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Is it dangerous to tumble loaded ammo?


glockdude1

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I have reloaded pistol for 3 years now and am new to rifle reloading with 223/556..

After I tumble, prep and trim my brass, I have to lube my brass again to set the primers, powder and bullets (3 RCBS dies in a Dillon 550B)...

Can I throw the loaded ammo into my tumbler, with media, and tumble them for awhile to get rid of the case lube on the brass, or should I just go shoot them with a little lube on them?...if I just go shoot them, wouldn't that get my AR a lot dirtier to clean?

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Sizing should be done in the prep operation BEFORE trimming. Then tumble to remove lube and load the cases with primer, powder and bullet dry.

The only step that needs lube is sizing.

Imho

jj

Edited by RiggerJJ
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I did deprime and size the brass before I trimmed and tumbled my brass...then I loaded my prepped brass into my Dillon casefeeder and the first casing that I started to put the primer in got stuck in the deprime/sizing die after the casefeeder fed it into position...what am I missing here?

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What JJ is saying.. after you've prepped your brass.. (all sized then trimmed) - no need for a sizing die again (I do have a universal decapper on, just to make sure no tumbling media is in the primer hole), so no lube is needed

After I size/trim.. I throw the cases into corncob to polish and remove the lube, and it breaks off any burrs from trimming...

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What JJ is saying.. after you've prepped your brass.. (all sized then trimmed) - no need for a sizing die again (I do have a universal decapper on, just to make sure no tumbling media is in the primer hole), so no lube is needed

After I size/trim.. I throw the cases into corncob to polish and remove the lube, and it breaks off any burrs from trimming...

This is what I do as well except I use wet tumbling with SS media after size/trim.

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You put in a different head to do the 2nd operation of loading the prepped brass with the associated dies in it.

1st position universal decap to knock out any media in flash hole or primer pocket, then seat a primer.

2nd position drop powder.

3rd position seat bullet.

4th position crimp.

jj

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As far as the original question of post reload tumbling. You will find the topic has been beaten to death on here before with 100's of opinions going both ways. Basically, if you want to do it, no issues.....

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I use a neck sizing die in the #1 position when loading fully sized and prepped brass. It requires no lube, but will still straighten out any necks that are not perfect and will knock media out of primer pockets if present.

I have done it the other way with full length sizing the second time and dry tumbling after loading and have had no problems...but I don't see that extra step as necessary.

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I have the same setup, 550b with case feeder, i use a lee universal decapper in station 1 of the loading tool head. I decap, size and trim on the trimming toolhead.That way i am able to tumble off the lube and any burrs before the loading operation. All you need to do is get a universal decapper that is not going to size your cases, only make sure the flash hole is clear. Other that you got it right!

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I tumble/vibra-polish my loaded rounds for a few minutes to remove lube and never had any issues. I have found loaded rounds mixed in with my empty cases that got tumbled for 3-4 hours and shot it over a chrono just to see if the velocity changed...and the velocity was right where it should be. No way for me to check if the pressure had changed but the primer looked fine.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've tumbled loaded .223 ammo over a weekend in my Dillon, I pulled one bullet to see if the powder turn to "dust" it didn't (benchmark). Went to chrono the ammo at the range. No difference in MV vs none tumbled live ammo. zero wasn't effected at all and groups stayed pretty much the same. Checked the casings, no pressure signs what-so-ever. Tumbling media was plain lyman stuff you find at the store. The only difference between the tumbled stuff vs non tumbled stuff was the shine.

Whenever I get around to it I want to use a little polishing gunk next time I tumble my loaded rounds and see if it effects accuracy due to the bullet having a polish coating on top of it.

Load data is as follows:

Brass: LC mil stuff

Bullet: 55gr Hornady FMJ w/c

Powder: 25 grains Benchmark

Primer: CCI military stuff (can't remember what # but pretty close to magnum primers from what I understand)

MV: 3150+ out of a 18inch JP lite Contour barrel

Zeroing Elevation: little over 5500ft.

Edited by DocMedic
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