Tumble BEFORE or AFTER resizing

[flintlock.50]

The instructions with my new (and first) tumbler say to tumble BEFORE resizing and de-priming. From what I've read on this forum, folks tumble AFTER de-priming. That makes more sense to me, but why might the instructions say do it BEFORE de-priming?

Do you ever tumble loaded rounds, or is that a strict no-no?

Thanks!

 

[WESHOOT2]

I clean cases as they come out of the gun, THEN I run them through my tooling.
So they're clean first, so they don't damage my tooling.

 

[oldscot3]

Usually after, so the primer pockets get cleaned. Range pickups are different matter...mine usually get cleaned twice. Once before, then again after.

 

[AllenJ]

They want you to tumble first so that you don't damage your resizing die. For pistol I do tumble first as most of my handguns are semi-automatic and the brass ejects onto the ground. I want the brass cleaned before I resize it and I don't want dust and dirt scratching the inside of the sizing die. Most of my rifles are bolt action and when shooting the cases never touch the ground. For these I inspect each case, lube it, resize it, wipe off the resizing lube with a rag and toss them into the tumbler. This takes off any lube I missed and any lube inside the case neck.

Lots of people tumble loaded rounds and there was a thread sometime back about it. I've never done it but can't honestly think of a valid reason why I'm against it.

 

[Sharkbite]

I tumble after firing before resizing. Lube then resize/deprime. Tumble again to get the lube off.

The only issue i have is media in the flash hole. Gotta poke that out with a punch before re-priming. Anybody have a better process??

 

[WIL TERRY]

BOTH. Always.

 

[William T. Watts]

Ditto, + 1 for AllenJ not wanting to damage his sizing die! I have also tumbled a few loaded rounds inadvertently for a short time (less than an hour). I pulled one of the rounds down to inspect the powder and noted nothing unusually, I fired the rest of the rounds and they fired as expected and my micrometer noted nothing unusual in the measurements taken!! However I do not recommend this practice nor would I have fired the rounds I fired if I hadn't known how long the rounds had tumbled.. IF TUMBLED LONG ENOUGH THE EXTERIOR COATING ON THE GRANUALS OF POWDER COULD BE REMOVED AND CHANGE THE BURN RATE OF THE POWDER! I have no clue what if any effect tumbling would have on powder but I wouldn't venture into a grey area like this!! William

 

[Greg Mercurio]

Mr. Watts: 2 questions.

1) How long do you have to tumble to remove the coating from the powder granules?
2) Where does the coating go?

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Since My current de-prime and resize dies are one in the same, I resize after cleaning and tumbling.

 

[papershotshells]

I too tumble rifle brass both before and after sizing.

Before sizing to make sure my dies aren't damaged by any foreign matter, and after sizing (but before loading) to remove sizing lube.

Handgun brass only gets tumbled before sizing since (most of) it is sized in a carbide die not requiring lube.

I definitely recommend tumbling both handgun and rifle brass before sizing as it can and WILL ruin a perfectly good sizing die if it has a small piece of grit embedded in it. It happened to me when I first started reloading and didn't (yet) own a tumbler.

Papershotshells

 

[Greg Mercurio]

OP: Like many others I tumble before depriming (unless using a universal depriming die to remove crimped primers). Then after sizing to remove lube, then after loading to give a little protection. I use a popular car finish in corn cob/walnut mix. Works fine.

Media is cheap, dies are not. Scratch a die and all that "savings" is gone. Especially with dies that are not particularly mainstream.

 

[Slamfire]

I tumble cases before sizing to remove dirt and residue.

I don't see a need to remove lube from loaded pistol rounds as my semi autos run smoother with the lube on. Removing lube is more of a preference as loading lubed rounds leaves my fingers dirty.