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  #1  
Old 02-24-2014, 7:52 AM
captn-tin captn-tin is offline
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Default swaging primer pockets

just acquired some lc 5.56 brass. after decapping it, is it necessary to tumble it before swaging ? like to cut down on processing time if i can.
thanks in advance.
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Old 02-24-2014, 8:05 AM
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No it is not. Just be aware if dry tumbling, media can get lodged in to the flash hole.
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Old 02-24-2014, 8:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBronco View Post
No it is not. Just be aware if dry tumbling, media can get lodged in to the flash hole.
Agreed... Stuck media in your flash hole can be problematic. This is one situation that fiber will not cure.
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Old 02-24-2014, 9:21 AM
Divernhunter Divernhunter is offline
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Tumble before depriming and do not worry about cleaning the flash hole. Best swager I have found is the Dillon super swager.
I have a RCBS unit which has been used one time I will sell you if you want.
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Old 02-24-2014, 9:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBronco View Post
No it is not. Just be aware if dry tumbling, media can get lodged in to the flash hole.
yes, but it just gets puched right out with the primer... Steel strong, corn/walnut soft.
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Old 02-24-2014, 9:35 AM
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Tumble before decapping unless you are wet tumbling and want to clean out your primer pockets. You can either swag or cut the crimp out of your primer pockets with a reamer. I have a Dillon swager but have decided that it is a PITA to use with mixed headstamp brass. So, I typically just decrimp with one sort of reamer or another. It's faster.
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Old 02-24-2014, 10:16 AM
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Won't cardon particles from the dirty pockets transfer and accumulate in and on the tool used and get pressed into the brass? I say clean after depriming. You are going to clean sometime in the process. Right? Tumble now or tumble later. How much time did you save?
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Old 02-24-2014, 3:28 PM
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Originally Posted by jameshenry View Post
Won't cardon particles from the dirty pockets transfer and accumulate in and on the tool used and get pressed into the brass? I say clean after depriming. You are going to clean sometime in the process. Right? Tumble now or tumble later. How much time did you save?
Have you ever reloaded? I'm betting that 99% or reloaders tumble prior to decapping. If you just decap before you tumble, that is an extra step that does take a lot of time. I'd guess a couple hours minimum per 1000 just to decap. No, carbon build up does not get pressed into the brass. Hell, some reloaders don't even clean their brass prior to reloading it.
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  #9  
Old 02-24-2014, 4:03 PM
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When you don't get to shoot much, you can do what I do.


Tumble in dirty walnut.
Decap.
Tumble in SS, wet.
Dry tumble in clean corn cob with nu finish polish to dry.

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Old 02-24-2014, 4:33 PM
devster55 devster55 is offline
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I tumble
Deprimed/ size
Swage
Trim
Tumble
Clear flash holes
Prime
Powder
Seat bullet.
Some lubes tarnish the brass and make it sticky like the rcbs case lube if you don't get it all off.
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Old 02-24-2014, 4:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER View Post
Have you ever reloaded? I'm betting that 99% or reloaders tumble prior to decapping. If you just decap before you tumble, that is an extra step that does take a lot of time. I'd guess a couple hours minimum per 1000 just to decap. No, carbon build up does not get pressed into the brass. Hell, some reloaders don't even clean their brass prior to reloading it.
I have been reloading for over 46 years and always clean my primer pockets. Now that I wet tumble with stainless steel media I deprime the cases before tumbling. This doesn't take any more time than dry tumbling with walnut media, full length resizing and then cleaning the primer pockets.

What I do not understand is this a California gun forum and California has some of the strictest pollution laws in the country and many of you don't clean your primer pockets. I have this mental image of these people leaving the rest room without washing their hands.

I'm going to call Nancy Pelosi and see about passing a clean primer pocket bill and force you polluting dirt balls to clean up your act.

Below not one atom of hydrocarbon, nitrogen dioxide or lead on my Cal/EPA approved wet tumbled cartridge cases.
(and I live in Pennsyltucky)



Once you own firearms that throw perfectly good brass away, that lands ten feet from where your shooting in the mud and dirt.
You appreciate "CLEAN" grit free brass that gives you a satisfying feeling and keeps your reloading dies scratch free.



Brass Cleaning with Stainless Media
http://www.accurateshooter.com/techn...ainless-media/

I have to go now and pour the dirty polluted tumbling water down my drain now.

Last edited by bigedp51; 02-24-2014 at 5:01 PM..
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  #12  
Old 02-25-2014, 6:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigedp51 View Post
I have been reloading for over 46 years and always clean my primer pockets. Now that I wet tumble with stainless steel media I deprime the cases before tumbling. This doesn't take any more time than dry tumbling with walnut media, full length resizing and then cleaning the primer pockets.

What I do not understand is this a California gun forum and California has some of the strictest pollution laws in the country and many of you don't clean your primer pockets. I have this mental image of these people leaving the rest room without washing their hands.
When you dry tumbled, did you decap first or just clean your primer pockets with a brush or primer pocket uniformer?


Wash my hands and get blue water all over them? Yea, right. Hell, there's no reason to wash my hands if I don't wipe, is there?
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  #13  
Old 02-25-2014, 7:27 PM
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I size/decap prior to tumbling. I do this for safety reasons and to extend the life of my tumbler media.

Most of the lead contamination/exposure to shooters and especially reloaders comes from the fired priming compounds. The main ingredients are leady styphnate and azide.

If you decap first, there is less burnt priming compound/lead that coats your tumbler media, which makes it last longer and even more importantly reduces the amount of airborne lead. For those that are newer reloaders, the primary culprit for excessive lead exposure for reloaders is the tumbler.

I use the fine walnut shell media with some Flitz media additive. It cleans and polishes at the same time. I don't end up with media in the primer flash hole due to the fact the walnut media is too small to get stuck.

I used to use corn cob media, but as other posters stated, it always gets stuck in the primer flash hole, which makes you add an additional step of knocking the media out of the hole prior to priming. It is a real PITA if you are reloading 500 rounds or more.

The safest way to clean/polish is the stainless steel media. One of these days I'll save enough money to go stainless. It is safer, since the water prevents the airborne lead particles that dry tumblers with corn cob or walnut shell media cause. As long as you wear some disposable latex gloves while handling the lead contaminated water, it is very safe. You can get a whole box of cheap latex gloves from Harbor Freight tools for about 5 bucks.

I think the stainless media method is the way to go for efficiency, long term cost and safety. I can't wait to save up for a stainless set up.
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  #14  
Old 02-27-2014, 6:46 AM
h.charlie h.charlie is offline
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rinse, deprime, water vinegar and soap bath, tumble dry, rinse then load Only ever need to do 100 or so at a time so it works for me, the first rinse keeps the press clean, deprime to to allow the bath to clean as much as possible to prevent harmful dust, rinse again to make sure all the dust is off the case before loading, let sit out to dry or throw in the oven at lowest setting tell dry
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Old 02-27-2014, 7:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CSACANNONEER View Post
When you dry tumbled, did you decap first or just clean your primer pockets with a brush or primer pocket uniformer?


Wash my hands and get blue water all over them? Yea, right. Hell, there's no reason to wash my hands if I don't wipe, is there?
I wash my hands even if I don't wipe. Slovenliness is no part in reloading.
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