Progressive Brass Processing - Help

[MtnCreek]

I'm loading high volumes of milspec brass on Dillon 650's. Mostly 5.56 & 7.62.

My Process:
Tumble to Clean Brass
FL Size and Trim (on 650 press)
Remove Primer Crimps (super swage)
Tumble a little more to remove lube and any brass shavings.


Now I'm ready to load. Only problem is there is media in the flash hole! I need something in station #1 to remove the media. Two options that I can think of would be either a decapping die or deck sizing die.

Decapping Die: These dies are not shaped to the deminsions of the brass, so I'm concerned the decapping pin may not align itself and could miss the flash hole. Dillon reccomends that that the cases are not seated fully (firmly) into the shell holder. Has anyone used this method? If so, did it work well?

Neck Sizing Die: I think this would remove media from the flash hole, but I don't want to overwork the case necks. There will be no lube used.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

You should have no problem with alignment using a dedicated depriming die.
The rod that holds the pin in my Lee depriming die measures .210", so it is pretty much self-aligning in a .223 case neck. Wouldn't be in a .308 unless you added a thin sleeve over the rod to better fit the .308 case neck. (Thin-wall brass tubing from the hobby shop, maybe)

I certainly would not suggest neck-sizing again after FL sizing.

But perhaps the simple solution is to locate some finer grit media. I'm using Desert Blend lizard litter walnut media from the pet shop, and it is ground too fine to get stuck in flash holes.

As for media in the flash hole causing a legitimate problem?
I can't prove it, but:
It has long been my view that a tiny spec of walnut or cob media in the flash hole would stand about the same chance of being noticed as a fart in a tornado when that primer pops.
Your are talking many thousand PSI of white hot gas in the primer pocket when the primer fires.
I just don't think you could devise a faster method of dislodging and burning up the speck of media then that.

With that said, I am OCD enough to set around picking it out of flash holes before I reload them though!

rc

 

[rscalzo]

I don't tumble after depriming for that reason.

I tumble, lube and deprime, trim, process primer pocket and prime the brass. Then it's stored. Using the Dillion type pump spray lube sparingly, there is no need to tumble again. Then I store the processed brass for use when needed.

After loading the ammo, I tumble it for an hour or so to clean off any lube left which is very little.

 

[MtnCreek]

Thanks for the good info. I think I'll try the Lee decapper.

rscalzo, I'm a little nervous tumbling loaded rounds. I don't want to be the one to post the thread 'Got My Butt Fraged while Tumbling'

 

[rondog]

Tumbling live ammo won't hurt ya, the likelihood of setting one off is nearly nonexistant. I do it all the time, every batch of lubricated ammo that I make. And if one did go off, it won't explode or set off all the others.

 

[rcmodel]

+1
I always tumble finished rounds about 30 minutes to get all the lube & fingerprints off.

Ever wonder why factory loads are so pretty?
So does the factory.

It doesn't hurt a thing, and is not going to blow you up, even in the very very remote chance one did go off in the tumbler.

Only thing you can't tumble is lead bullet reloads, plus you may have to dig media out of certain JHP bullet designs.

rc

 

[medalguy]

I also tumble after reloading. I put in about a capful of mineral spirits into the CLEAN media and tumble that about 5 minutes prior to putting the ammo in. I usually run the ammo about 15 - 20 minutes and have bright ammo come out. Been doing this for many years and never had a single problem with it.

I mention using clean media so you aren't trying to clean your loaded ammo in dirty media.

 

[Hondo 60]

I use 20/40 corn cob media from drillspot
http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

$22.01 for a 40 lb bag - no shipping charge.

It's too fine to get stuck in the flash hole.