De-priming

[Drubie22]

I'm relatively new to reloading and have a question about de-priming. When I first started I would deprime all my brass on a separate press before tumbling in corn cob. I did this because I thought the spent primers contained dirty/toxic powders that I did not want to mix in with my cleaning media just to have spread to all my brass I was trying to clean. Then I got a Dillon 550b and it seems that part of the cycle is to deprime in the first stage.

Does this mean I should just throw all of my brass into the tumbler with spent primers? Then it would seem I just start reloading when clean and have the Dillon pop out the primers while re-sizing?

[Powder Finger]

Does this mean I should just throw all of my brass into the tumbler with spent primers? Then it would seem I just start reloading when clean and have the Dillon pop out the primers while re-sizing?

Yes.

With rifle, IF you want to clean primer pockets then get a de-prime only die and do that in a inexpensive single stage....then run in the 550.

[MichiganShootist]

Priming with the spent primers in place also reduces the odds of getting cleaning media stuck in the primer pocket.

[kevin c]

...I thought the spent primers contained dirty/toxic powders that I did not want to mix in with my cleaning media just to have spread to all my brass I was trying to clean...

They do (lead compound residues in most primers), but that stuff has been blown all over the interior of the case anyway. The case also may have been lead contaminated if there was exposed lead on the bullet base. Frankly, you should consider the media and cleaned brass as both being contaminated. Use gloves, and/or clean your hands well after handling/shooting.

[Powder Finger]

Priming with the spent primers in place also reduces the odds of getting cleaning media stuck in the primer pocket.

not to mention a tight fit

[Postal Bob]

Tumble before de-priming. This keeps media out of the primer powder.