clean first?

[bobo1972]

Just bought some gear will reload 45acp.
I am looking for a tumbler at a reasonable price. Can anyone suggest a model?
Also do i clean/tumble brass before i deprime and size or is it the opposite.
Please help.

 

[hawk223]

Clean the brass before resizing as it will save your sizing die. Carbon deposits and grit are hart on dies. If you are just decapping with no sizing, cleaning is not as important but it takes too long to make decapping a separate operation. Just isn't worth it for pistol.

Most people have a vibratory tumbler and really any will do. I will tell you that a rotary tumbler, using ceramic media and a liquid cleaning solution consisting of water, dish soap, and lemon juice is the best way to clean brass. Looks better than new and you don't have to concern yourself with any airborne particles of lead etc as a result.

 

[Dogleg]

Reloading handgun calibers I use carbide dies and clean before I size and load on a progressive. For rifle calibers I may clean before sizing, but will almost always also clean after sizing to let the vibrator get the lube off the cases.
My 20 year old cleaner is a Dillon, it has never missed a beat.

 

[CaptainW]

+1 mine is also a Dillon - a working horse. I clean before sizing for both pistol or rifle.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

I never had a problem with cleaning first for handgun cartridges, it made more sense to me as I used a progressive loader.

 

[recce]

I do before and after. A quick shake and spray with some water and then into the tumbler to get rid of any grit before the brass goes into the die and then again after to clean off any case lube before storing the brass.

I have enough brass that the ones sized will be sitting for a bit before they are loaded again.