's always ready for about 2 seconds of extra effort at the beginning or tail-end of some other step where you have the casing already in your hand.