Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
I used to do both, but after finding I had to check each case for media lodging in the primer flash hole, I just do it once before decapping and wipe down the cases after resizing with a mild soapy rag.
Gives me another chance to look for cracks or other problems before loading em up.
I used to do both, but after finding I had to check each case for media lodging in the primer flash hole, I just do it once before decapping and wipe down the cases after resizing with a mild soapy rag.
Gives me another chance to look for cracks or other problems before loading em up.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
Before, it is a PIA to get the media out of the flash hole.
Before, it is a PIA to get the media out of the flash hole.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
I do it after decapping. To get the media out of the flash hole I use the case trimmer, trim the cases then chamfer. Then I am ready to prime.
I do it after decapping. To get the media out of the flash hole I use the case trimmer, trim the cases then chamfer. Then I am ready to prime.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
When I remove mine from the 2nd cleaning, I put them mouth down in a loading block, or empty 9mm tray, I even have a piece of 2X6 with rows of correct size drilled in it to put cases in. With the primer pockets up its a quick check to eyeball the flash holes, any media is quickly pushed out with a pecan pick. I usually run a couple hundred thru at a time. I hate trying to wipe down more than a couple pieces of brass at a time.
When I remove mine from the 2nd cleaning, I put them mouth down in a loading block, or empty 9mm tray, I even have a piece of 2X6 with rows of correct size drilled in it to put cases in. With the primer pockets up its a quick check to eyeball the flash holes, any media is quickly pushed out with a pecan pick. I usually run a couple hundred thru at a time. I hate trying to wipe down more than a couple pieces of brass at a time.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jester8</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before, it is a PIA to get the media out of the flash hole. </div></div>
Same here.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jester8</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before, it is a PIA to get the media out of the flash hole. </div></div>
Same here.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 7mmRM</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jester8</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before, it is a PIA to get the media out of the flash hole. </div></div>
Same here.</div></div>
Check out the Ultrasonic cleaning. Faster, nothing to clog up, and very very effective.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 7mmRM</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jester8</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before, it is a PIA to get the media out of the flash hole. </div></div>
Same here.</div></div>
Check out the Ultrasonic cleaning. Faster, nothing to clog up, and very very effective.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
I've tried it both ways and have settled on tumbling before only.Like Jester said, it's a PITA to get the media out of the primer pocket.
I've tried it both ways and have settled on tumbling before only.Like Jester said, it's a PITA to get the media out of the primer pocket.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
Over time, my method has evolved/devolved to the same as Queequeg's. It's just the most efficient means I've found to allocate my case prep time.
I've been testing effects of various individual steps to find out what makes a difference and what doesn't, and have found that simpler works well enough to justify skipping alot of previously thought 'essential' steps.
Primer pocket cleaning buys me nothing. Any efforts at runout measuring/controlling, neck turning, likewise (I use SAAMI chambers deliberately so this issue will become a non-issue). Measuring ogives, weighing brass or bullets, samesame.
I ream flashholes and measure case length. I weigh individual powder charges, and develop my loads these days using standard primers, then check to see if match primers improve accuracy. Usually, if they do, it's a very close thing. I neither trim nor anneal, and use basic two dies handloading die sets with the expander ball. When my cases grow to almost too long, I cull the longest, then I retire the rest with a final loading of a hunt/plink load.
I weigh loaded cartridges to catch serious reloading errors.
I have determined that 1/2MOA benched at 100yd, 1MOA prone at 200yd and 2MOA prone at 1000yd is a reasonable accuracy goal.
Greg
Over time, my method has evolved/devolved to the same as Queequeg's. It's just the most efficient means I've found to allocate my case prep time.
I've been testing effects of various individual steps to find out what makes a difference and what doesn't, and have found that simpler works well enough to justify skipping alot of previously thought 'essential' steps.
Primer pocket cleaning buys me nothing. Any efforts at runout measuring/controlling, neck turning, likewise (I use SAAMI chambers deliberately so this issue will become a non-issue). Measuring ogives, weighing brass or bullets, samesame.
I ream flashholes and measure case length. I weigh individual powder charges, and develop my loads these days using standard primers, then check to see if match primers improve accuracy. Usually, if they do, it's a very close thing. I neither trim nor anneal, and use basic two dies handloading die sets with the expander ball. When my cases grow to almost too long, I cull the longest, then I retire the rest with a final loading of a hunt/plink load.
I weigh loaded cartridges to catch serious reloading errors.
I have determined that 1/2MOA benched at 100yd, 1MOA prone at 200yd and 2MOA prone at 1000yd is a reasonable accuracy goal.
Greg
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
I tumble after punching the primers, then use the air compressor with a rubber tipped nozzle to blow the media outa the flash hole real quick. Then use a sinclair primer pocket uniformer to take the crap outa the primer pocket. I know everyone has their own way of going bout it.
Just my 2 cents
Kc
I tumble after punching the primers, then use the air compressor with a rubber tipped nozzle to blow the media outa the flash hole real quick. Then use a sinclair primer pocket uniformer to take the crap outa the primer pocket. I know everyone has their own way of going bout it.
Just my 2 cents
Kc
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
Both. Clean up before running in dies. And after to clean off the imperial wax and shine them up. Then they go throught the RCBS prep tool which deburrs, cleans the primer pocket and cleans the case mouth real quickly.
Both. Clean up before running in dies. And after to clean off the imperial wax and shine them up. Then they go throught the RCBS prep tool which deburrs, cleans the primer pocket and cleans the case mouth real quickly.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
My method involves cases that are not 'dirty' that is, they have not been on the ground (but have been fired).
Decap in universal decapping die,
measure sholder position with RCBS case mic,
Full length size those without suitable sholder position in body die,
Neck only size cases,
throw in tumbler overnight.
From here on int, I wear latex gloves to leave the brass shiny.
My method involves cases that are not 'dirty' that is, they have not been on the ground (but have been fired).
Decap in universal decapping die,
measure sholder position with RCBS case mic,
Full length size those without suitable sholder position in body die,
Neck only size cases,
throw in tumbler overnight.
From here on int, I wear latex gloves to leave the brass shiny.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
I tumble before decapping/sizing so that the brass is clean when sized. I use lanolin as the lube (tumble the clean cases in a tumbler that has a thin layer of lanolin on it). After sizing I place the cases in a mesh bag and wash them with hot water to remove the lanolin. After cleaning I lay them on a towel to dry.
lanolin has worked very well for a case lube, it is cheap, no stuck cases and it washes off without using any solvents.
when I am doing less than 100 cases I use the lanolin in the same fashion as I used to use Imperial wax.
Free advice and possibly I overcharge,
I tumble before decapping/sizing so that the brass is clean when sized. I use lanolin as the lube (tumble the clean cases in a tumbler that has a thin layer of lanolin on it). After sizing I place the cases in a mesh bag and wash them with hot water to remove the lanolin. After cleaning I lay them on a towel to dry.
lanolin has worked very well for a case lube, it is cheap, no stuck cases and it washes off without using any solvents.
when I am doing less than 100 cases I use the lanolin in the same fashion as I used to use Imperial wax.
Free advice and possibly I overcharge,
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
Both. I use a universal decapping die then tumble clean before using the match dies to resize. I then tumble to clean the lube off. Flash holes are inspected as I trim.
Both. I use a universal decapping die then tumble clean before using the match dies to resize. I then tumble to clean the lube off. Flash holes are inspected as I trim.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
I use RCBS Water Soluble case lube, which appears to be some form of highly concentrated detergent. I've used Dawn, but the RCBS stuff works better. I have two small bottles of the stuff, and simply moisten thumb and forefinger of my right hand and apply by holding the case by the neck with my left hand and spinning the case while wiping the lube onto the case in a spiral stripe pattern, from just below the shoulder to the base. So little is required that the two bottles I have should last me for years. I use a shop cloth moistened with 70% rubbing alky to wipe the cases down after sizing.
Greg
I use RCBS Water Soluble case lube, which appears to be some form of highly concentrated detergent. I've used Dawn, but the RCBS stuff works better. I have two small bottles of the stuff, and simply moisten thumb and forefinger of my right hand and apply by holding the case by the neck with my left hand and spinning the case while wiping the lube onto the case in a spiral stripe pattern, from just below the shoulder to the base. So little is required that the two bottles I have should last me for years. I use a shop cloth moistened with 70% rubbing alky to wipe the cases down after sizing.
Greg
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Over time, my method has evolved/devolved to the same as Queequeg's. It's just the most efficient means I've found to allocate my case prep time.
I've been testing effects of various individual steps to find out what makes a difference and what doesn't, and have found that simpler works well enough to justify skipping alot of previously thought 'essential' steps.
Primer pocket cleaning buys me nothing. Any efforts at runout measuring/controlling, neck turning, likewise (I use SAAMI chambers deliberately so this issue will become a non-issue). Measuring ogives, weighing brass or bullets, samesame.
I ream flashholes and measure case length. I weigh individual powder charges, and develop my loads these days using standard primers, then check to see if match primers improve accuracy. Usually, if they do, it's a very close thing. I neither trim nor anneal, and use basic two dies handloading die sets with the expander ball. When my cases grow to almost too long, I cull the longest, then I retire the rest with a final loading of a hunt/plink load.
I weigh loaded cartridges to catch serious reloading errors.
I have determined that 1/2MOA benched at 100yd, 1MOA prone at 200yd and 2MOA prone at 1000yd is a reasonable accuracy goal.
Greg </div></div>
That's pretty much what I do also. About the only difference is that I use a universal decapping die after the first tumble. I don't like expander balls. I am thinking of polishing the expander ball to make it smaller and then using that to just decap as I resize.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Over time, my method has evolved/devolved to the same as Queequeg's. It's just the most efficient means I've found to allocate my case prep time.
I've been testing effects of various individual steps to find out what makes a difference and what doesn't, and have found that simpler works well enough to justify skipping alot of previously thought 'essential' steps.
Primer pocket cleaning buys me nothing. Any efforts at runout measuring/controlling, neck turning, likewise (I use SAAMI chambers deliberately so this issue will become a non-issue). Measuring ogives, weighing brass or bullets, samesame.
I ream flashholes and measure case length. I weigh individual powder charges, and develop my loads these days using standard primers, then check to see if match primers improve accuracy. Usually, if they do, it's a very close thing. I neither trim nor anneal, and use basic two dies handloading die sets with the expander ball. When my cases grow to almost too long, I cull the longest, then I retire the rest with a final loading of a hunt/plink load.
I weigh loaded cartridges to catch serious reloading errors.
I have determined that 1/2MOA benched at 100yd, 1MOA prone at 200yd and 2MOA prone at 1000yd is a reasonable accuracy goal.
Greg </div></div>
That's pretty much what I do also. About the only difference is that I use a universal decapping die after the first tumble. I don't like expander balls. I am thinking of polishing the expander ball to make it smaller and then using that to just decap as I resize.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MitchAlsup</div><div class="ubbcode-body">From here on int, I wear latex gloves to leave the brass shiny. </div></div>
i started wearing nitrile gloves during brass handling, to combat the oil oxidation from hands. found i really don't have to tumble anymore, any carbon rings on the necks get a quick twist with steel wool.
brass stays shiny, no oily oxidation prints, rifles feed REAL nice.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MitchAlsup</div><div class="ubbcode-body">From here on int, I wear latex gloves to leave the brass shiny. </div></div>
i started wearing nitrile gloves during brass handling, to combat the oil oxidation from hands. found i really don't have to tumble anymore, any carbon rings on the necks get a quick twist with steel wool.
brass stays shiny, no oily oxidation prints, rifles feed REAL nice.
Re: Tumble - before or after decapping?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sig685</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am thinking of polishing the expander ball to make it smaller and then using that to just decap as I resize. </div></div>
that's what i did, disassembled the decapping die and worked everything over with emery cloth. very little lube is needed anymore, i rarely "feel" the ball dragging during the process now. fwiw, i didn't make it "smaller" but i did polish it and removed any imperfections and burs.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sig685</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am thinking of polishing the expander ball to make it smaller and then using that to just decap as I resize. </div></div>
that's what i did, disassembled the decapping die and worked everything over with emery cloth. very little lube is needed anymore, i rarely "feel" the ball dragging during the process now. fwiw, i didn't make it "smaller" but i did polish it and removed any imperfections and burs.
Similar threads
