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Brass prep
#8188542
03/01/21 11:55 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 21,617
pegasaurus
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I had been reading about tumbling brass before decapping. The idea was to prevent the media getting stuck in the primer pocket. This is a small pain but not a huge issue. So, I figured I would give it a try. The media I use is walnut. I took 100 of the spent 308 cases, then washed, dried and tumbled. After tumbling, I even took the step to wipe of the media dust off each case and then tapped each case, neck down, to ensure no media was stuck in the case. I then decapped in a decapping die. Anyone do this?? I won’t do it again. Created a mess in and around my press. It seems that some media had gotten into the flash hole. The media was jammed into the primer and it also created a bunch of dust and particles in and around the ramrod. I now have to inspect each case to ensure there is no media still in the cases.
Funny thing about getting older: Your eyesight starts getting weaker but your ability to see through people's BS gets much better.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188548
03/02/21 12:01 AM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,884
jlsbassman
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I just use a decamping die first then wet tumble brass. Primer pockets are cleaned also.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188589
03/02/21 12:36 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,179
Tactical Cowboy
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That's the only way I do it.
I throw the fired brass in the tumbler and separate with a Dillon media separator. If it is rifle brass that will need to be trimmed, I size and do so. Pistol brass gets loaded.
Last edited by Tactical Cowboy; 03/02/21 12:38 AM.
The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: Tactical Cowboy]
#8188592
03/02/21 12:40 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 21,617
pegasaurus
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Nope.
I throw the fired brass in the tumbler and separate with a Dillon media separator. If it is rifle brass that will need to be trimmed, I size and do so. Pistol brass gets loaded. You said “nope” meaning you don’t do this but then say you do this. Do you have the same issue with media in the flash hole when you decap? What type of media do you use?
Funny thing about getting older: Your eyesight starts getting weaker but your ability to see through people's BS gets much better.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188616
03/02/21 12:53 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,639
DStroud
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I never put decapped brass into a dry tumbler as it’s too much trouble to get the media from the flash holes. I use Sinclair brand media with Isso polish added and never noticed much debris at all? I loaded 500 9mm that were just simply tumbled and sprayed with One Shot then ran thru Dillon 650 and loaded. Didn’t notice any dust or media on machine. When I decap brass it goes to the stainless steel media wet process so that it gets pockets cleaned which doesn’t happen when tumbling dry. I decapped and cleaned 2000+ pieces of 223 brass this weekend while piddling around. I am getting enough ahead so when the Lyman Apex 10 shows up I can play for a while.
Last edited by DStroud; 03/02/21 01:04 AM.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188638
03/02/21 01:13 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,173
J.G.
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Brass keeps the primers in when going in the dry media. Then size. Then use a primer pocket brush in a drill press to clean the primer pockets.
Brass going in stainless media (which is just range pick up) will get decapped then into the stainless media. Then sized.
After that, my brass does not see stainless media again. I want carbon inside the necks as a dry lube and to hopefully prevent cold metal welding.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188646
03/02/21 01:20 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,935
unclebubba
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Always tumble my brass with the old primer in place. Then decap and resize. Never been an issue. However if I decap then tumble, I get clogged flash holes.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188750
03/02/21 02:58 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,183
Mike Honcho
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I won’t put dirty brass in my dies so I tumble before sizing. I use very fine walnut media it’s for reptiles. It completely flows out of the case and never gets clogged. It’s like sand works like a charm
“Two things that define an individual what you do when you have everything, and what you do when you have nothing."
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188754
03/02/21 03:09 AM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,198
Smokey Bear
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I have tried it lots of ways. I settled on using a universal de-capping die. Tumble in corn cob media to clean. Primer pockets get somewhat cleaned but I still have to knock a few boogers out. Run through sizer with de-capping pin in sizer. De-capping pin is left in sizer to clear most flash holes of any lodged media. There may be a piece or two of brass, out of a hundred, with a piece of media still in the flash hole. Anyway that is the system I like best.
Edit to add: a used fabric softener sheet thrown in with the media will keep the dust to a minimum.
Last edited by Smokey Bear; 03/02/21 03:18 AM.
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8188946
03/02/21 12:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,934
GasGuzzler
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Your problem is from them not being 100% dry when they're tumbled. I hate dry media in my primer pockets too so I decap first with a Lee universal primer remover (does not size) before I wet tumble in boiling water, a drop of Dawn, and 1/4 TSP of LemiShine (no stainless pins). Then I dry, size, load. Dryer sheet knocks down dust but doesn't prevent flash holes and primer pockets from getting jammed with media.
Pass the gravy.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: Mike Honcho]
#8189000
03/02/21 01:14 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,935
unclebubba
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I won’t put dirty brass in my dies so I tumble before sizing. I use very fine walnut media it’s for reptiles. It completely flows out of the case and never gets clogged. It’s like sand works like a charm I've never tumbled reptiles before. do they get cleaner that way?
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189018
03/02/21 01:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,872
GLC
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I always deprime and resize before I tumble. I use the walnut reptile media also. I don't have issues plugging the primer hole but I do check before I prime.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189035
03/02/21 01:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,877
Teal28
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Decap then dry tumble. Dryer sheets do help with the dust. I have a flash hole deburr tool on my case master that I use to push put any stuck media while I'm chamfering. Quick and easy.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189083
03/02/21 02:03 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,173
J.G.
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Why was I not notified of this reptile media?
Is it that much better? Is it very expensive?
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189120
03/02/21 02:27 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
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Id bet its cheaper than normal tumbling media.... and i bet you can actually buy it now too lol
I load on a smaller volume than probably a lot of yall. I have a universal decaping die, then i tumble in corncob media because that is what i bought the first time and I still havent used it all up (will never buy corncob again) after tumbling i go through the lot with a tooth pick and clean the media out of the pockets, wipe dust off size trim etc. I usually sit on the couch with the family watching TV when doing the pocket check trimming and chamfer and deburr. My little boy likes to sit and help.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189126
03/02/21 02:31 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,494
1955
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Wet tumble only range pick ups, resize and mixture of corn and walnut 50/50 , hardly ever have primer pocket issues.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189161
03/02/21 03:09 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,987
TAB
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What’s this cleaning and polishing you speak of! I just wipe off the case after I seat the bullet!
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189302
03/02/21 04:38 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 740
Jhop
Tracker
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Tracker
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I deprime, wet tumble and dry cases, anneal, resize, trim and then dry tumple again. I know it's time consuming and maybe a little overboard but my brass looks brand new.
Retired U. S. Army, which means I still have to work to make a living.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189365
03/02/21 05:30 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,179
Tactical Cowboy
THF Trophy Hunter
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Nope.
I throw the fired brass in the tumbler and separate with a Dillon media separator. If it is rifle brass that will need to be trimmed, I size and do so. Pistol brass gets loaded. You said “nope” meaning you don’t do this but then say you do this. Do you have the same issue with media in the flash hole when you decap? What type of media do you use? Harbor freight walnut media with a couple capfuls of pinesol, fabuluso, or a squirt of brasso. I have had media stuck in flash holes before. I also dont care if the primer pocket gets cleaned or not. I load everything on a 550. I really dont like having to handle brass twice if I can avoid it.
The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8189498
03/02/21 07:39 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 919
Gemlin
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I always do the following:
** If very dirty range pickups, I run the brass with dawn/water thru my wet tumbler **
1. I dry tumble brass before they go into my dies. (old primers are still in). 2. I resize all brass on my progressive press (With only the resize die in station #1). 3. After resizing and brass trimming, (If its bottleneck - I put it back in the tumbler to get all lube off the case) 4. When I load cartridges at this stage, I have a universal decapping die in station #1, so any media in flash hole doesn't matter. (Not that I've ever had *ANY* issue with walnut media in the flash hole. Even if there is, the ignition of the burn & pressure still sets off the cartridge). (Again I reload on a progressive press most of the time)
-----
You can buy a #15 pound bag at Petsmart of Lizard Bedding for like 10 dollars? Or something near that. Its all crushed walnut.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8191332
03/04/21 02:16 AM
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 339
Phlash
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 339 |
Reptile or Lizard walnut media is very cheap and does a good job. I buy it at Walmart in the pet department. Just be sure to use some dryer sheets to keep the dust to a minimum. I cut one Bounce sheet into 5 straps and toss them into my tumbler. I change the sheets out when you start noticing a little dust when pouring the media and brass into the separator.
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8191429
03/04/21 04:03 AM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,988
Buzzsaw
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1. de cap in decapping die 2. tumble 3. size 4. neck expander with graphite powder beads 4. trim if needed, chamfer 5. prime
Last edited by Buzzsaw; 03/04/21 04:05 AM.
SPACE FOR RENT
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: pegasaurus]
#8191462
03/04/21 04:38 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 2,919 |
What's wrong with carefully manually inspecting each rifle case looking for flaws and any debris inside the case or the flash hole ?
Is it really that hard to do for some people? I know it can be tedious, but how else could you assure yourself that the case is in the optimum condition to load, or if it needs to be trashed?
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Re: Brass prep
[Re: maximum]
#8193408
03/05/21 08:55 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,179
Tactical Cowboy
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,179 |
What's wrong with carefully manually inspecting each rifle case looking for flaws and any debris inside the case or the flash hole ?
Is it really that hard to do for some people? I know it can be tedious, but how else could you assure yourself that the case is in the optimum condition to load, or if it needs to be trashed?
Nothing at all. It's just more time consuming crap to do, and I dont have time for it.
The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it.
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