deprime or not to deprime?

[benny]

Well I decided to set up my lee turret press and load some .44 mag, but I need to prep the cases first. So using a Hornady magnum ultra sonic cleaner , then a tumble to polish them.
My question is should I deprime before the cleaner and tumbler or after the tumbler?

Thanks

[LarryFlew]

I deprime first but doesn't really matter much IMO other than possibly cleaning pockets that are not that dirty to begin with.

[linksep]

If you're going to ultrasonic before tumbling I assume it might be to keep all the icky stuff liquid? If that's the case I don't see how one could justify leaving primers in during ultrasonic. I deprime, ultrasonic (with soap & citric acid), tumble in lizard litter (fine crushed walnut shells) with NuFinush. I'm not a scientist, but I believe the primer/pocket is where much of the toxic gunk is.

[noylj]

If you are going to soak a case in water, you want the primer OUT of the case. Simply think corrosion, if nothing else.

Personal Opinion:
For about 40 years, I have deprimed before cleaning.
Reason? Some cases have white powder in the primer pocket and if I deprime on the main press, the white powder gets in the press. Never worried about the black soot in the primer pocket--it doesn't seem to get worse after two firing any way and it doesn't interfere with anything.
I figure, if I am cleaning cases, why not clean the cases, so I deprime while sorting and inspecting cases then 30 minutes in 20/40 corn.
Now, if you are ultrasonically cleaning, you are over cleaning to begin with. That is OK, but then you also have to tumble to polish the cases? At that point, sell the US cleaner and the vibratory tumbler, get a Thumler's Tumbler model B and SS pins. You'll be a lot happier with just ONE step.
I don't need super shiny, so I am quite happy occasionally, when the spirit moves me, to completely clean my cases in my US cleaner for 20 minutes, and the lack of super-shine never worried me.
So, you are taking an activity where the sum total of what NEEDS to be done is to wipe off the case exterior and turning it into a major production?
Much better to spend time reloading and shooting.

[Randygmn]

If you are going to soak a case in water, you want the primer OUT of the case. Simply think corrosion, if nothing else.

Personal Opinion:
For about 40 years, I have deprimed before cleaning.
Reason? Some cases have white powder in the primer pocket and if I deprime on the main press, the white powder gets on the case. Never worried about the black soot in the primer pocket--it doesn't seem to get worse after two firing any way and it doesn't interfere with anything.
I figure, if I am cleaning cases, why not clean the cases, so I deprime while sorting and inspecting cases then 30 minutes in 20/40 corn.
Now, if you are ultrasonically cleaning, you are over cleaning to begin with. That is OK, but then you also have to tumble to polish the cases? At that point, sell the US cleaner and the vibratory tumbler, get a Thumler's Tumbler model B and SS pins. You'll be a lot happier with just ONE step.
I don't need super shiny, so I am quite happy occasionally, when the spirit moves me, to completely clean my cases in my US cleaner for 20 minutes, and the lack of super-shine never worried me.
So, you are taking an activity where the sum total of what NEEDS to be done is to wipe off the case exterior and turning it into a major production?
Much better to spend time reloading and shooting.

40 years?? Noob. (J/k). Very impressive.

[Erud]

Deprime.

[noylj]

>40 years?? Noob. (J/k). Very impressive.

Thanks, but it just means I am still alive.
You live long enough and you'll get there—and a LOT sooner than you expect.

[BigDog58]

I wet tumble is SS Pins, with the same liquid solution as mentioned above. I remove the primers before tumbling. It gets the primer pockets clean. Once, I tried wet tumbling with primers still in. I dried them (in front of fan on a towel), then put them away for working on them later. Later, ended up being about 2 months. I found that about 30% of the primers had slightly corroded and when I tried decapping, the center of the primer punched through, but it left the "walls" firmly stuck inside the primer pocket. These were 9mm cases, so I scrapped the 30%, and learned a lesson. YMMV

[aprilian]

Mine is evolving. Probably not necessary for those with progressive presses. For straightwall cases;
1) spray with case lube
2) size and deprime
3) bell
4) ultrasonic clean with RCBS citric solution
5) dry
6-?) prime and load

[andrewP]

Probably not necessary for those with progressive presses.

Yup. The whole point of a progressive is to reduce the number of steps/increase efficiency.

My process is:

1 Clean (I currently dry tumble, but whatever method works for you)
2 Spray case lube into container, shake/roll to distribute
3 Load

I'm sure ultrasonic works, but of the wet methods, the most appealing one I've seen involves dumping several thousand cases into a small cement mixer with water and a small amount of dish soap and citric acid. No need for SS pins; the cases act as their own media. I don't have the space or budget for that method at present, but it sure seems efficient in terms of time and effort.

[jeffo]

I have never cleaned handgun brass in 40 years. No problems

[benny]

Lots of good advice, I bought the US cleaner because it was really cheap and new in the box at the time. I seen Jerry Mycklic (sp?) usig the small cement mixer and it works good but he also tumbles his brass after as well. He said it was so the ammo was shiny for the cameras when on set.

I want to switch to SST pins but I already have the US ad a tumbler with media so I just ran with it for now. I won't be reloading enough rounds per years to justify a larger operation either.

Thanks people!!

[aprilian]

Originally, I loaded dirty brass too. But the reason I clean pistol brass now is my medium-high blood lead levels. Running them through the ultrasonic keeps the primer dust from either being absorbed or breathed. I use an N100 mask when depriming.