stevy wrote:You could get away with it a couple of times if you were really stuck.
Constantly chambering dirty brass isn't something you really want to be doing though...
I get five firings out of .303 neck sizing only.
The obvious grit gets wiped off but that is all.
Tumbling is pretty much only for cosmetic purposes, many new reloaders are compelled by so called experts into buying tumbling gear when it is not strictly neccesary.
I have .308 brass that has gone 30+ firings without tumbling, ultrasonic cleaning etc etc. Excessively tarnished cases will get a spin with steel wool in the trimming chuck occaisonally but the tumbler hasn't moved in over a year.