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What is proper order for annealing/resizing/trimming/cleaning brass

I'm not a precision benchrest shooter but have a lot of different calibers and some expensive brass that I'd like to maintain as long as feasible. I use an annealing machine, but wonder what process you experts use. I know that you should anneal before resizing fired brass because you want the brass "spring-back" in the neck for proper tension. I usually deprime fired brass first using universal depriming die, then tumble the brass using a Thumler with stainless steel media, then anneal, then resize entire case or neck, then trim length (if necessary), then prime and load.

The part that I wonder about is can I anneal fired brass without cleaning first? With my sequence, I usually have to clean the brass twice... before annealing and then again after resizing to remove resizing lube. Seems like redundancy to me. If it doesn't really hurt the brass to anneal "dirty" fired brass and then resize and tumble, that would save me some time.
 
Here's what I do:
1. Decap
2. Clean. I use corncob media.
3. Anneal
4. F/L size with a non bushing die. (Shoulder bump as needed)
5. Set neck tension (using body die and mandrel for now)
6. Prime, powder, seat bullets
I don't think annealing before you clean is an issue. You may get stuff baked on the brass. Though, SS tumbling my clean it off. I only clean once, I wipe off the Imperial sizing lube. I use graphite lube inside the necks, no clean up necessary.

PopCharlie
 
You want the neck and shoulder clean prior to annealing, I polish my necks first, anneal, size, mandrel, prime, load & seat bullets.
I just recently ran into an issue with my 264WM brass, even though annealed, it appears the brass has gone brittle sitting for more than 10 years, it has developed case neck cracks with loaded ammo sitting in the ammo box.

Cheers.
 
After I decap my brass, the first thing I like to do is anneal, THEN clean so that the burned on residue left by the annealing process is cleaned off. Then I'm ready for sizing If I'm FL sizing I'll then clean again to remove any lube. If I'm neck sizing, I won't need any further cleaning and will size the neck, bump the shoulder and then trim the case to length with my 3 way trimmer.
 
Clean neck/shoulder with steel wool.
Anneal
Clean entire outer case with steel wool
Lube and full length resize
Clean off lube
Trim to length and chamfer
Clean primer pocket
Insert primer
Weigh powder and insert bullet
Measure case base to ogive, short go to sighters, long are reseated
 
Clean necks to remove carbon
Decap
Anneal
Brush inside of neck with nylon brush to remove annealing residue
Brush primer pocket
Wipe entire case clean (tumble if extremely dirty)
Lube and FL size
Wipe off lube
Measure case OAL - trim and chamfer/debur if necessary
Prime
Lube inside necks with dry lube
Weigh/drop powder
Seat bullet
Final wipe with rag sprayed with alcohol to remove all traces of lube
 
The only hard and fast rules:
1. If you anneal after lubing, you must completely remove any residual lubricant before annealing.
2. If you anneal it must be before priming. :eek:
 
I anneal first. Then size and trim. The only cleaning I do is when I wipe the imperial wax off the case after sizing.
 
My goal is to minimize steps, how many times I touch the brass, and not lose any precision. Here is my current process using 2 different tool heads on my Dillon 750.
889FC9FA-0038-48CC-A93E-62774364C31E.jpeg
 

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