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Re-Tumble or Clean Brass After Trimming??

12K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  ricochet rabbit 
#1 ·
Long story short, when I trim my brass, shavings fall inside the case. Lube on the inside of the neck can also help these shavings cling around.

Should I re-tumble these casings after trimming? Blow them out? Currently I'm wiping them off, that's it. Will a few small brass shavings that fall into the cartridge even do anything bad?

I haven't really thought about this being an issue until I started trimming. Just looking for some insight! Thanks
 
#7 ·
You won't hurt your cases by tumbling them again. You really need to ensure that all of the case lube is cleaned away (inside and out) before your reload those cases. Lube will contaminate the powder charge and can also deactivate the primers.

I've said here on the Forum that I go 'hog wild' with my case prep. My cases are all as clean as new when I get around to loading them, this includes the interior of the cases as well as the primer pockets. Some of my ammunition will sit for many years before I fire it, and I want nothing in the case besides powder, and nothing in the primer pocket except a live primer.

Not telling you what to do - just here is what I do:
1.) De-prime the cases with a 'universal' type depriming die;
2.) Trim the cases to length;
3.) Lube and Resize the cases (If the cases are really grungy I'll clean them before I resize them so I don't run crud into my dies);
4.) Clean the primer pockets and tumble (vibrator) the cases;
5.) Inspect the clean cases (This is a good time to find any defects or cracks, and also remove any tumbling media from the primer flash hole);
6.) Prime the cases and expand ("bell") the case mouths to accept the new bullet;
7.) Charge the cases with powder (I use a 50 round cartridge block);
8.) Seat the bullet (for most pistol that includes crimping - some rifle cals I crimp separately);
9.) A fast tumble session to remove any skin oils/salts or bullet lube from the cases (This is a no-no in most reloading books - but I have been doing this for many years).
 
#9 ·
You MUST(!!!!) trim AFTER sizing as the act of sizing causes the case to grow in length.

There are many ways to lube cases for sizing. The only way I found to control the lubing so as to not dent the case shoulders during sizing due to excessive lube is the old fashion way of using the RCBS pad and their water based lube. A gently roll on a damp pad is enough lube and no lube should enter the case mouth to attract the brass shavings. I tumble (with walnut shell media for best cleaning action), size, trim, load. I wipe the finished cartridge off with a damp rag and roll them on a towel to dry them. This works because the lube is water based.

When rifle case are sized the case throat size is several thousand of an inch smaller than the bullet diameter. That means the bullet has to slide into the case and force the case mouth open. This is done to get adequate neck tension on the bullet. Once fired cases load easier than new brass because of the carbon deposits left on the inside of the cases act as a lubricant to the bullet entering the throat of the case during bullet seating. Raw brass case mouths on some bullets can cause the case shoulder to collapse or at least shortened if the friction between the case throat and the bullet is excessive during bullet seating. I leave the inside of the case just as they come out of the vibratory case cleaner, with the some black carbon residue coating the inside of the case. In some instances I have to use powdered moly lube brushed onto the inside of the throat of the case to minimize the friction of seating bullets. There are special products for this. So squeaky clean cases (internally) are not necessarily an advantage to a reloader, in my opinion and experience.

To be clear I reload for 30+ different cartridges on a Dillon RL550B progressive press and have for well over 25 years. None of the above is theory but actual experience.

LDBennett
 
#11 ·
I use Imperial Sizing Wax for case lube. It only needs a light film of it on my thumb, and twist the case to distribute enough lube to keep it from sticking in the die. Then size, trim if needed and then tumble. The tumbling removes the small traces of lube and any vestiges of brass shavings that might remain.
 
#12 ·
It turns out there is more than one way to skin a cat and to size cartridge cases.

But you MUST size first then trim. That is the only way or you risk cases too long, them crimping into the chamber retarding the fired bullet long enough to create astronomical pressures with the possible results of hurting your gun, hurting you, and potentially hurting by-standers. NOT GOOD.

LDBennett
 
#13 ·
I knew this would cause a stir. Most often, I do trim the cases before sizing. It is true that the case length will 'grow' after sizing - but it isn't very much at all. When I trim my cases to below maximum length, the cases are still well within tolerance after sizing.

It is easier to trim the cases before the case mouths are reduced than it is after the case mouths are squeezed back down. Just something that I do. If you don't agree - that is fine with me.
 
#14 ·
Doing it by the book (size then trim) gives you the maximum time between trimmings. The concept of trimming at all is to assure every round's case is not too long and to make all crimps the same.

Now, if you have a minimum number of case, all the same head stamp, all shot the same number of times in the same gun then you can easily get away with trim then size IF you verify each and every case is beneath the Max length specified in the reloading manual after sizing and before loading it.

Based on having many guns with brass going through many different guns of the same caliber, having various head stamped cases for even just one caliber, and wanting to minimize my work (don't have to mic every case) I follow the reloading rule "size then trim". I use a motorize RCBS trimmer that makes the task easier and consistent.

But everyone gets to choose and those that don't follow the rule MUST understand the consequences with a screwup in the processes. I think size then trim is safer in that regard buy you may think differently. I am not want to vary much from the written word about how to reload. I try very hard when reporting here to offer safe information that follows the reloading rules spelled out in reloading manuals. They know a whole lot more about it than I.

LDBennett
 
#15 ·
LD - I don't agree that what I am doing is 'unsafe'. You have yourself stated that case trimming for handgun calibers is most often un-necessary, and I concur. I keep all of my cases uniform, and all of my cases are under "maximum length" to include both handgun and rifle ammunition.

So here is my point: If I am catching cases that have grown too long after firing, trim them to under 'maximum length' - resize them, verify that the cases are within the tolerance listed in my reloading manual, and reload them - how is my reloading practice 'unsafe'?
 
#16 ·
Jim:

I agree that trimming handgun cases is not necessary and I NEVER do basically because they don't stretch. Rifle cases are different. Their shape and the much higher pressures make the case grow in length. If you indeed mic every case before reloading you are not unsafe. But others may short circuit that and let through some cases that are too long. Then the cases are not safe.

People who come here are not always as informed about reloading as we are. Some do not even read the reloading manual or even own one. They have this buddy that short circuits everything and they think those methods are safe. I can not in good conscience not comment when someone like you suggest a process that does not follow reloading manuals. And all the reloading manuals I read say size then trim. There is a liability issue too. Suggest something not recommended by reloading manuals and you may be liable or be alleged to be liable for an accident by another who followed you recommendation. Now, you may win the case but at great financial cost.

I don't care how you do it but please remember that new reloaders don't know what you are suggesting is the opposite of reloading manual suggestions.

LDBennett
 
#17 ·
Point well taken. I had just completed 100 .45 Colt cases and 300 .44 Magnum cases, and that was where I was coming from. For rifle cases - especially bottle neck cases - just as you said - and the reloading manuals agree with your statement, trimming must be done after the cases are sized.

My apologies for any misunderstanding. My statement was incomplete. Steps and processes must be followed as outlined in the manual.
 
#18 ·
Since straight walled cases don't grow much if at all, I find no trimming necessary. Sometimes you might run into these straight walled cases from a particular manufacturer that are enough different in length that a single bullet crimping setting for a batch of mixed brass may not give uniform crimps. In that case it probably makes no difference when you trim. But as you said it certainly does for shouldered cases.

Thank you for clearing up your responses.

LDBennett
 
#21 ·
There are sometimes differences in case lengths from manufacturer to manufacturer. As an example, the last batch of .44 Magnum brass I processed was a mixed batch of FC, Remington and Winchester. Out of the 300 cases, maybe 10 took a couple of turns on my Lyman case trimmer to bring them into uniformity with the others.

I could have gotten by with not trimming them because they were not excessive in length at all. I do segregate my brass by lot or at least by manufacture. When they are reloaded, I always mark the boxes with the case brands, powder charge, bullet weight and date of the load.
 
#22 ·
You are way more organized with your straight walled cases then I am. All my brass of this type is mixed head stamped and all is loaded the same. Over the years common cartridges like 357, 44, 45ACP, 38 have accumulated in large quantities, all mixed head stamp. I, in no way, am a good enough pistol shooters to ever see any difference in accuracy between the cases used. All are good enough and all are processed in the same way.

But we all get to choose.

LDBennett
 
#23 ·
I don't trim hand gun brass but what I di first is trim if needed, tumble,size and re-prime" if I'm doing rifle brass I'll retumble for maybe a 1/2 hr. just to get the lube off from re-sizing,I tried re-sizing first once but then I had to pick the media out of the primer pocket's depending what media a person uses's,I use walnut
 
#24 · (Edited)
+1 on size then trim. I use my Lee case gauge's and trimmer, with the lock stud chucked in a small cordless drill. I hold the cases neck down, and all most all of the trimmings fall on the loading bench. I don't see any point in trimming first since the neck is expanded slightly from firing.

I actually have trimmed my handgun brass,because I noticed some difference in COAL's. Of course a lot of it is range pick up brass. So I wasn't sure if it needed trimming or not. And a lot of it did trim a little. But now I know it is in spec and I won't need to concern myself with it. I think handgun trimming is ll a matter of preference.
 
#25 ·
I don't trim hand gun brass but what I di first is trim if needed, tumble,size and re-prime" if I'm doing rifle brass I'll retumble for maybe a 1/2 hr. just to get the lube off from re-sizing,I tried re-sizing first once but then I had to pick the media out of the primer pocket's depending what media a person uses's,I use walnut
I always size before trimming, and I use crushed walnut media, but I tumble for at least an hour if not two. Cleans off all of the sizing lube, I get a little media stuck in the primer flash hole once in a while but it's not that often. It's worth the time to me.
 
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