9_Ball_Slim Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I'm new to the Forum, and am just getting back into IPSC / IDPA shooting after a 5 year layoff. I have my reloading bench set up and I'm ready to start brewing my own. My question is do you guys decap the primers out of your brass before you throw it in the tumbler, or do you tumble with the primer in place and then clean the primer pocket after running it through the sizing / decapping die? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I don't think anyone cleans primer pockets for pistols.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 hey tom, i would venture to say most people do not decap before reloading. i'm sure there are, but not me. good luck, and welcome back! lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgary Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 My process is... 1) dump brass (complete with spent primer) into the tumbler 2) when clean, I inspect each headstamp (I load super-comp). While doing this (in front of the TV), I sorta "tap" each case to make sure there is no lingering media in there. Probably overkill, but this is how I avoid having 9SuperComp and other oddball rimless variants mess up my reloading mojo. 3) dump cleaned/checked cases into the casefeeder and load away. If there was a piece of media stuck in the flash hole, the decapping pin will take care of it. I've never cleaned a primer pocket... Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenTX Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 My process is...1) dump brass (complete with spent primer) into the tumbler I've never cleaned a primer pocket... Bruce +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Geek Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I don't decap before cleaning either. I've never had problems (would be high primers or duds?) When I started with my 650, I wrestled with this as well. In my rockchucker days I very carfully cleaned primer pockets (brush on a dremmel). Heck - range brass looked new when i got done with it. I also liked guns that were shiny wood and blued finish. Figured I'd just try it a few times and see. All that was about 75,000 rounds ago. Now my guns are matte black or stainless metal, plastic or metal grips, and they are usually kinda beat up and dirty 'cause I shoot them all the time. I have some 308 stuff that I absolutely babied. I did every step as perfect as I could (including cleaning pockets). I can't tell any diff between that and stuff that I cut a few corners on. Both shoot clover leaves at 100yds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory_k Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 I made the mistake of depriming before tumbling. Media jammed in the primer pocket and the the 650 brass tube was getting stuck cases from media jamming up the works. Now I just tumble and deprim when loading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9_Ball_Slim Posted March 31, 2006 Author Share Posted March 31, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the input. It's been a while since I last reloaded, and I couldn't remember if I used to clean the primer pockets or not. I just got done tumbling 500 rds. with the primers left in and then decaped them in the sizing die. The pockets are pretty dirty, so I think I will run an RCBS primer pocket cleaner through them before belling the mouths. BTW, I don't reload on a progressive. I do what I refer to as "single stage progressvie" reloading. I have 4 single stage Lee O-frame presses mounted to my bench in a row. Each has one die installed and adjusted. I move through each station 100 rounds at a time. Running a cleaning brush through the primer pockets after pulling them from the sizing die doesn't really cost me that much time. Edited March 31, 2006 by 9_Ball_Slim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrapathy2000 Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 (edited) to cap or not to decap before tumbling have thought about that myself. I have done it all. I have cleaned primer pockets with a drill and q-tips. wont do that no more. I have tumbled with primers in which means I get to deprime and size them which has left the brass with marks afterwards and made it look like it needed another run through tumbler. at moment I take my brass and decap and size it then tumble it. I use rice for media and consistently get it stuck in primer pocket which sucks but its easy to take a pin and push the rice out. I then prime all the brass I want and store it in sealed containers till I am ready to load then I use a Lee 4 Hole turret press. I very much like not having to pay attention to priming while loading. pay more attention to powder measuring and OAL. it does take time though. get nice accurate loads out of it. sometimes I will tumble the loaded ammo too. cleaning primer pockets in pistol not worth it imo. if I had a progressive I would probably tumble them with spent primers then load them into the case feeder. either way you may decide to tumble them again depending on condition of brass and ammo purpose. plinking,target,hunting,sd. use what works best for you Edited April 2, 2006 by mrapathy2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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