Deprime before tumble?

[Lead Waster]

Yeah, this topic again! LOL!

I was loading up some .45 and some of the primers didn't feel quite fully seated. I'm wondering if that's due to my technique, or dirty primer pockets because I don't deprime before tumbling (hey, why do it if the first stage of reloading is the resize/deprime?).

It MIGHT be my technique because my new bench is just actually a stand that I'm repurposing. My 550b is sitting on it, and when I push the lever forward to prime a case, I have to hold onto the press with my other hand because otherwise the whole "bench" moves forward. So maybe I didn't push hard enough?

ANyway, is there any con except time spent, to depriming first before tumbling? I'm guessing the resize/deprime die will knock out any media stuck in the flash hole.

[Rule .308]

First things first, I clean all of my brass before I run it through my press if for no other reason than it keeps the dies cleaner longer and is easier on them. For general blasting ammo I do not clean primer pockets.

[stphnman20]

I tumble first then resize/deprime. Than back to the tumbler for about an hour. Once done, I inspect them individually. If theres any media in the primer pocket, push it out with a paper clip.

[Stoopy]

I tumble in stainless deprime and tumble again.

[Paper Boy]

I tumble for a bit when I get home then later deprime / resize and then tumble again. I usually check for media stuck in the hole before I prime though, but I would guess if your running them through the 550 you should be good to go without looking....

[Dark Mod]

I used to tumble after depriming when i was using a single stage, my wisdom being "why tumble twice" to get the lube off. now i just tumble before depriming and again after seating. I figured since i finally joined the 21st century and got a progressive press, why inturrupt the chain of functions. If any lube is inside the case when loading im just like screw it

[Lead Waster]

Well I have a 550b, and I was thinking of using my single stage + Universal deprimmer die to do it, as once you get a case into a progressive, you don't want to take it out until it's finished.

But will tumbling even remove the primer pocket crud?

Dirty brass in the universal die is no problem since it's not really touching the cases, just poking out the primer.

And yeah, it's a pain to add an extra step, but if it increases the quality of the reload (ie no hangfires, not duds) then it'll be worth it.

[Paper Boy]

But will tumbling even remove the primer pocket crud?

.

I am going to the range wed afternoon, when I get home if I remember I will take before and after pics of the primer pockets of the brass after a few hours in the tumbler and let you know how it comes out... I never actually looked before because I never had an issue but now that you ask I am curious as well.

[Peter W Bush]

1. Secure your bench

2. tighten the big screw that holds the shellplate down just a little bit so it can move freely but hold the case tighter.

No point in going progressive if youre gonna decap then tumble pistol rounds

[GeoffLinder]

Never bothered tumbling after de-priming. I have never cleaned pistol primer pockets and hundreds of thousands of various pistol caliber rounds later I have never had any problems from not doing so.

I do clean primer pockets on precision rifle ammo but consider it a total waste of time for even match grade pistol ammo, let alone general blasting grade pistol ammo.

[wtkaiser]

I know what you mean. I clean primer pockets, and as I'm doing them, I keep wondering why. Probably because "Elmer said to!" I really should lose that quirk, it takes a lot of time.

[XDRoX]

A lot of you guys have entirely too much time on your hands.

There is no way that your primers aren't seating because of dirty primer pockets. I've shot some of my pistol brass in excess of 20 times and never cleaned a primer pocket. The primers still seat fine, and I've been using Wolf for my last 5k rounds.

Sounds like you just need to get a better bench or secure the one you have to a wall. A solid bench is really important. You really want to have zero movement in the bench. My old bench was 3/4" plywood so below all three of my presses I attached a 2ft 2x12 under the plywood to secure the press. Even that sometimes wasn't enough. My new bench is 2" think and solid as a rock. No movement whatsoever. The difference and enjoyment in reloading is obvious. Do yourself a favor and secure that bench.

[Lead Waster]

OK, I really do need to secure my bench. The pushing motion of the 550b is too much for it.

I've had a bunch of brainless bloopers as well. I switched to 9mm (from .45) and FORGOT to secure the primer bar. So I had about 10 rounds loaded with no primers, Win231 all over the place. GRRR!

[wtkaiser]

So I am not the only one who has done this! It was on a Lee Pro 1000, but the idea is the same...that powder finds places I didn't know I had!