Wet tumbling with pins in cases with spent primers

[ghbucky]

I've seen a few mentions in here of people first wet tumbling fired brass before decapping so that they aren't handling dirty cases.

So, I gave it a whirl and seriously regretted that decision. I'm dealing with multiple instances of .223 cases with pins wedged in the case beyond the reach of any tool I can find to try to get them loose.

How do you get those pins out of rifle cases?

[HiBC]

I don't know. I have not gone there. Why clean with pins and end up with dirty primer pockets? Cleaning primer pockets is one virtue of pins.

Folks who don't want to get their hands dirty might try nitrile gloves,

[ghbucky]

Pretty much my conclusion after trying it myself.

[Marco Califo]

The reason to use pins is to clean the Primer Pockets. No need for pins with primers still in.
To separate pins from brass, it is best to dry the brass first. The water will make pins stick.
You can wet tumble without pins to clean brass before handling.

[Nick_C_S]

The reason to use pins is to clean the Primer Pockets. No need for pins with primers still in.

To separate pins from brass, it is best to dry the brass first. The water will make pins stick.

This ^. Even when pin-tumbling without primers, they can get wedged in the cases. I'm not sure why some do and why some don't; but that's just how it is. I found one just yesterday when I was priming some 223. Not sure how it got through all my quality controls, but there it was. And yes, even when dry it's a pain to get 'em all out. Pull a couple out with tweezers, tap a few out (keep a magnet handy to capture them), pull a couple out with tweezers, tap a few out. Lather, rinse, repeat. Eventually, you clear the log jam and the remainder fall out. No fun.

[ghbucky]

Easy enough to get to them when the case is de-capped, you can get at them from both directions. But these pins are wedged crosswise in the case right in front of the primer. My tweezers are too fat to reach into a .223 case from the mouth. I guess I'll have to decide rather to get new tweezer or ditch those cases.

[FrankenMauser]

Go at it with bent picks (Harbor Freight has a cheap assortment that should work).
Or,
Go look for some of the super-slim, super-long, needle nose pliers at your local hardware store.

I just noticed some incredibly slim 3-4" long needle nose at my local C-A-L Ranch yesterday. I didn't buy them, because the price was painful. But I know they are there, which is still a good thing.

[ghbucky]

ooh! Dental pick is a stellar idea! Thanks.

[Shadow9mm]

I just dont use pins. But i deprime first just so the cases drain easier.

[gwpercle]

Wet tumbling and pins are a pain in the kiester .
I gave it a try but went back to dry walnut shell that has the brass polish in it .
No pins stuck in flash holes or wedged in cases and no drying to contend with .
I'm just a lot happier with Dry polish ... just because you read something ... it doesn't mean it will work for you .
If you are like me ... just go back to dry media ...I think it works Great !
Gary

[jetinteriorguy]

Originally Posted by Shadow9mm

I just dont use pins. But i deprime first just so the cases drain easier.

This works for me as well, and it cleans about 70-80% of the junk from the primer pockets just fine. Just a squirt of Dawn and a pinch of lemishine works great in the HF dual drum tumbler.

[MarkCO]

I won't use pins. There is no need if you use a good, pH balanced cleaning solution. I deprime, then wet tumble.

Pins get stuck in primer pockets, dent case mouths and make the surface more prone to dezincification and corrosion.

[Marco Califo]

Pins get stuck in primer pockets, dent case mouths and make the surface more prone to dezincification and corrosion.

I wet tumble with pins often for years and have NEVER experienced these phenomena.

[ghbucky]

Originally Posted by Marco Califo

I wet tumble with pins often for years and have NEVER experienced these phenomena.

I've occasionally had to remove a pin from the primer hole, but never noticed any other problems. Mind you, that is decapped cases. I'll NEVER tumble cases with spent primers again.

[markr6754]

Yep...pins all the time.

Load
Fire
Resize
Wet w/pins

Nary an issue. No scratched dies, no weirded out cases, but shiny, shiny, shiny.

Only step I change for rifle is anneal after firing, trim (if needed) after sizing.

Yeah, I get a pin lengthwise in a 40 S&W case, and even a 300 Blk or 6.8 SPC case. Haven't run into any issues with .223 Rem cases or 6mm ARC. Now and again I'll find a flash hole holding a few pins...but nothing that would make me change my process.

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by Mark Califo

I wet tumble with pins often for years and have NEVER experienced these phenomena.

That's because your pins are the right size for the case sizes you tumble. Several cut lengths and sizes exist, and not everyone is selling the same pin size. At any rate, as near as I can tell, this is the principal source of the problem. If pins are stuck in cases, dental picks or O-ring picks may help dislodge them.

[Marco Califo]

My pins are original FART pins that came with the FART.

[jpx2rk]

Just because the SS pins included with the FART work does not mean they are the right size pins for the brass you are cleaning. I use the ones included with my FART but I don't shoot pistol (only RF pistol), and I shoot 204R, 20P, 223, and 6mm (6x45 and 6BR) Never had a stuck pin in these calibers.

[Mule]

Sometimes you just have to scrap a piece of brass and lose a few pins. Kind of like crushing a shoulder seating a bullet. DooDoo gonna happen.
Just move on.

[Marco Califo]

Just because the SS pins included with the FART work does not mean they are the right size pins for the brass you are cleaning.

Only one set of original pins. I tumble the following calibers with ZERO issues:
9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 223, 308.

[ghbucky]

This $5 set of dental picks let me rescue my .223 cases that got pins stuck in them

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLVPB8MV...roduct_details

I don't think FA has a uniform pin length. I have pins of different lengths in my set, and they are all FA pins.

[akinswi]

If you have a dry tumbler, try tumbling them with no media and see if the vibrations knock them loose.

I recall I had some pins get stuck in some 30-06 cases and I tried this but those necks are way bigger than .223

Nylon gloves are your friend. I dont reload anything anymore unless im wearing gloves