How important is tumbling brass?

I pick up brass at the range and it seems to be in good shape. I have reloaded a lot without tumbling and it seems to be fine. I do blow the casings out with air.

Gary, grit and crud, even dust can scratch the inside of your dies and even worse your chambers. I got in a hurry once and ruined a 300 wm size die. It was an awe darn moment. Took the die out of the press and cleaned it, put it back in and subsequently ruined a couple more pieces of brass before deciding it was hosed and I was a dummy. Besides, bright shiny hand loads make you look better (more professional as it were) on the range. Makes my head feel better.

Brass should be cleaned by some method, even if you don't do it every loading, because otherwise the gunpowder residue and grit will eventually gum up your dies and affect measurements.

Reloaders deal with tolerances of a few thousandths of an inch. Doesn't take a lot of residue to affect the process.

Jim

Besides, they're so PRETTY and SHINY when you're done... Whatever, I just make sure mine are clean- I probably tumble a piece of brass maybe twice during its life.

tumbling is not needed , some form of cleaning on range pick up

a jug with citric acid and hot water will also work as will several other methods.


when I go shoot targets with my 308 the brass comes out of the plastic MTM box into the gun and right back into the plastic MTM box that brass reloads easy with no cleaning. neck size only& prime , drop powder , seat bullet crimp bullet back in the MTM box after several loadings I clean, full length size and trim.

I like it to look nice!

Agree with the comment on dies.

Ive been reloading for decades and have never owned a tumbler. Would like one, but its not necessary. Lots of other methods to clean brass. I use a rag LOL

I bought a tumbler a couple weeks ago. First I ever owned. Been reloading since the 70's. Case lube cleans them pretty good when you wipe it off after sizing and inspect cases.

I have not used any form of tumbler for my first few decades of hand loading. Now I use a wet and a dry tumbler. Is it necessary. Nope but I like it when the loads look like new and when I store some of the calibers I load in larger quantities, I think it makes for better storage conditions as well when there is no powder residues on any part of the case. It also makes for easier visual inspections of a case before loading ... more so now that my eyes are not as good as they used to be.

I use Hornady one shot lube when resizing my brass. Before one shot I used Pam cooking spray for over 30 yrs. I always tumble my brass after resizing to get the lube off. And never have to worry about dirty primer pockets

For me, any brass first gets dry tumbled in Lyman treated corn cob to remove any OUTSIDE dirt or crud. Then I will size and de-prime the brass. I use Hornady One Shot case lube.
After that the brass goes into a wet tumbler with stainless steel pins. I add to the water 2 table spoons of Dawn dish washing liquid and 1 table spoon of citric acid. Then tumble for two hours.
When done, the brass comes out bright and shiney and are both cleaned inside and out. Plus primer pocket is cleaned out also. After separating pins and brass, I dump brass on an old bath towel and dry them off. Then I will put them either outside in the sun or over one of the FHA floor vents in the house to finish drying.