Primer Removal

smokjunkee · February 13, 2007, 07:24 AM

Ok, I'm probably going to get a real simple answer, but here goes. I am starting to get into reloading and in reading a manual(Lyman's) & looking through Midways Master Catalog, I cannot find any info on removing the old primer. There is no reference to it in Lyman's, it only talks about cleaning & deburring the primer hole after decapping, which I assume means primer removal. I also could not find any tools in Midway that looked like they were for this task. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Thanks
SJ

ECLIPSE45ACP · February 13, 2007, 08:15 AM

any standard die set you buy will come with a sizing/decapping die for that caliber. Lee, RCBS, Dillon, any of these will work. I use Lee and have had good luck with them.

sanson · February 13, 2007, 08:15 AM

your re-sizer die punches out the primer with a long pin-punch. you can see it in the die

smokjunkee · February 13, 2007, 09:25 AM

Thank you, that's starting to make sense to me now.
SJ

rcupka · February 13, 2007, 01:44 PM

I also am just gathering equipment to get started and have a question on sequence. Do you tumble the brass first to clean it then lube and deprime. and then clean the primer pocket with the little tool?

Or do you deprime before you tumble the brass. It would seem that by de-priming first then the primer pocket would get clean from the media, but that the case might be dirty going into the die. What is the usual way of doing this?

Don H · February 13, 2007, 02:09 PM

Quote:

What is the usual way of doing this?

There is no "usual way".

Some people tumble and then decap.

Some people decap and then tumble.

Some people don't clean the cases.

Some use a liquid cleaner.

Some people use ceramic tumbling media in a liquid.

Some people clean primer pockets.

Some don't.

Some uniform primer pocket.

Some don't.

Some uniform and deburr flash-holes.

Some don't.

There is no hard and fast rule about these things. Do what makes sense to you and gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling about your case-prep process.

sasquatch · February 13, 2007, 02:16 PM

As far as "lubing" goes, you really don't need to lube straight-walled cases when using carbide dies.

mrawesome22 · February 13, 2007, 05:57 PM

I tumble then size/decap. Then clean primer pockets, and then prime. And yes smokjunkie, decapping simply means removing the old primer. If you are FL sizing with lube, some people tumble again after sizing to get all the lube off.

Ares45 · February 13, 2007, 09:36 PM

I vote for tumbling first. Brass is cheap, dies are expensive. If you run dirt and debris through your dies you will damage them. Especially carbide dies. Carbide is hard but it's also brittle.

You don't have to lube straight wall pistol brass but it sure does make things smoother and more consistent. Spend 6 bucks on a can of Hornady One-Shot case lube and try it with and without. Make up your own mind.

FM12 · February 14, 2007, 10:56 AM

Lee and RCBS also make dies for just decapping/primer removal...thats all that die does, I prefer the lee, their decapping rods and pins are made better. The democrats are back, can you say "got hi-caps"?

DWARREN123 · February 14, 2007, 03:02 PM

I tumble then deprime/resize, load powder then bullet. I use Lee carbide dies so I do not lube for pistol calibers.
357 mag
32 H&R mag

**Unclenick** · February 14, 2007, 03:37 PM

Most volume loaders are running progressive presses. Since you would have to interupt the loading sequence, no cleaning of primer pockets is normally done on them. You tumble to get the grit off, then just run through the loading sequence. The primer residue has never been shown to affect accuracy. However, the progressive makers will tell you that every 10th reloading or so, you may have to clean the primer pockets or the accumulated residue may not allow fresh primers to seat all the way. At that point you have to remove the brass after sizing and decapping to clean the primer pocket, whether by tumbling or by primer pocket tool, or else use a separate decapping die before cleaning as described earlier.

Nick

cheygriz · February 14, 2007, 06:33 PM

I use a Dillon 650. My procedure is to put a toolhead with only an RCBS decapping die into the machine. I then decap all cases. After decapping, I tumble wash the cases in warm water and liquid tide. (rotary tumbler)

I then put the normal tool head in and load. Carbide dies for all straight wall cases, thus no lubing.

For bottleneck cases, I decap, wash, and then lube with Dillon spray lube, load, and then tumble in corncobs treated with mineral spirits to remove the lube.

Very simple, very easy, very fast.

rem33 · February 14, 2007, 06:47 PM

I use a Lee decaping die then clean or tumble in a cleaning solution, then size, works good for me. Tumbling media is a PITA, I rarely use it. Use One Shot to lube and then wipe the completed bullet off a bit. One Shot doesn't affect powders or primers. I have shot loads a dozen years old made this way.

February 13, 2007, 07:24 AM	#1
smokjunkee Member Join Date: July 25, 2006 Location: Southern New Jersey Posts: 17	Primer Removal Ok, I'm probably going to get a real simple answer, but here goes. I am starting to get into reloading and in reading a manual(Lyman's) & looking through Midways Master Catalog, I cannot find any info on removing the old primer. There is no reference to it in Lyman's, it only talks about cleaning & deburring the primer hole after decapping, which I assume means primer removal. I also could not find any tools in Midway that looked like they were for this task. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Thanks SJ

February 13, 2007, 08:15 AM	#3
sanson Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2006 Location: FL panhandle Posts: 547	your re-sizer die punches out the primer with a long pin-punch. you can see it in the die __________________ www.sansoneservices.com

February 13, 2007, 02:16 PM	#7
sasquatch Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2005 Location: Western WA Posts: 1,347	As far as "lubing" goes, you really don't need to lube straight-walled cases when using carbide dies. __________________ Just my 2¢.

February 14, 2007, 03:02 PM	#11
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2006 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 1,758	I tumble then deprime/resize, load powder then bullet. I use Lee carbide dies so I do not lube for pistol calibers. 357 mag 32 H&R mag __________________ Have a nice day!

February 14, 2007, 03:37 PM	#12
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Most volume loaders are running progressive presses. Since you would have to interupt the loading sequence, no cleaning of primer pockets is normally done on them. You tumble to get the grit off, then just run through the loading sequence. The primer residue has never been shown to affect accuracy. However, the progressive makers will tell you that every 10th reloading or so, you may have to clean the primer pockets or the accumulated residue may not allow fresh primers to seat all the way. At that point you have to remove the brass after sizing and decapping to clean the primer pocket, whether by tumbling or by primer pocket tool, or else use a separate decapping die before cleaning as described earlier. Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

February 13, 2007, 08:15 AM	#2
ECLIPSE45ACP Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 177	any standard die set you buy will come with a sizing/decapping die for that caliber. Lee, RCBS, Dillon, any of these will work. I use Lee and have had good luck with them.

February 13, 2007, 09:25 AM	#4
smokjunkee Member Join Date: July 25, 2006 Location: Southern New Jersey Posts: 17	Thank you, that's starting to make sense to me now. SJ

February 13, 2007, 01:44 PM	#5
rcupka Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2006 Posts: 339	I also am just gathering equipment to get started and have a question on sequence. Do you tumble the brass first to clean it then lube and deprime. and then clean the primer pocket with the little tool? Or do you deprime before you tumble the brass. It would seem that by de-priming first then the primer pocket would get clean from the media, but that the case might be dirty going into the die. What is the usual way of doing this?

February 13, 2007, 05:57 PM	#8
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	I tumble then size/decap. Then clean primer pockets, and then prime. And yes smokjunkie, decapping simply means removing the old primer. If you are FL sizing with lube, some people tumble again after sizing to get all the lube off.

February 13, 2007, 09:36 PM	#9
Ares45 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2005 Posts: 211	I vote for tumbling first. Brass is cheap, dies are expensive. If you run dirt and debris through your dies you will damage them. Especially carbide dies. Carbide is hard but it's also brittle. You don't have to lube straight wall pistol brass but it sure does make things smoother and more consistent. Spend 6 bucks on a can of Hornady One-Shot case lube and try it with and without. Make up your own mind.

February 14, 2007, 10:56 AM	#10
FM12 Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2007 Location: Monroeville, Alabama Posts: 1,683	Lee and RCBS also make dies for just decapping/primer removal...thats all that die does, I prefer the lee, their decapping rods and pins are made better. The democrats are back, can you say "got hi-caps"?

February 14, 2007, 06:33 PM	#13
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	I use a Dillon 650. My procedure is to put a toolhead with only an RCBS decapping die into the machine. I then decap all cases. After decapping, I tumble wash the cases in warm water and liquid tide. (rotary tumbler) I then put the normal tool head in and load. Carbide dies for all straight wall cases, thus no lubing. For bottleneck cases, I decap, wash, and then lube with Dillon spray lube, load, and then tumble in corncobs treated with mineral spirits to remove the lube. Very simple, very easy, very fast. __________________ If you think a mighty military force is expensive, wait 'til you see what a weak one costs.

February 14, 2007, 06:47 PM	#14
rem33 Junior member Join Date: March 31, 2006 Posts: 1,528	I use a Lee decaping die then clean or tumble in a cleaning solution, then size, works good for me. Tumbling media is a PITA, I rarely use it. Use One Shot to lube and then wipe the completed bullet off a bit. One Shot doesn't affect powders or primers. I have shot loads a dozen years old made this way.