December 13, 2006, 05:35 PM | #1 |
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Case cleaning
I have a question. I just got my new setup. I ordered a tubmler to clean my brass. I was reading the instructions on it and it says to resize and deprime the cases prior to use. My question is that I bought the lee classic turret press. I have been watching the video on reloading with this press and the first step on the turret is to deprime and resize and on the downstroke insert a new primer. Can I clean all my brass without depriming first otherwise that kind of defeats the purpose of a progressive press.
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December 13, 2006, 05:48 PM | #2 |
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Sure, I do it that way myself sometimes. After I run them thru the tumbler, I will then start to size and deprime them. But if I`m using my progressive press I won`t prime them until I clean the primer pockets with a primer brush first..
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December 13, 2006, 05:58 PM | #3 |
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Cleaning primer pockets for any but precision rifle reloading is ridiculous. Don't deprime your brass before you tumble it.
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December 13, 2006, 06:11 PM | #4 |
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I use a Lee Universal Decapping Die and decap all cases before cleaning/tumbling. This cuts down on the amount of cleaning required on the re-sizing die. After cleaning I also prefer to use a Lee Autoprime for priming (not Auto Prime II). I can then tell if I have a loose primer pocket easier than I can on the press. Pistol or Rifle, I get to inspect each case better this way.
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December 13, 2006, 07:21 PM | #5 |
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Depriming
If you deprime before you tumble brass more media gets caught in the flash hole. Tumble first, then deprime and size as you are sticking a CLEAN round in your dies. John
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December 13, 2006, 09:41 PM | #6 |
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+1 johnlizcas...................................................................
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December 13, 2006, 11:13 PM | #7 |
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"Cleaning primer pockets for any but precision rifle reloading is ridiculous. Don't deprime your brass before you tumble it."
I clean primer pockets for consistent primer seating depth. It is not rediculous to do so. |
December 13, 2006, 11:20 PM | #8 |
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I started reloading over 40 years ago and I don't recall ever cleaning a primer pocket. Don't recall any primer-related problems either. But then, that's the nice thing about reloading - there's not just one way, and one way only, to do things.
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December 13, 2006, 11:50 PM | #9 |
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Depending upon how much polish or other junk you load into the tumbler along with the media, if you clean before depriming you will save a step and get you into a good habit if sometime down the road you want to start checking case volume. Media seems to be attracted to flash holes and the little grains want to take up residence there. Primer pocket cleaners are not designed to clean the flash hole. If you do have a primer pocket cleaner go ahead and use it if you want. You will do no harm if you use it properly and it may actually help a bit.
There are a lot of little things you can do like cleaning primer pockets and flash holes that in themselves show no appreciable improvement in the downrange performance of your loads. This is especially true for the casual shooter/reloader who may not shoot thousands of rounds a year or at any long ranges. However, when you add up all the tiny detail jobs like the above and more, you do get significant improvement. The question for the reloader is whether the time, trouble and expense is worth the results.
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December 14, 2006, 01:11 AM | #10 |
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As long as you clean the cases before you resize them, you can do things a lot of different ways.... I like to deprime before tumbling and then clean the pockets (if needed). Then I resize - the decapper will knock out any media in the flash hole. I prime with a hand primer..... -tINY |
December 14, 2006, 03:29 AM | #11 |
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The other thing to cleaning primer pockets is you reduce the chance of High primers that can be dangerous in semi-auto's..I always clean the pockets because it just takes a second.But this is coming from a guy who does not clean his brass .So I would not take any advice from him
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December 14, 2006, 11:36 AM | #12 |
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If I am loading rounds where I load many on the progressive press, I tumble them before decapping them. If I am loading a small lot of ammo say like 50 rounds or less and where I am looking for the utmost accuracy and reliability like precision target, hunting, or SD rounds, I will deprime first then tumble. I will then run a pocket reamer in each one and run a flash hole tool through each one.
This works pretty well for me. JSF |
December 14, 2006, 02:07 PM | #13 |
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I tumble twice. Once before resizsing, so I don't put powder fouling in the dies. Only clean brass in my dies.
Then I tumble again after sizing (rifle ammo only,) just because that's a faster way to get rid case lube.
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December 19, 2006, 06:25 PM | #14 |
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Lee Auto Prime
DISREGARD - I MEANT TO POST A NEW THREAD.
I bought the handheld Lee auto prime and the shell holders (454 and 460)don't fit. Is there a different shell holder for this? I was trying to use the ones that I got with the dies. 454 is #11 and 460 is #14. |
December 19, 2006, 07:04 PM | #15 |
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Lately my routine is to decap with a Lee universal decapper then tumble using a good cleaner, 409, Simple Green or similar, even dish soap if out plus a half cup or so of lemon concentrate, then dry in the oven at 150 degrees. Brass comes out clean and shiny.
Spray em with One Shot in a Ziploc bag shake around a bit, then resize. Even rifle brass such as 30-06 seem to slip in and out of the sizing die so easy at times I wonder if their being sized OK. No shoulder dimples this way either. |
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