Primer in or out for tumble..

[petemacsydney]

Hi guys, do you guys tumble clean your brass with primer in or out?
any why?
just curious, as i'm ready for a tumble and seen both approaches...

[Chronos]

personally i leave them in, picking the media out of the hole is a pain. i tumble, decap/size then i clean the primer pocket with my primer pocket uniformer after sizing then they're ready to prime

others have different systems but that's mine

Chronos

[Muddy1967]

I am with Chronos, Tumble with primer, decap, resize, trim and then back into the tumbler to remove the lube and a final polish.
Works for me.

[Seik]

Hmm, I do it the other way - but then I don't have/use a primer pocket uniformer tool.

So if it doesn't get cleaned in the tumble it doesn't get cleaned.

Resize + deprime > tumble > load ammo.

[5Tom]

I deprime first before tumbling in my media. I only want to clean once and I haven't had an issue with any SS pins getting stuck.

[Bills Shed]

I deprime first and clean in a hot citric acid solution. I do not polish just clean. They come out clean but not shiny.
Getting the tumbler media out of the flash holes and the time it takes was tedious.
I will build a rotary tumbler and use SS pins in the future. I only use a vibratory cleaner as a final step when polishing my swaged jacketed projectiles.

Bill

[SendIt]

I deprime first before tumbling in my media. I only want to clean once and I haven't had an issue with any SS pins getting stuck.

Ditto.

A couple of bits of media get stuck in the flash hole here or there but they flick or tap out easily enough.

Hardly any effort at all really...

[Chronos]

Ditto.

A couple of bits of media get stuck in the flash hole here or there but they flick or tap out easily enough.

Hardly any effort at all really...

Different story for me sendit.

Must be my lyman media because almost every case gets media stuck in the primer pocket and some get it stuck in the flash hole. When I have tumbled deprived cases (usually to polish ultrasonically cleaned cases I've had to pick the media out with a toothpick and I'm paranoid about missing one which may cause a hangfire or a simple misfire

I too will eventually move to SS tumbling media buried only have the rig half built

Chronos

[BBJ]

Are you using their walnut or corn cob media Chronos?

[yoshie]

Clean then deprime

[5Tom]

There are different thickness of SS media you can get to avoid pins getting stuck in cases where the flash hole might be smaller compared to another calibre.

[SendIt]

Different story for me sendit.

Sure. Not saying mine's the only way...

It just hasn't been an issue for me so far.

[petemacsydney]

thanks guys. didn't realize this would be a topic of difference. doesn't really conclude for me either way, so i guess i'll just try one of the ways and see what my preferences are..
thanks for the feedback guys, it really helps new re-loaders like myself, and is much appreciated!!
cheers p

[Chronos]

Sure. Not saying mine's the only way...

It just hasn't been an issue for me so far.

no worries, just meant i wish it was that way for me. picking media out of primer pockets and flash holes with a toothpick annoys me no end, and the risk of a hang fire of misfire worries me too

i don't suggest everyone use my method but i do it my way because it's quicker for me

Chronos

PS: i use the lyman corn cob green media, it's 2 years old and still gived shiney brass in around 2 hrs

[Warrigul]

Break free, don't tumble at all peter mac, my tumbler seldom gets a run, usually it is for someone else.

I only clean primer pockets when I anneal other than that it is a collet die necksize then a primer on the upstroke.

Sounds rough but it works well for me and doesn't take as long.

Just another option.

(there are going to be plenty of people decry this approach but I have tested it properly, I too used to be anal with my cases but have learnt to not take any notice if they are a bit dull)

[Gregg]

I couldn't give a rats if brass is a bit dull, but do you not find that as the brass gets dirtier it eventually gets worse to cycle?

It doesn't start to stick etc?

[SendIt]

I use the lyman corn cob green media, it's 2 years old and still gived shiney brass in around 2 hrs

Haven't used the corn cob media myself, I'm using the walnut.

Harder texture obviously which is less prone to getting stuck I guess, and perhaps a size difference.

Whatever works though.

[Warrigul]

I couldn't give a rats if brass is a bit dull, but do you not find that as the brass gets dirtier it eventually gets worse to cycle?

It doesn't start to stick etc?

If I trim length I will give them a quick go(mainly around the neck) with 0000 steelwool whilst I have them in the chuck other than that I have never had an issue. I wipe obviously bad crap off and that is all.

But then I collet die most of may cases which doesn't require lube, if fls I give them a quick wipe.

I am the poster person for lazy when it comes to reloading(I also have a life outside shooting).

[handofcod]

I don't tumble at all. Deprime then dump into a solution of 50:50 water and vinegar with a heaped teaspoon of cream of tartar, all in an ultrasonic cleaner for 20 minutes. Then rinse and dump into a metho bath. No media stuck in holes and the primer pocket is squeaky clean every time.

[Granting]

I also have a life outside shooting

Well there's your problem