Deprime or tumble FIRST?

Simplified version of mine:

No lube (pistol carbide dies): Tumble first ->resize/deprime -> load

Lube (rifle): Tumble first-> lube ->resize/deprime -> tumble (removing lube) -> load

Very old/dirty rifle brass -> deprime -> Birchwood Casey liquid cleaner -> dry -> lube -> resize -> tumble ->load

In this cases "load" includes all the prep steps like inspection, trimming, etc.

I also keep the universal depriming die on the first station of Dillon 550 to remove stuck media from the primer hole of the rifle cartridges (deprimed and resized already).

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If the brass looks dirty, I tumble before putting it into my dies. If not, then I re-size, tumble (which removes lube and gets primer pockets 90% clean), and load.
 
I deprime first then throw them into the thumblers tumbler with some dish soap some vinegar and a couple cups of water.Turn on the machine for maybe 90 minutes pour thru the colander and rinse,they come out very clean.I then throw then on a couple of pie plate and warm em up in the oven on a very low heat to dry them before putting them away for resizing. I prefer this way over the media as I get them just as clean and don't have to buy anything special and pick out the primer pockets
 
Tumble -clean the brass before pushing it through the dies to deprime , save the dies too in case

If you come axross dirty brass
 
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I've never deprimed handgun brass first, and rarely deprime rifle brass first. Media doesn't clean the corners of the primer pockets very well anyway, so if I want them clean, then I use a primer pocket cleaner.

That said, I am getting some round and angle cut ceramic media to wet tumble rifle brass. The sharp ends of the ceramic media will get into the corners of the primer pockets so it is good to deprime. There was a thread on this last year.

As above, I also have a universal decappper so dirty brass doesn't scratch dies.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304639

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273896
 
Tumble first. I have yet to see a tumbler media that effectively cleans primer pockets, and it is a nuisance to remove media from the flashholes of deprimed brass. If needed, I clean primer pockets as a separate operation anyway. [RCBS case prep center] I have dies that I have been using since the 1960's, still in great shape. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Hi fairly new member here and to handloading. I tumble first to get the cases clean, deprime, clean the primer pockets, then trim and load. To clean the primer pockets I found small brass brushes that fit into my dremel tool. It only takes a second to clean the pocket like new.:D

cheers

R/W
 
Rogue_wave said:
Hi fairly new member here and to handloading. I tumble first to get the cases clean, deprime, clean the primer pockets, then trim and load. To clean the primer pockets I found small brass brushes that fit into my dremel tool. It only takes a second to clean the pocket like new.:D
Click to expand...

Ingenuity is the mother of reloading!

And welcome to the board!

Joe
 
Rogue_wave said:
Hi fairly new member here and to handloading. I tumble first to get the cases clean, deprime, clean the primer pockets, then trim and load. To clean the primer pockets I found small brass brushes that fit into my dremel tool. It only takes a second to clean the pocket like new.:D

cheers

R/W
Click to expand...

Excellent idea. That would work well for case necks too.
 
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