big al hunter
New member
The OP is using a wet tumbler....no walnut or corncob will be used. Maybe stainless pins, but they are not required to get nice clean brass. It takes twice as long in my tumbler without the stainless pins.
About to begin my first reloading process.
- Thread starter Django11
- Start date
The only have to is you need to do is RESIZE BEFORE TRIMMING. The resize changes OAL.
We all gravitate to a methodology that suits us and or our setup.
I have found for my stuff, cleaning brass makes it stickier to resize (maybe the humidity). So for me its almost the last step. Others not, shrug.
Also you get a bit of carbon on the brass on resizing, so final cleanup works for me better after.
Nothing wrong with any approach as long as it gets the job done and the process works for the person doing it.
Prof Young
New member
Django11:
You are getting lots of advice here and some of it is conflicting. RC20 says it best in the last line of his post.
"Nothing wrong with any approach as long as it gets the job done and the process works for the person doing it."
With the understanding that " . . . gets the job done . . . " includes all the safety issues.
You'll do well and your methodology will change over the years. I used to be a "clean primer pocket" aficionado but I haven't cleaned a primer pocket ever since I switched over to a turret press. Some time's I don't even clean the brass before I reload, but only if they aren't corroded.
And part of all of this is why you are reloading. The long distance precision rifle shooter is going to use a bit of a different process them me when I reload 9mm just to use at the range.
Be careful and enjoy every moment of it.
Life is good.
Prof Young
You are getting lots of advice here and some of it is conflicting. RC20 says it best in the last line of his post.
"Nothing wrong with any approach as long as it gets the job done and the process works for the person doing it."
With the understanding that " . . . gets the job done . . . " includes all the safety issues.
You'll do well and your methodology will change over the years. I used to be a "clean primer pocket" aficionado but I haven't cleaned a primer pocket ever since I switched over to a turret press. Some time's I don't even clean the brass before I reload, but only if they aren't corroded.
And part of all of this is why you are reloading. The long distance precision rifle shooter is going to use a bit of a different process them me when I reload 9mm just to use at the range.
Be careful and enjoy every moment of it.
Life is good.
Prof Young
I agree that we all have are own ways of doing things while staying with in the same process . The one thing I'd point out is that we all don't start out with the same amount of dirt and or corrosion on our brass .
This brass was bought as once fired LC brass and has corrosion on the outside and had dirt , rocks and other nasty's inside some of the cases , not all , not even many but there were a few that were bad inside .
This was a 500ct lot and there is no way I would just lube those up and start sizing .
Now I know most all of us are like DUH ! but to a new guy saying you don't really need to clean your brass can actually be taken to mean the brass above is gtg and it's not .
Now I have my bolt gun brass that gets fired , ejected into my hand and placed right back in the ammo box . Now that brass is clean enough to just lube and resize if I had to . I still clean it but in a pinch I wouldn't sweat it . That's very different then range pick up or even your brass that hits the dirt and picked up .
As a new reloader one really should inspect all your brass and if you're doing that you might as well at least wipe it down while your at it . As stated above clean brass is easier to inspect IMHO . this is all part if the learning curve . When I first started I went as far as using a magnifying glass to look at every piece of brass . Lets just say that got old fast . When your new , a glance at your brass is not good enough . You really need to earn those corners you ultimately will learn to cut . Like when I play golf for money , they have to earn those one foot puts . Nothings a gemmy until you earn it , then we can talk about just picking up on the next one .
This brass was bought as once fired LC brass and has corrosion on the outside and had dirt , rocks and other nasty's inside some of the cases , not all , not even many but there were a few that were bad inside .
This was a 500ct lot and there is no way I would just lube those up and start sizing .
Now I know most all of us are like DUH ! but to a new guy saying you don't really need to clean your brass can actually be taken to mean the brass above is gtg and it's not .
Now I have my bolt gun brass that gets fired , ejected into my hand and placed right back in the ammo box . Now that brass is clean enough to just lube and resize if I had to . I still clean it but in a pinch I wouldn't sweat it . That's very different then range pick up or even your brass that hits the dirt and picked up .
As a new reloader one really should inspect all your brass and if you're doing that you might as well at least wipe it down while your at it . As stated above clean brass is easier to inspect IMHO . this is all part if the learning curve . When I first started I went as far as using a magnifying glass to look at every piece of brass . Lets just say that got old fast . When your new , a glance at your brass is not good enough . You really need to earn those corners you ultimately will learn to cut . Like when I play golf for money , they have to earn those one foot puts . Nothings a gemmy until you earn it , then we can talk about just picking up on the next one .
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Prof Young
New member
What Metal god said . . .
What Metal god says above is right on the money.
Good advice.
Life is good.
Prof Young
What Metal god says above is right on the money.
Good advice.
Life is good.
Prof Young