APOD Firearms

Tumbling brass question

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  • FLT

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    These days my reloads look like brand new ammo , but for years I just wiped the cases clean and loaded them .
     

    Bodhi

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    Thanks for the info!
    Deprimed, resized and rolling around in the tumbler, corn cob. I have a small black powder nipple brush to get the bits out of the pocket. I'll check case lenght after they come out.
    So you resized your dirty brass ?
    I don’t like to get crud in my dies. I tumble before I start any reloading.
     

    16gauge

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    The RCBS primer pocket brushes are invaluable tools. Chuck it in a cordless drill and spin it clean in a few seconds. I do this before tumbling along with trimming and chamfering and wiping excess lube from the cases. The universal decapping dies are great also so you can deprime and clean the primer pocket on lots of brass before you do any other work.
     
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    72sofsme

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    So, after many years of listening to my father ... i finally caved in and got an ultasonic cleaner. Worth it!!! The new process for me looks like this:
    1) de-prime (I use the Lee de-prime die)
    2) ultrasonic clean (high temp at 135 deg) ~30-60 minutes
    3) rinse and dry
    *4) anneal (*only if bottleneck)
    5) clean inside of case mouth with chamber brush
    6) lube
    7) resize
    8) trim
    9) media tumble to polish (3-4 hours depending on need)
    10) wash, rinse and dry
    11) prime, charge, load
     

    Capt. Dave

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    Me either. I have enough invested in the dry tumble stuff.. Id rather spend money on other things now. :)
    Nothing wrong with dry tumble. I just try to limit the amount of times you have to handle a piece of brass through the the whole hand loading process. I think I still handle brass 15 times from spent case to new handload in a box.
     

    Longtooth

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    Nothing wrong with dry tumble. I just try to limit the amount of times you have to handle a piece of brass through the the whole hand loading process. I think I still handle brass 15 times from spent case to new handload in a box.
    I use a single stage and do everything in batches. Bill helped me figure out the basics when I started about 2 or 3 years ago and I haven't done much past that.

    Id love to set up a progressive and just churn out ammo, but I don't shoot enough to justify it. Too many other things in life to do.
     

    Jester896

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    that sure sounds like a bunch of steps

    someone asked if you sized used brass...I guess the answer to that is...after I fire it...yes. If it is range pick up it goes through corn cob or the mixer to get the sand, spider webs and other stuff out first.

    I run rifle brass that I have fired through a F/L sizer die or body die/neck die, wet tumble, let the dehydrator or sunshine dry them...put them back together and go shoot again
     

    Bodhi

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    I know several successful shooters that don’t clean brass at all. Eric Cortina is one of them and he has proven his process in F-Class comps.
    And countless benchrest shooters clean their brass. Tony Boyer has proven that.
     

    Jester896

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    And countless benchrest shooters clean their brass. Tony Boyer has proven that.
    I read Jhunter's comment earlier...he enjoys a .17? group IIRC with his 6 Dasher and doesn't clean his brass. I wonder if I should stop cleaning mine to get my 6.5 group from .25 to .175...or should I convince him to start cleaning his to get his group to .100 or below
     

    Bodhi

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    I read Jhunter's comment earlier...he enjoys a .17? group IIRC with his 6 Dasher and doesn't clean his brass. I wonder if I should stop cleaning mine to get my 6.5 group from .25 to .175...or should I convince him to start cleaning his to get his group to .100 or below
    I like to clean brass because it helps me to inspect my brass and I’m better able to control what goes into my die during reloading (eliminate crud that might scratch my die - as in eliminate variables).

    I don’t think cleaned brass (at least on the outside of the case) contributes much to accuracy. Your experience is obviously different from mine. I think much more goes into the “equation” of accuracy and small groups than just cleaned up brass, but if you think it will help your groups shrink, then by all means go for it.
     

    Jester896

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    I don't think clean brass does either. If Eric Cortina doesn't clean his and gets his group size great. If John Widdon uses his lands to seat his bullet once they are in the rifle and gets the results he does great. I don't let it dictate what I do is all I meant.

    I don't check run out or any of those accuracy things and get a .25 group so I am not sooo far off and I guess I am happy there. I don't feel like I am chasing anything when I shoot...I'm having a big time.

    I compressed a load of US869 in a WSM case with not so good results. I was glad that the inside of my case looked like the outside of the case when I pulled down the other rounds. It sure made it easier to dig (literally) what didn't pour out of the case and easier to see the compacted powder in the case without additional light....you could even clearly see that it was still in the primer and flash hole. Couldnt' have done that with cob...and I ain't knockin cob or walnut...I have and use both.
     

    Idoono

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    I deprime , then inspect, and after that I clean using the wet method. SS pins, Dawn, and Lemi-Shine do all the dirty work. I then re-inspect after cleaning and only then re-size. Just my way and all my cases are clean and shiny. Helps my OCD.

    Idoono
     

    SODAPOPMG

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    I wet tumble and leave them in to clean the brass
    size and lube which removes the primers
    then tumble again to remove the lube and clean the primer pockets
     
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