Owen
Moderator Emeritus
Will tumbling with Stainless Steel media remove the primer crimp on brass that has had the primer removed?
-Signed "Loves Batch Processing"
-Signed "Loves Batch Processing"
Stainless Steel Tumbling and Primer Crimps
- Thread starter Owen
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Owen
Moderator Emeritus
bummer
Wil Terry
Member
I would certainly hope NOT !!!
Owen
Moderator Emeritus
well the same tech is used for deburring, and once the primer is pushed out, the remaining crimp is pretty much a burr, so...
FROGO207
Member
If you leave them in long enough to erase the headstamp then the primer crimp would also be erased along with half the thickness of the brass I am afraid.
You don't have any children or grandchildren that would be willing to help with the task do you?? That would make it really easy I would assume. FWIW I tried to use SS media to remove the burrs from when I trimmed some rifle brass and after 7 hours gave up on that also.
You don't have any children or grandchildren that would be willing to help with the task do you?? That would make it really easy I would assume. FWIW I tried to use SS media to remove the burrs from when I trimmed some rifle brass and after 7 hours gave up on that also.
De-burring media is different than the small stainless steel rods. Often the de-burring machine is a rotary tumbler although vibratory units are used. The de-burring media is often ceramic pieces (rods, cones, cubes, etc) up to 1/2" in length...
1SOW
Member
Owen, I think this came from Wobbly, not sure.
The bevel on the bottom pic is how I'm removing 9mm WCC case crimps with a countersink on a drill press. No tumbling will remove a crimp.
The bevel on the bottom pic is how I'm removing 9mm WCC case crimps with a countersink on a drill press. No tumbling will remove a crimp.
FROGO207
Member
Yep the best options are to swage or to chamfer the pocket mouth. I used to chuck a LE Wilson chamfer tool in the drill press and just touch the primer mouth to it by hand. After you do it a bit it can be really fast to get a bunch done. I also have the RCBS pocket swaging tool. You have to separate it by headstamp and adjust for each one but it produces a consistent result while not removing any of the pocket. Both ways work well for my needs and does not really take any extra time I feel as I do it while I perform my usual brass inspection routine. YMMV
beatledog7
Member
Decrimping is, thankfully, a one-time deal. If they grew back after each firing, I'd probably take up a new hobby.
I use an electric 5-station RCBS brass prep device (can't recall the name) to clean primer pockets, debur and chamfer case mouths, and chamfer-decrimp if there's a crimp. It is very handy having all the tools going simultaneously and just moving the case to successive stations.
Works well, is pretty fast (but not as fast as a drill, I grant), and makes a very good rainy day and nothing else going on activity. I wouldn't bother with cleaning primer pockets for pistol if this weren't so easy, and using it to decrimp is a bonus.
I never liked the idea of using a high RPM tool for these jobs. Low RPM provides more control. To each....
I use an electric 5-station RCBS brass prep device (can't recall the name) to clean primer pockets, debur and chamfer case mouths, and chamfer-decrimp if there's a crimp. It is very handy having all the tools going simultaneously and just moving the case to successive stations.
Works well, is pretty fast (but not as fast as a drill, I grant), and makes a very good rainy day and nothing else going on activity. I wouldn't bother with cleaning primer pockets for pistol if this weren't so easy, and using it to decrimp is a bonus.
I never liked the idea of using a high RPM tool for these jobs. Low RPM provides more control. To each....
Twmaster
Member
I strongly suggest swaging over reaming the crimp out. If you swage you squish the metal back into the case. If you ream you are physically removing the metal which can lead to shorter life of the primer pocket.
1SOW
Member
Maybe. For 9mm pistol, the crimped wcc cases are much thicker/harder brass, especially at the base. This is the strongest case I've reloaded. Even IF it shortens case-life, it has a looong case-life.
Twmaster
Member
WCC is not the only crimped 9MM brass. Almost all of the'NT' (Non Toxic) ammo has crimped primers.
Any time you remove metal you weaken the case. When I first started reloading I'd vigorously ream out the crimps in WCC brass. After the second reload I'd find loose pockets. Why remove metal when it's just as easy to leave it there?
Any time you remove metal you weaken the case. When I first started reloading I'd vigorously ream out the crimps in WCC brass. After the second reload I'd find loose pockets. Why remove metal when it's just as easy to leave it there?
Owen
Moderator Emeritus
For me, it's mostly used for lost brass USPSA matches.
Picked up the CH primer pocket tool at the fun show yesterday. Worked like a champ in the Lee hand press.
Picked up the CH primer pocket tool at the fun show yesterday. Worked like a champ in the Lee hand press.
So, with all the answers above, it kinda boils down to personal preference. Swage, ream, and champher all seem to have their champions. I champher because I've been a machinist/mechanic for many years and have had experience working with/machining brass and have tools on hand. And I very sincerly doubt if removing .004" from the edge of the primer pocket will lessen the strength of the cartridge even enough to shorten the case life by one reload...
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