Resizing without tumbling first?

[thormx538]

Trying to streamline my .223 process here since I work in bulk. Currently, I --

1) Decap w/ Lee universal decapper
2) Swage on the SS600 as necessary
3) Wet tumble
4) Resize
5) Trim/chamfer/deburr
6) Either wet tumble again, or dry tumble to remove case lube


Is there a quick and dirty method to clean the once fired stuff enough to not mess up my sizing die? Would just hosing them off be enough? I don't want to wet tumble them with primers in because I've read there's a risk of the primer anvil and cup separating and the cup remaining in the primer pocket when decapped.

I thought about dry tumbling first, and sizing after but in the past when I've done this, I wind up with some of the media that got trapped in a case getting covered in case lube and lodged up inside the sizing die, and I wind up having to clean the sizing die out after a couple hundred rounds. Last time I did this I didn't have a rotary separator (I do now), so I was dumping the media out of each case by hand. I would imagine the rotary separator would leave even more media though, and exacerbate the issue, or do I have that backwards? I think I'll just try it with a few hundred rounds to see.

 

[mac1911]

when you talking bulk there is no real easier way than tumble be it wet or dry.
I have certain batches of brass just for certain rifles and they generally dont need much more than a wipe down with a rag with mineral spirits on it. I do the same for removing the lube......only talking 100 rounds or so. If I need to do more it all goes in the tumbler.

As for the retumble to remove lube I would go dry tumble do not have to wait for brass to dry again.

If you want your brass nice and shinny; you got to tumble

[video]https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A0LEVvdhLTFV0nsAf7knnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTB0dm RibmhwBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1lIUzAwMV8x?p=j erry+miculek+cleaning+brass&tnr=21&vid=6C7005A2E48C793F913C6C7005A2E48C793F913C&l=315&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.6 ibivG0lrRrG%252fXFJGAYOOg%26pid%3D15.1&sigi=12118h649&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DO 5y_dsP3dsM&sigr=11bjiqffr&tt=b&tit=How+to+clean+your+brass+for+reloading+with+Jer ry+Miculek&sigt=11o4ksuc3&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch %3Fp%3Djerry%2Bmiculek%2Bcleaning%2Bbrass%26hsimp% 3Dyhs-004%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26fr%3Dyhs-mozilla-004%26ei%3DUTF-8&sigb=13r04df3t&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004[/video]

 

[EddieCoyle]

The media separator does a superior job of getting dry media out of cases.

Dry tumble without decapping, and decap with your sizing die. If the brass isn't clean enough for you, wet tumble it to get the lube off. You'll get the same results you get now with one less step.

 

[tysdad115]

when you talking bulk there is no real easier way than tumble be it wet or dry.
I have certain batches of brass just for certain rifles and they generally dont need much more than a wipe down with a rag with mineral spirits on it. I do the same for removing the lube......only talking 100 rounds or so. If I need to do more it all goes in the tumbler.

As for the retumble to remove lube I would go dry tumble do not have to wait for brass to dry again.

If you want your brass nice and shinny; you got to tumble

[video]https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A0LEVvdhLTFV0nsAf7knnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTB0dm RibmhwBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1lIUzAwMV8x?p=j erry+miculek+cleaning+brass&tnr=21&vid=6C7005A2E48C793F913C6C7005A2E48C793F913C&l=315&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.6 ibivG0lrRrG%252fXFJGAYOOg%26pid%3D15.1&sigi=12118h649&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DO 5y_dsP3dsM&sigr=11bjiqffr&tt=b&tit=How+to+clean+your+brass+for+reloading+with+Jer ry+Miculek&sigt=11o4ksuc3&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch %3Fp%3Djerry%2Bmiculek%2Bcleaning%2Bbrass%26hsimp% 3Dyhs-004%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26fr%3Dyhs-mozilla-004%26ei%3DUTF-8&sigb=13r04df3t&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004[/video]

Since I don't have a spare oven floating around, I just use the "delicate linens" tray thing that came with my front loading gas dryer,its a platform the clips on the front and back and doesn't tumble when driyer is on. I line it with paper towels ,load it with brass and run it through a quick dry cycle. Brass comes out nice and dry.

 

[thormx538]

The media separator does a superior job of getting dry media out of cases.

Good to hear -- I'll give it a shot this weekend.

I use a food dehydrator to dry my brass after wet tumbling. I used to use the oven on the lowest setting, but the dehydrator does a better job (no water spots) in less time.

 

[mac1911]

Good to hear -- I'll give it a shot this weekend.

I use a food dehydrator to dry my brass after wet tumbling. I used to use the oven on the lowest setting, but the dehydrator does a better job (no water spots) in less time.

I found a dehydrated at a yard sale for 10$.... figure when I go to wet/stainless tumble I will use it

 

[thormx538]

I found a dehydrated at a yard sale for 10$.... figure when I go to wet/stainless tumble I will use it

I looked for one at Goodwill for 6 months and finally bought one on Amazon for 29$. Figured I probably wasted more electricity using the oven while searching for a bargain than I would have saved haha

 

[EddieCoyle]

I plan a couple of days ahead and let them air dry.

 

[RK1717]

1. Resize/deprime
2. Wet tumble - to remove lube. Let dry.
3. Trim/chamfer/debur
4. Prime
5. Add powder
6 seat bullet.

I like the cases to be clean after resizing. The lube would stick to the brass shavings in the gurrard tool and clog it giving me uneven lengths.

 

[xtry51]

1. Resize/deprime
2. Wet tumble - to remove lube. Let dry.
3. Trim/chamfer/debur
4. Prime
5. Add powder
6 seat bullet.

I like the cases to be clean after resizing. The lube would stick to the brass shavings in the gurrard tool and clog it giving me uneven lengths.

Which lube? I don't have this problem with Lanolin.

 

[dcmdon]

I just started wet tumbling and found that its easiest to just leave the brass in the media separator. I turn it a few times in the morning and another few times in the evening. In 3 days its all uniformly dry.

Of course that isn't any good if you are in a rush.

Don

 

[dcmdon]

Which lube? I don't have this problem with Lanolin.

One thought re resizing without tumbling first is to simply use a cheap resizing/decaping die. If you end up scratching the die, then for $20 (Lee) you can get another.

One other thought is to dry tumble them to get the heavy abraisive stuff off of them then resize/decap and then wet tumble.

I'm not saying any of these are ideal. Just some thoughts.

 

[Pinion]

Here's my process:

Tumble
Lube
Size/Deprime
Trim/Prep
Tumble
Put in a box until ready

 

[1903Collector]

I just finished prepping 3k .223 cases

Decap/primer pocket swage
Wet wash and air dry (I use Iosso case cleaner, removes mud, grit and grime and reduces tumbling time)
Resize and trim (I really need a Giraud)
Tumble for 30-45 minutes (I don't go crazy, they just get dirty again)
Put in baggies of 100 pcs each until used

Probably better ways of doing it but this is the way I've been doing it for years.

 

[dcmdon]

I just finished prepping 3k .223 cases

Decap/primer pocket swage
Wet wash and air dry (I use Iosso case cleaner, removes mud, grit and grime and reduces tumbling time)
Resize and trim (I really need a Giraud)
Tumble for 30-45 minutes (I don't go crazy, they just get dirty again)
Put in baggies of 100 pcs each until used

Probably better ways of doing it but this is the way I've been doing it for years.

Do you sort by headstamp?

I'm wondering if this is my next step in my obsessive compulsive descent into rifle reloading?

 

[thormx538]

I don't sort .223/5.56. I have ~6000 cases in play.

308/7.62x51 should be sorted though because the internal volume differs, so your powder charges may need to change depending on your load. Rule of thumb is 2gr less in 7.62x51 cases compared to 308.

 

[1903Collector]

Do you sort by headstamp?

I'm wondering if this is my next step in my obsessive compulsive descent into rifle reloading?

Normally yes i would but this was all LC brass