Remove primers before or after tumbling?

[trp]

Should you remove the primers before you tumble them or leave them in or does it matter???

[John Wayne]

After. too much cleaning media gets stuck in the primer flash hole.

[Dirty Rod]

Kinda depends on what you are loading and how much case prep you want to do. For pistol loading, most folks, especially those loading on a progressive, leave the primer in for cleaning. Some single stage folks remove them so the primer hole gets cleaned. Like John Wayne stated, I leave them in for pistol and for .223 but for loading precision rifle I tumble, remove and do brass prep, clean again with the primer removed, and then prime and load.

[GrumpyOne]

For pistol, after tumbling.

[trp]

Starting with 45 acp and we will see where it goes from there!

[Stampedeboss]

I remove them before tumbling and I run progressive. I have found the process works well. As to media in the flash hole I still have the resizer/decapper in to clear. I have found it give me the smoothest operation and no lube is required.

[Steve RA]

Deprime first if "pin" tumbling.

[noylj]

I do all dirty jobs in the garage. Depriming is done during case sorting and before cleaning--and cleaning can be dirty and dusty.

Use 20/40 corn and you won't have any media stuck in the primer pocket or flash hole. If you are anal and go into wet tumbling or ultrasonic cleaning, you will have to remove the primer first (or you aren't getting the "clean" you are spending so much to achieve).

Of course, all you need to do is wipe the case exterior prior to sizing, but few are satisfied with what is needed.

[Merlin Orr]

For handgun...after for my AR, after. For precision rifle - before.

[GeraldMeharry]

Second that. Pistol after, rifle before

[sarcmike]

For Stainless tumbling I remove before. I take my old semi retired pro 1000 with a universal decapping die and run through a few thousand. I use a bin that gives me just about 2lbs when full to catch the brass and line up the batches. This is for pistol and rifle.

[anachronism]

I tumble all brass straight from the range bag. I don't want dirty brass in my sizing dies, scratching the hell out of them. I do have a universal decapping die, but only use it in my rather unusual 223 brass prep ritual. I then inspect the cleaned brass, and proceed to whatever the next step is.

[Steve RA]

I'll bite, what is your "rather unusual .223 brass prep ritual" ???

[Scratchthejeepguy]

So assuming you wanted clean primer pockets on 9mm brass, were using SS pins as tumbling media, and if you have a progressive press, like the XL650, would you remove all the other dies except for the decapper die and then quickly run all the cases through it, then tumble them in the pins, then go back to the press?

And if you were using a progressive press, how long would you, or could you go, until you really should clean the pockets? When I was single stage loading, I was cleaning each pocket every time, but now with my progressive... I'm not. Is this something I should worry about, or are clean primer pockets on plinking ammo not really needed?

[Steve RA]

Most people who load on progressives don't clean primer pockets. I - like a lot of other people - have tried both and couldn't detect any accuracy difference. (This obviously doesn't apply to Bench Rest shooters)!!!

[OUshooter]

With the proper mesh size of media you shouldn't have to deal with it getting stuck in the flash hole. For pistol I leave the primers in. For hoser/3gun rifle ammo I leave the primers in. For my bolt gun loads I decap, then tumble.

[fredhull]

I've had issues with media in the primer holes due to the age and use of the Media so I clean with the primer installed. I find that the media will cling to the cases depending on the type of resizing lube you use then you have to clean that off. Twice as much work.....

[FightFireJay]

I use a sonic cleaner (until can invest in STM) and I usually decap first. Not only does it help clean the primer pockets, but it also aids GREATLY in the draining and drying after they get rinsed.

And hell yes, if I had a progressive instead of my lee classic cast turret, I would use the progressive to deprime with a universal decapper, especially if I had a case feeder!

[SPRSkip]

I use SS pins (Love this process compared to Tumbling) and deprime after on both pistol and rifle but I just plink so I am not looking for anything more. The exception is the FN 5.7

[PJones1911]

I have tried both and have better results and less problems when I tumble before removing the primer. The primer punch cleans out the flash hole.

[ncxdm]

So I usually deprime then tumble and I leave the decapping pin in to clear obstructions. That is what works for me and seems to keep the press a little cleaner while building the rounds. But along these lines does anyone know if there is a difference in lead content in the tumbler depending on primers in or out when tumbled. I have read things both ways and didn't know if anyone had actually tested the levels in any kind of meaningful way. Again not one of those things I am super concerned about but I do wonder if its helps keep the lead dust down.

Edited October 22, 2012 by ncxdm

[echase1]

I have also tried it both ways....I can only do it before de-priming. Anything else frustrates me one way or another.