I always inspect flash holes after tumbling and about 1 in 10 cases will have a grain of media in the hole not completely but partially blocking it. Just wondering for those that don't inspect, what are the chances of a misfire? Does a primer have enough to blow that one grain out. I've always wondered.
media in flash hole
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Not sure, but I'd think so.
I decap and size after tumbling.
Once and done for me.
I decap and size after tumbling.
Once and done for me.
Victor3Ranger1
Well-Known Member
I check every single piece, I constantly get it clogged up with the media so I inspect every one
FEENIX
Well-Known Member
This!
Critter Picker
Well-Known Member
I check every case also. A couple years ago the LGS had.some walnut media that is fine enough that the only cases that have media in the flash holes are the Lapua 6BR because of the smaller flash hole.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
None, many tests have been done with blocked flash holes and the results showed not a single difference in start pressure or max pressure. I even tested this out of curiosity with both walnut media and corn cob.
Cheers.
It's been tested multiple times and never been found to change anything. If you're worried about it tumble before sizing to clean the brass and after loading for a few minutes to clean the lube off. No chance of getting media stuck in the flash hole that way.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
I pop the media out as I'm scraping the pocket.
As MagnumManiac said it's probably gonna blow out, but it would be my luck that I'd have the 1 in a thousand that would soft seat the primer because of the crap in the flash hole and I'd just drive the primer to bottom when I drop the hammer instead of firing it. And of course I'd be hunting with that ammo.
As MagnumManiac said it's probably gonna blow out, but it would be my luck that I'd have the 1 in a thousand that would soft seat the primer because of the crap in the flash hole and I'd just drive the primer to bottom when I drop the hammer instead of firing it. And of course I'd be hunting with that ammo.
I use a dental pick to remove any tumbling media from the primer pocket. I always tumble before sizing, but use a decapping die to remove the primers before tumbling. It may not make a difference, but if your are taking the time to use a primer pocket cleaner, why not clear the flash hole?
birddog 68
Well-Known Member
As others mentioned it may not matter but I use compressed air on each case to blow out primer pocket and any media dust on and in the case before sizing.
I think that our OCD would not allow us to leave the tiny bit of media in the flash hole, but there is a tremendous blast from the primer.
A pellet rifle made to be used with large rifle primers would be interesting for the youngsters.
A pellet rifle made to be used with large rifle primers would be interesting for the youngsters.
So you tumble the loaded ammo?
I typically tumble twice. Once before sizing and decap to clean the brass, and then again after to clean the lube off before I load them.
I put all the brass into loading blocks primer pocket up and inspect and remove the media in the flash holes. Then prime and load.
It depends on what I'm loading. If it's a bottleneck cartridge loaded on a progressive press I do because it'll come off the press with lube on it. For anything else I don't because it either didn't get lubed or got tumbled after sizing.
You can keep doing what you're doing, but tumble after loading instead of between sizing and priming of you're worried about media in the flash hole. Any that gets in before sizing will get pushed out by the decapping pin, and it'll be sealed after loading so none will get in.
I prime on my Dillon and tumble after so I had the same question as media often gets trapped in the flash hole. I tested 10 blocked vs 10 not. There was not a stitch of difference, same ES/SD and identical velocity. that was good enough for me.
