Case Cleaning the better way.
- Thread starter Rootmanslim
- Start date
Ian
Notorious member
I'm one of the guys who likes shiny brass. It makes me feel good. That said, it doesn't make a bit of difference to the shooting because primer pockets and necks are cleaned at my house every time brass is loaded anyway.
A note: Depending on tumbler geometry, speed, brass and pin load, etc. there is very much a "done" time and a "too much" time to run the brass. My system starts to chowder the case mouths a little bit after about two hours, pitting the nice VLD inside chamfer. Three hours is a practical maximum time to run my SSTM system to get the primer pockets clean but not over-peen the case mouths.
A note: Depending on tumbler geometry, speed, brass and pin load, etc. there is very much a "done" time and a "too much" time to run the brass. My system starts to chowder the case mouths a little bit after about two hours, pitting the nice VLD inside chamfer. Three hours is a practical maximum time to run my SSTM system to get the primer pockets clean but not over-peen the case mouths.
Rootmanslim
Banned
"chowder the case mouths a little bit after about two hours, pitting the nice VLD inside chamfer."
That's why I only clean if I'm planning a full case prep routine.
That's why I only clean if I'm planning a full case prep routine.
Gary
SE Kansas
Who on earth takes two hours to wet tumble brass? Only time my brass goes that long in the Tumbler is when I forget to turn it off. Shine on the brass is the only reason I made my Tumbler, that and the elimination of harmful dust from the dry vibrator cleaner. It's exciting to see the results and I can instantly tell what brass I have and haven't annealed. I fully agree with Root on this matter; on the matter of getting along better, I learned that one the hard way, and no fault of my own. DON'T recommend a Gunsmith from Ark. if you DON'T know the back story. I fell into that one face first.
fiver
Well-Known Member
chuckling a little.
the casting world is a pretty small one and like most family's there are squabbles and disputes that go back before your rememberin does.
anyway.
we all get pretty much to the same place by different routes.
right?
champhered case mouths.
trimmed and annealed cases.
primer pockets cleaned up.
they just happen to be in a slightly different state from operator to operator [or in my case from gun to gun at any given moment]
not all of mine get pin tumbled and not all of them are 2 firings in on an anneal.
if they are black and not brown they get wet tumbled, if they are merely tarnished and I can see brass inside the case,, a touch up in walnut is plenty good enough to get the sizing lube off.
the casting world is a pretty small one and like most family's there are squabbles and disputes that go back before your rememberin does.
anyway.
we all get pretty much to the same place by different routes.
right?
champhered case mouths.
trimmed and annealed cases.
primer pockets cleaned up.
they just happen to be in a slightly different state from operator to operator [or in my case from gun to gun at any given moment]
not all of mine get pin tumbled and not all of them are 2 firings in on an anneal.
if they are black and not brown they get wet tumbled, if they are merely tarnished and I can see brass inside the case,, a touch up in walnut is plenty good enough to get the sizing lube off.
Rootmanslim
Banned
Those 220 Swifts in my post were tumbled overnight. case mouths still perfect.
BHuij
Active Member
I use the HF double drum rock tumbler. I actually tried it without the SS pins while I was waiting for them to ship, and the brass got nice and shiny without them. When the pins arrived, I tried it with them and saw no significant difference in how clean they were. It was such a pain to separate them back out again, even with a magnet, that I threw the pins in a bag and they've been sitting in the garage since. I would guess primer pockets and case interiors don't get as clean without them, but in a loaded case, that's a very "out of sight, out of mind" thing for me.
Unless the brass is really nasty (like dirt/grit nasty), I just lube it up with lanolin and size/decap it dirty. My Lee dies are cheap enough to replace if this ever becomes a problem. After decapping sizing, they go in the tumbler with a little Armor All Wash & Wax, a little Lemishine, and some hot water. Anywhere from 2 hours to 8ish hours (overnight), doesn't seem to make much difference. They come out, get a good rinse, get dried off on a towel and then air dried for several hours until the insides are free of water. I live in Utah, so it doesn't usually take very long.
The Armor All seems to make the cases resist oxidation for a lot longer, weeks at least. Couldn't tell you how long they stay shiny since I don't usually have clean cases sitting around for more than a couple of weeks before they're loaded and fired again.
Oh I should mention I do all my trimming/chamfering/deburring after the brass is clean and dry.
Unless the brass is really nasty (like dirt/grit nasty), I just lube it up with lanolin and size/decap it dirty. My Lee dies are cheap enough to replace if this ever becomes a problem. After decapping sizing, they go in the tumbler with a little Armor All Wash & Wax, a little Lemishine, and some hot water. Anywhere from 2 hours to 8ish hours (overnight), doesn't seem to make much difference. They come out, get a good rinse, get dried off on a towel and then air dried for several hours until the insides are free of water. I live in Utah, so it doesn't usually take very long.
The Armor All seems to make the cases resist oxidation for a lot longer, weeks at least. Couldn't tell you how long they stay shiny since I don't usually have clean cases sitting around for more than a couple of weeks before they're loaded and fired again.
Oh I should mention I do all my trimming/chamfering/deburring after the brass is clean and dry.
M3845708Bama
Active Member
As long as you use detergent like dawn it doesn’t,t stick to my tumblers. I run two gallon tumblers and one half gallon. Two large ones started life as rock tumblers. I use wet when working up new batches of brass or extremely dirty brass. Otherwise I use the fine walnut hulls from harbor freight in a dry drum tumbler with a little (table spoon) of mother’s Crome and mag polishe mixed in. Makes real shiny brass in two hours and is too small to plug primer pockets.
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CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
None of this stuff is a mountain worth dying on. I like cleaned brass for the same reason I like cleaned guns--they function more reliably and cause less damage to the things they interact with. Neither venue rises to the levels of passions or fetishes--more like a mild preference, and one that i can take or leave.
Just about every thread I read through on this site contains a kernel of information that is new to me and/or has the potential to improve my shooting and overall hobby enjoyment. E.g., Rick's mention of the Incredible Shrinking Primer Pocket and the reasons for same had never dawned on me until I saw it in this thread. I have religiously brushed out primer pockets since about forever with those RCBS steel-bristle pocket tools. I have noticed that primers DO "seat proud" in repeatedly-fired brass, and just didn't think through the WHYs of the causation. I think back upon the tight W-W 9mm Luger brass and its recalcitrant primer pockets that refused to swage or reform themselves into shape for even the harder-than-woodpecker-lips CCI SP primers. All of this foofahrah might have been side-stepped through use of the Sinclair Uniformers. Kind of a no-brainer for me, once Rick turned the lights on.
Many thanks, Senor. Those tools will be inbound shortly.
Just about every thread I read through on this site contains a kernel of information that is new to me and/or has the potential to improve my shooting and overall hobby enjoyment. E.g., Rick's mention of the Incredible Shrinking Primer Pocket and the reasons for same had never dawned on me until I saw it in this thread. I have religiously brushed out primer pockets since about forever with those RCBS steel-bristle pocket tools. I have noticed that primers DO "seat proud" in repeatedly-fired brass, and just didn't think through the WHYs of the causation. I think back upon the tight W-W 9mm Luger brass and its recalcitrant primer pockets that refused to swage or reform themselves into shape for even the harder-than-woodpecker-lips CCI SP primers. All of this foofahrah might have been side-stepped through use of the Sinclair Uniformers. Kind of a no-brainer for me, once Rick turned the lights on.
Many thanks, Senor. Those tools will be inbound shortly.
Al, I highly recommend getting the power adapter with those Sinclair primer pocket tools. The hand held handle will work but your a better man than me if ya have much brass to do. A drill press or a power drill can be used, corded or cordless. I use this, I made a tool holder for the Sinclair tool, the Forster body and cutter shaft is removed and the Sinclair tool holder threaded on the power shaft of the machine. To uniform a 100 round box of virgin brass takes 15-20 minutes. Each piece needs to be cut and the chips dumped 3 times to cut the pocket to the SAAMI specs of the Sinclair tool. Prepping fired brass that has already been uniformed is even faster, only needs one time to remove all the carbon and crud and cut a very tiny amount of brass. About 10 minutes for a 100 round box.
462
California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
After re-reading most of this thread's four pages, seems one's case cleaning methods are firmly held to.
My son-in-law has recently got back into reloading and went the wet way. I'm a proud case cleaning Luddite, too, and use the old fashion vibratory with corn cob method with a dash of Nu-Finish added, prior to de-priming.
For really tarnished ex-military brass, I use a Lee case trimmer shell holder and lock stud chucked in the drill press to spin the cases while applying a dab of Mothers Mag Polish, then wiping it off while still spinning. Instant new brass.
I use the Sinclair primer pocket uniformer on all new rifle brass. Occasionally, I use it after cleaning and have seen its effect, and need to start using it after every cleaning.
My son-in-law has recently got back into reloading and went the wet way. I'm a proud case cleaning Luddite, too, and use the old fashion vibratory with corn cob method with a dash of Nu-Finish added, prior to de-priming.
For really tarnished ex-military brass, I use a Lee case trimmer shell holder and lock stud chucked in the drill press to spin the cases while applying a dab of Mothers Mag Polish, then wiping it off while still spinning. Instant new brass.
I use the Sinclair primer pocket uniformer on all new rifle brass. Occasionally, I use it after cleaning and have seen its effect, and need to start using it after every cleaning.
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
That's how I do it as well. I spin the wet brass in my media separator for a few seconds, then drop it into the vibratory tumbler.
I do the flash holes too and there is only one good thing about that task. It's a one time deal. What a pita it is. I watched a high speed video many years back of primer flash with no barrel and no case other than the case head with a primer seated. Flash holes are punched not drilled and it leaves quite a bur inside the case. That bur directs the flame of the primer to one side. Flash holes properly deburred had a nice round uniform cone flame. Was quite interesting to see and I've done the flash holes ever since.
It's one of those things that in close range, low pressure, low velocity rounds probably doesn't mean much of anything, at higher velocity and longer ranges it could well pay off in uniformity. Nothing like confidence in your equipment when on the firing line in a big match.
It's one of those things that in close range, low pressure, low velocity rounds probably doesn't mean much of anything, at higher velocity and longer ranges it could well pay off in uniformity. Nothing like confidence in your equipment when on the firing line in a big match.
I use the hornady 'uniformer' PP tool that removes the swage ring. Once done the US cleaner leaves the PP pretty clean. Might try the flash hole on some LC 308W stuff just to see. Got bored during rainy season here and straighten up the reloading area (garage) found the other bag of 500 LC cases. Another jug of 308 that needs annealing. Loaded up some 30/30 plinker PB without sizing. No pushback and using unique so I'll see how it goes. Found 1 with cracked neck, another with pinhole in shoulder so guess I'll anneal them too. Another 3" today, more to come. Darn.