Brass cleaning before or after neck resize or after?

[paperslayer]

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

Nothing dry about this system. The next best (but a distant second) is ultrasonic cleaning. bot are superior to dry tumbling, which does NOTHING for prmer pockets except plug them

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Gotta use smaller media.

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

Nothing dry about this system. The next best (but a distant second) is ultrasonic cleaning. bot are superior to dry tumbling, which does NOTHING for prmer pockets except plug them

 

[jethunter]

Ganderite is right that media in the primer hole is a big consideration. I deprime with a universal deprimer, clean the primer pocket with a handheld cleaner and then vibrate with corn cob, then load. The sizing /depriming die resizes and cleans media out of the primer flash hole. I don't clean brass every loading, usually about every 3 loadings, but I do scrape out the primer pockets every time - the residue seems to corrode brass quite quickly.

I tried stainless steel media and I really liked how it cleaned primer pockets but i didn't like the way it peened my case mouths and I went back to corn cob.

 

[savagefan]

I size then clean for several reasons:

- I want the primer pocket cleaned;
- I want the case lube removed; and
- a bit of powder fouling makes sizing a bit easier, even with case lube.

Dittto.

 

[Andy]

For those concerned that sizing before cleaning will scratch their brass, it's as easy as wiping with a rag before lubing, if debris is present.

P.S. I use stainless media and love it.

 

[dead meat]

Not really caring if my brass is shiney i don`t tumble or polish at all. In 40 + years i haven`t bought a tumbler and don`t plan to anytime soon.