How far do you guys go....

[pmt]

Cleaning primer pockets is a waste of time.

...so is tumbling, trimming, neck sizing, cleaning flash holes, neck turning, checking run-out and weighing....but hey, removing as many of the variables as possible can't hurt.

 

[tjhaile]

For bottleneck rifle cases, I wash my brass with Birchwood Casey Case Cleaner, resize, and trim.

Washing might not get the brass as shiny as tumbling, but there is no dust and it gets rid of any grit that might scratch a die.

 

[stevebc]

I'll have to disagree on this point. IMHO money spent on a tumbler is money well spent. I realize there are other manual labor intensive ways to clean brass, but the tumbler does a good job. Dirty brass can scratch your sizing die, or worst your rifle's chamber.

Well, I didn't mean actually dirty brass... just tarnished.

 

[curtmg]

If anyone is shorting what they do, due to $$$. I recommend finding someone else you can split costs with. Timberwolfe bought a tumbler, I bought a trimmer. So long as you've got enough brass to last when these are out of your possession, you're gold. There's multiple gun nutz in all regions, and that guy who shoots at work, has to be someone you can split some costs with.
I won't use untumbled brass, handgun brass is usually dirty from the ground, and I tumble after sizing for the rifles, get the lube out of and off the cases. Ever since I had 2 consecutive misfires, which I'm pinning on contaminated primers, I leave nothing to chance. Also makes looking for rings around the bases easier to spot.