Cleaning brass for progressive press

Guy B. Meredith · April 12, 2000, 03:03 AM

Is it advisable to deprime brass before cleaning? That would indicate that the depriming station on a progressive is not usefull.

Which media for vibrator cleaner? Tumbler?

Hal · April 12, 2000, 03:34 AM

Guy,
I deprimed exactly one lot of 50 rounds before I tumbled it in corn cob media. The result was a whole bunch of corn cob plugged flash holes.
I leave the primers in now, and size/deprime clean brass, which makes a lot more sense to me. Why run dirty brass through a die? Is pretty much what I figured. I suppose you could deprime, then tumble, then clean out the primer pocket, but that seems to add a couple of steps to the whole process and add time. IMHO, it's faster and easier to just tumble the cases then deprime/size.
As far as media goes, all I use is corn cob. No particular reason other than it's a bit softer when it spills on the floor, and seems to make less noise when getting sucked into the Kirby.

It seems that no matter how much newspaper I spread, and how careful I am, those little crumbs end up on the floor somehow.

johnnybravo · April 12, 2000, 06:15 AM

It's not advisable to run dirty brass through your sizing die. Even a carbide die will eventually wear.

------------------
johnnyb
A slow hit beats a fast miss.

**Bud Helms** · April 12, 2000, 06:15 AM

The crushed walnut doesn't get stuck in the primer hole nearly as bad and works quicker (less tumble time).

Guy, <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>That would indicate that the depriming station on a progressive is not usefull.[/quote] ?

? Depriming brass doesn't clean the flash hole. That's why there are separate tools for that. Progressive press or not, doesn't matter.

The reason most reloaders tumble/clean brass before depriming is to prevent excessive wear on the inside of the sizing die. Though that can be avoided by decapping in a separate operation.

Hutch · April 12, 2000, 08:52 AM

FWIW, I used to torment myself by collecting brass for resale at gunshows, and I always used corncob plus a polishing agent. While walnut quickly cleans brass for reloading, even treated w/ a polishing agent, it didn't make the brass look "shiny-new" like the corncob media.

JoeHatley · April 12, 2000, 10:17 AM

Guy,

I always de-prime before tumbling. I like to have the primer pockets clean, before I reload.
The primer pocket and/or flash hole can get a chunk of media caught in it, depending on the size of your media.

I leave the de-primming pin installed in my sizing die, to punch the chunk of media out, just incase I miss one.

I use "birdie litter" crushed walnut shells in a Lyman 1200 Auto Flow tumber.

Joe

------------------
Go NRA

noodles · April 12, 2000, 10:40 AM

I first clean the brass with walnut.....then I deprime and clean out the primer pockets with a primer pocket brush......then I clean again with corncob.....all media is treated with Dillon brass cleaner. This method is spread out over the course of the week and is used only on .40sw & .45acp.

Nukem · April 12, 2000, 01:56 PM

I never do with handgun brass. Out of the tumbler and into the hopper of the casefeeder.
.223 usually gets cleaned, sized/deprimed and usually trimmed, depending on length.

johnwill · April 13, 2000, 08:50 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Guy B. Meredith:
Is it advisable to deprime brass before cleaning? That would indicate that the depriming station on a progressive is not usefull.

Which media for vibrator cleaner? Tumbler?[/quote]

I'm going to swim against the current here, for most pistol reloading, I see no need to deprime before cleaning. I toss them into the tumbler and clean them, then load 'em up again and shoot them. I have always used walnut media, though I have a big bag of corncob that I'm going to try "some day".

Blue Heeler · April 13, 2000, 09:05 PM

Just for a change I tried some "Birchwood
Casey" cartridge cleaner--talk about quick.
All over and done with in less than ten
minutes---mind you,the drying off takes a
while,not a problem in the Queensland sun.
If you have a lot of really dirty brass then
this stuff is the way to go.
I too leave the primers in while cleaning.

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April 12, 2000, 03:03 AM	#1
Guy B. Meredith Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 1999 Location: Salem, Oregon Posts: 1,581	Is it advisable to deprime brass before cleaning? That would indicate that the depriming station on a progressive is not usefull. Which media for vibrator cleaner? Tumbler?

April 12, 2000, 03:34 AM	#2
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Guy, I deprimed exactly one lot of 50 rounds before I tumbled it in corn cob media. The result was a whole bunch of corn cob plugged flash holes. I leave the primers in now, and size/deprime clean brass, which makes a lot more sense to me. Why run dirty brass through a die? Is pretty much what I figured. I suppose you could deprime, then tumble, then clean out the primer pocket, but that seems to add a couple of steps to the whole process and add time. IMHO, it's faster and easier to just tumble the cases then deprime/size. As far as media goes, all I use is corn cob. No particular reason other than it's a bit softer when it spills on the floor, and seems to make less noise when getting sucked into the Kirby. It seems that no matter how much newspaper I spread, and how careful I am, those little crumbs end up on the floor somehow.

April 12, 2000, 06:15 AM	#3
johnnybravo Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2000 Posts: 100	It's not advisable to run dirty brass through your sizing die. Even a carbide die will eventually wear. ------------------ johnnyb A slow hit beats a fast miss.

April 12, 2000, 06:15 AM	#4
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	The crushed walnut doesn't get stuck in the primer hole nearly as bad and works quicker (less tumble time). Guy, <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>That would indicate that the depriming station on a progressive is not usefull.[/quote] ? ? Depriming brass doesn't clean the flash hole. That's why there are separate tools for that. Progressive press or not, doesn't matter. The reason most reloaders tumble/clean brass before depriming is to prevent excessive wear on the inside of the sizing die. Though that can be avoided by decapping in a separate operation.

April 12, 2000, 08:52 AM	#5
Hutch Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2000 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 1,124	FWIW, I used to torment myself by collecting brass for resale at gunshows, and I always used corncob plus a polishing agent. While walnut quickly cleans brass for reloading, even treated w/ a polishing agent, it didn't make the brass look "shiny-new" like the corncob media.

April 12, 2000, 10:17 AM	#6
JoeHatley Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 1999 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,135	Guy, I always de-prime before tumbling. I like to have the primer pockets clean, before I reload. The primer pocket and/or flash hole can get a chunk of media caught in it, depending on the size of your media. I leave the de-primming pin installed in my sizing die, to punch the chunk of media out, just incase I miss one. I use "birdie litter" crushed walnut shells in a Lyman 1200 Auto Flow tumber. Joe ------------------ Go NRA

April 12, 2000, 10:40 AM	#7
noodles Member Join Date: March 25, 2000 Location: South Florida Posts: 31	I first clean the brass with walnut.....then I deprime and clean out the primer pockets with a primer pocket brush......then I clean again with corncob.....all media is treated with Dillon brass cleaner. This method is spread out over the course of the week and is used only on .40sw & .45acp.

April 12, 2000, 01:56 PM	#8
Nukem Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Posts: 709	I never do with handgun brass. Out of the tumbler and into the hopper of the casefeeder. .223 usually gets cleaned, sized/deprimed and usually trimmed, depending on length.

April 13, 2000, 08:50 PM	#9
johnwill Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2000 Location: PA Posts: 3,451	<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Guy B. Meredith: Is it advisable to deprime brass before cleaning? That would indicate that the depriming station on a progressive is not usefull. Which media for vibrator cleaner? Tumbler?[/quote] I'm going to swim against the current here, for most pistol reloading, I see no need to deprime before cleaning. I toss them into the tumbler and clean them, then load 'em up again and shoot them. I have always used walnut media, though I have a big bag of corncob that I'm going to try "some day".

April 13, 2000, 09:05 PM	#10
Blue Heeler Junior member Join Date: October 4, 1999 Location: Queensland Posts: 1,043	Just for a change I tried some "Birchwood Casey" cartridge cleaner--talk about quick. All over and done with in less than ten minutes---mind you,the drying off takes a while,not a problem in the Queensland sun. If you have a lot of really dirty brass then this stuff is the way to go. I too leave the primers in while cleaning.