Question - Reloading Gurus

[rossivey]

Ok im thinking about this and i think i may be starting to understand why u dont wanna jack with the decapping pin/expander ball set up. Is it because if you get a thousandth or two off from where it was before then u might have changed the shoulder angle slightly compared to your other brass due to pressure being applied to neck by expander ball on way up or out of the cartridge? Is my thinking right here or am i overanalyzing this?

Correct. When I first started, I resized a bunch of .223 cases and the die was screwed in too far. It mushroomed the shoulder out on some of my loads and I had to pull them. Once fixed to the proper seating, I don't jack with any of my resizing dies. I only change my Bullet Seating Die when I reload different bullets (hollow vs. FMJ)

[miket]

Yeah but if you get a piece of walnut/corn in the flash hole it will get knocked out by your decapping pin when you go to resize the case.

True. You are right. I was thinking of it like he was resizing/decap then tumble, rather than just decap then tumble then resize. My bad on that lone point. I still dont see the point in decapping before tumbling though. The media cant get to the gunk in the corner to clean it out.

[budrow]

Im starting to see the addiction if this for minds like mine.. starting to see the tools and effort required also if want accuracy.

[budrow]

Guys -- im a tight wad and havent bought or made a tumbler yet -- been cleaning with hot water and the ocasey soap stuff. This is why wanting to decap first

[budrow]

Do i just need to get a tumbler? Guess my question for you and some of the cajun blake alikes is will tumbled brass truly resize more accurately/consistantly than washed brass?

[rossivey]

I dunno about it being more accurate but it's a helluva lot easier to tumble 300+ cases then hand cleaning them.

[miket]

I didnt have very good results washing the cases when I first started reloading brass. Of course that was 20yrs ago....tumbling them is much more likely to remove everything in my opinion. When I tumble my brass feels slick and clean unlike washing ( from what I remember )

[PSD Ryan]

Get a tumbler. I've been running the same couple lbs of media for the last few years and it still cleans the cases really well. I've considered going to northern tool and getting a cheap sonic cleaner to give that a try.

I always tumble with the spent primers in.

[ducks-and-bucks]

Question answered..

[bboswell]

I don't understand the desire to decap without resizing. I decap / resize then tumble to clean and get lube off then clean primer pocket and clear flash hole.

[JAFO]

I don't understand the desire to decap without resizing. I decap / resize then tumble to clean and get lube off then clean primer pocket and clear flash hole.

I agree with you....if you remove the used primer without resizing then wash then resize, aren’t you adding an unnecessary step?

I tumble my spent brass before removing the primer to insure I do not have to pull corn/walnut pieces out of the primer hole.