Tumble before or after de-priming?

[J E Custom]

Dave .each to his own.

If you size first then you have to pick the media out of the flash hole and the brass is dirty
going into your dies.

I don't care how anyone does it I just posted the way I do it because that was the question!!!!

And I don't think my press cares or has any problems depriming but the main thing is that I
don't like running dirty cases through my dies an leaving carbon in them.

J E CUSTOM

 

[davewilson]

JE, i ended my statement with, at least for me. wasn't saying you were incorrect, but now i understand the differences we have.
i always punch the primers out with a depriming tool first. never with the dies. actually i don't use any expander ball that would hold the primer punch on any of my dies..
then i clean the primer pockets.
then i tumble. don't like running the dirt in the dies either. this is why if i tumble first, the media gets in the flash hole and makes it a much more difficult process to deprime because i can't get the depriming pin in the hole. media still gets in the flash holes, but it's much easier to clean out without the primer in place.

 

[loaders_loft]

I tumble first, then wipe off, then deprime while resizing.

After resizing, I wipe lube off while inspecting...

 

[misterc01]

I deprime on sepaate press, the tumble with walnut media and a drop of Nufinish. Then rinses and dry with a towel. Lube and size, then clean with ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[Mikecr]

My gas gun friends seem to all tumble before they prime, because the brass from gas guns like the AR-15 is much dirtier than bolt gun brass.

I assume this is because they deprime with a sizing die, and want to keep the die clean.
They could get around this,, depriming without a die. There are various tools out there for this.
I like the Neil Jones hand decapper best. Being an open design it's just quicker/easier than all the rest.

Anyway, carbon is easiest to remove as quickly as possible.
Soon as I get back from the range I pop out case primers and take a wipe of pockets with a Lyman pocket cleaner (screwdriver), and wipe outside necks w/Carbon Killer on a rag. I run a nylon brush through necks & drop everything in dry vibratory media for a few hours. That's all the cleaning my cases get.

 

[misterc01]

I have separae press with universal de-capping die and do them before tumbling.

 

[flintlock hunter]

Deprime, clear primer pocket of carbon, tumble till bright, then lube, resize, tumble again, then trim.

 

[Muddyboots]

14 year revival! Not bad!

 

[338 dude]

So which do you do?

My gas gun friends seem to all tumble before they prime, because the brass from gas guns like the AR-15 is much dirtier than bolt gun brass.

But my bolt gun friends all seem to deprime and then tumble.

Which is right, and why?

Bill

Deprime first so you're cleaning the primer pocket somewhat anyway?

 

[Muddyboots]

Dies are number one to protect so IMO brass MUST be cleaned prior to sizing to protect the die interior surfaces plus clean brass sizes easier.

 

[southpa]

Deprime, clear primer pocket of carbon, tumble till bright, then lube, resize, tumble again, then trim.

Why would you tumble then resize and tumble again?

 

[338 dude]

Why would you tumble then resize and tumble again?

To remove the sizing lube

 

[southpa]

Ahhh brain fart. But can't you just wipe it down?

 

[338 dude]

Ahhh brain fart. But can't you just wipe it down?

That's what I do just wipe it down