What did you do in the reloading room today?

[Brian]

Yes. I decap on the Dillon, then **dry tumble* for about 30 minutes to remove the lube, then wet tumble for 2 hours. The brass looks brand new after the wet (stainless) tumble.

I also tumble (wet or dry, doesn't really matter) before the decapping run on the Dillon. I don't know how well or even if the brass would run through the machine without at least a little cleaning after having been fired.

Heck, I even dry tumble my finished ammo for 15-30 minutes. Of course the prepped cases get lubed before the actual reloading and I want to remove the lube before running the ammo through my guns.

It's absolutely not necessary to go to this much trouble, but I generally put an equal value on form AND function.

RE: Dust... I don't seem to get much dust from my walnut media. I was using corn, but no matter how often I changed the dryer sheets, it seemed pretty dusty. I pop a new dryer sheet cut in 1/4's into the media after each ~10 hours of runtime. I also dump in a bit of Nu Finish car polish in at the same time. My ammo is very shiny when I'm done with it!

My problem is probably the suppressors. I have a hard time distinguishing my brass from the rusty old steel case left on the ground sometimes when I'm policing it all up, because it's so darn dirty. At one point I was even debating having a "dirty" tumbler and a clean tumbler set up. I've even swapped dryer sheets mid tumble, and I still often end up with a light coating of dust on the cases sometimes when I'm done. I saw somewhere one guy would go outside on a windy day and pour his walnut from bucket to bucket to get some of the dust to blow away, but I haven't tried that yet. Or I suppose I could not buy my walnut media at the pet store.

So what you're tellling me is if I want to bother to decap on the dillon first, I'm probably going to need to dry tumble to knock at least some of the crud off, then spray down with lube, decap on the press, then dry tumble again before I can wet tumble?

[Great-Kazoo]

So what you're tellling me is if I want to bother to decap on the dillon first, I'm probably going to need to dry tumble to knock at least some of the crud off, then spray down with lube, decap on the press, then dry tumble again before I can wet tumble?

If you're really concerned about the amount of dust you get when tumbling / using media separator. Outside of a dust collector, when you tumble put a capfull or 2 of mineral spirits in the media. You don't have as long a life span as without. But there's a noticable difference, dust wise. I use 70% rubbing alcohol, as it's not as potent when you open the tumbler.

I and i'm sure almost everyone tumbles prior to decapping. That minute crap , has the potential top scratch up the dies AND by tumbling you reduce the chances of rocks in the cases.
I have one of these for tumbling / using media separator, there's always one listed on CL.

http://www.harborfreight.com/13-gall...tor-31810.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/dust-co...kit-93601.html

This one is a real good deal.

http://boulder.craigslist.org/tls/4301313426.html