To Tumble with primers in or out?
- Thread starter Krazy_jim
- Start date
Yep
I'm not interested in the level of extreme anal reloading practices that need primer pockets cleaned.
I deprime/decap on my drill press using a RCBS depriming stem and pin in the chuck and a set of washers on a box to hold the brass. Then wet tumble with a Harbor Freight rock tumbler, s/s needles, slightly less than a dime size of Dawn soap, equal size of Lemi Shine. Cover about 3/4 or so full tumbler of (in my case) 9mm brass with water and tumble for about 60 minutes. I pour the mix when done into a net large enough to how the brass and pass the needles over a small bucket. Rinse at least 3 times as Lemi Shine will spot your brass. Spread your wet shiny brass on a towel dry over night. Load the next day or zip lock your new looking clean brass. Been doing this for several years. Check it out
Lots of different ways to skin this cat, but my usual process is:
1. Decap
2. Brief Wet tumble/Dry
3. Anneal
4. Lube and size
5. Dry tumble
Maybe overkill, maybe not. Ultimately, it boils down to whatever gets you consistent results. And as I said, lots of different methods to achieve the same result.
1. Decap
2. Brief Wet tumble/Dry
3. Anneal
4. Lube and size
5. Dry tumble
Maybe overkill, maybe not. Ultimately, it boils down to whatever gets you consistent results. And as I said, lots of different methods to achieve the same result.
Get yourself some fine grit wallnut (lizzard pet bedding) , learn how to run a tumbler.
It will pour through a flash hole.
And clean your nasty pockets.
I do both. When I get dirty brass home, I clean the necks with a piece of 0000 steel wool using a 21st Century case holder secured in a cordless drill. Then it all goes in the tumbler to remove more crud while the primers are still in. I have a primer pocket cleaning tool that works much better than just letting the tumbler clean them. Pull it out, do my brass prep, prime them, throw them back in the tumbler to remove sizing lube and polish them up nicely. Here's the kicker, when I pull them out the second time, I run them over two brushes secured in a Lyman case prep center, one then the other. This is important because you don't want your case capacity taken up with tumbling media. After I run them over the brushes, I throw them in a Hornady ATip bag (or roll them in an old t-shirt) to remove media dust. This process works like a champ and produces very shiny brass.
That said, I think you could go either way as far as whether or not the primers are in. For a long time I would pop the primers with a universal decapper and then run through the tumbler the first time, but I just ended up running the brass over some type of decapper twice to ensure I got the flash holes clear. It's just more efficient to leave them in.
It's beautiful outside.
Shouldn't you be shooting instead of talking about reloading?
After bending decapping pins on stainless media stuck in the flash hole, I deprime first. Its easier both to see the stuck media as well as remove it. Has nothing to do with accuracy and everything to do with clean reloading equipment.
Really depends on your media and primer pocket size. I have gotten corn cob media stuck in primer holes before sonic I use that media I leave the spent primers in. I donāt see that problem with stainless media.
I had a ultra sound cleaner when I came back to reloading from a 20 year gap. So I started with it for cleaning. Now I also have a tumbler. Clean dies, brass, pockets and inside case cleaning comments: I have a hand deprimer, first thing I do is that. Then a quick ultra sound because I find tumbler does not clean my Large rifle pockets and primer pockets becoming to large had killed more brass than any other factor and the more pocket reaming is done the larger the pocket. So inside and pockets get the advantage of UT cleaning, then to the dryer after a good hot water rinse. At this point I might once in a while resize but most often throw in the tumbler for 3-4 hours. Now I am ready to size clean brass, check dimensions and go forward with the reloading. This may be overkill but I have had troubles due to dirty brass before these steps and even die issues that condemned one full length sizer on tapered cases. I do not need frustration in a hobby to enjoy. I tried all the things people tried that said it worked to avoid commercial UT solutions. Zinc was removed from the brass changing the brass making things difficult. So I suggest if doing UT use a proper product. I also feel UT is enough but they look better if tumbled and may "Form Fit" better when microscopically scrubbed with fine polish. As an experiment, I tumbled brass then UT cleaned. The dark solution from the brass indicated what was really evident, that tumbling does not clean pockets or inside very well.
From a metallurgist study:
"Moreover, the formability analysis revealed the potential role of post-annealing and high-frequency vibrations in improving the forming limits. Ultrasonic vibrations can also reduce the amount of brittle intermetallic compounds, facilitating dislocationās movement."
IE UT cleaning adds an annealing to brass.
"Moreover, the formability analysis revealed the potential role of post-annealing and high-frequency vibrations in improving the forming limits. Ultrasonic vibrations can also reduce the amount of brittle intermetallic compounds, facilitating dislocationās movement."
IE UT cleaning adds an annealing to brass.
Lol I just got back. I didnāt get there til 1100 but a late range day is better than no range day. Onlyā¦the wind!It's beautiful outside.
Shouldn't you be shooting instead of talking about reloading?
We're doing tomorrow.
A buddy has a new Origin/Proof/KRG 300 PRC that needs to be sighted in.
I have his 300 Weatherby to shoot also.
Should be loud and fun.
A buddy has a new Origin/Proof/KRG 300 PRC that needs to be sighted in.
I have his 300 Weatherby to shoot also.
Should be loud and fun.
