Case cleaning

[crystalgayleguy]

I'm very amused by all these different ways to clean brass, some have 10 steps to perfect brass and some just give them a wipe down and everyone has THE perfect solution that others should follow. Some use stainless pins and others decry them because they are a pain to remove, sometimes. Some hate dry tumbling but are happy with wet tumbling or ultrasonic and dealing with drying cases, sometimes with a dedicated case dryer. Then some pro shooter comes along and doesn't clean their brass at all...

Welcome to the world of cleaning brass

 

[BrentM]

Welcome to the world of cleaning brass

And barrels, and actions, and suppressors..........

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I'm very amused by all these different ways to clean brass, some have 10 steps to perfect brass and some just give them a wipe down and everyone has THE perfect solution that others should follow. Some use stainless pins and others decry them because they are a pain to remove, sometimes. Some hate dry tumbling but are happy with wet tumbling or ultrasonic and dealing with drying cases, sometimes with a dedicated case dryer. Then some pro shooter comes along and doesn't clean their brass at all...

I started with a Lyman vibratory system (like everyone at the time). I used two different types of Lyman media but both left the cases dusty, inside and out. After that, I just cleaned the outside of the necks with 0000 steel wool. Eventually, I transitioned to one of the early SS pin tumblers and have been very satisfied with the results after some trial & error.

I don't always clean my brass, quite the opposite actually. However, if you're reloading brass 10x or more, it does need an occasional trip through the tumbler.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Frankford Arsenal tumbler. Stainless steel pins usually come in 5 pound bottles. Dump the pins in the large container that will rotate. Dump in the dirty brass in as well. Add water, Dawn and Lemon Boost, and turn it on and walk away. 4 to 5 hours later, shut off the tumbler and dump the dirty water through the strainer. Under the strainer is a mesh screen in a plastic frame. The water runs out, the stainless steel pins stay. I do all this at my sink in the basement. Rinse the brass cases, tap water, and I also use the spray you can spray on wet car, to give it a very light coat of sealer, so the cases don't tarnish so quickly. Done !! Let them dry, and load them later or to tomorrow. You will notice the inside of the necks and the primer pockets are very clean. I made a "drying rack :with 25 Finish nails on a wood board to allow the cases to completely dry. Usually over night. Extremely simple and it works very well. I find I can load the clean cases three times before they need another bath. I used the dry media for my whole life , until I went to this method about a year or two ago. Shinny cases are cool but What impressed me the most was the spotlessly clean primer pockets. You might like it!!

 

[nevadalineman702]

I have 5 pounds of these chips for sale. $35 shipped. PM if interested.

AmmoBrass Stainless Steel Cleaning Media Chips for Wet Tumblers | ammobrass

This product is stainless steel media. This is the cleaning media that we use to clean all of our brass and is the only media that we recommend. We have pre-cleaned it for you so it's ready to go when you receive it. These chips measure approximately 1.43mm x 3.45mm. Stainless Steel Tumbling...

www.ammobrass.com

I've been using these chips for the past two years and the use of a teaspoon of Dawn and a teaspoon of lemon Brite with warm water takes 20-30 minutes in my old Thumblers tumbler to have Brite Shiney brass. Zero issues with pins or corn Cobb or walnut media in flash holes. The chips also will not bind or bridge in the neck area.

 

[Reelamin]

Just lube the neck, easy fix, so easy a cave man can do it.

Lube the inside of the neck with ?? Graphite, moly powder, Imperial ??

 

[BrentM]

Lube the inside of the neck with ?? Graphite, moly powder, Imperial ??

Anything you like. I use one shot spray. I hit the neck at a 45 and roll the brass 180 to get both sides. I use imperial on the body of some cases that don't respond well to one shot. I have graphite too but its a pia. The one shot has fixed the tension issues. I do this on new brass too. I always size it to make sure the necks are concentric and expanded correctly.

 

[Alibiiv]

Cabela's, Amazon, or any good reloading store.

I cleaned 7.62's in a large tumbler. I tried a few batches with the steel pins, but the pain of extracting all of pins compared to how clean the cases came out without using pins made me put the pins away and I haven't used them since. Others may feel strongly about using pins, but a good amount of cleaner and a few hours in the tumbler is good enough for me.

I've attached a photo of a load of 7.62 that I cleaned without pins using distilled water. I think I used the RCBS brass cleaner in this batch. I run the brass for two full cycles, rinse with tap water, then dry them for several hours in the Franklin Armory brass dryer. I've cleaned thousands of rounds this way without any issues.

Thanks for posting this. I have a complete set of Frankfort Arsenal tumbler system in the basement that I have only used twice because of those stainless pins. I could not stop getting those pins from everywhere inside of the cases. And...I have the magnet and the case tumbler that extracts the pins, nothing worked. I will try something like Dawn dish soap and some Lemoshine.

 

[BrentM]

Thanks for posting this. I have a complete set of Frankfort Arsenal tumbler system in the basement that I have only used twice because of those stainless pins. I could not stop getting those pins from everywhere inside of the cases. And...I have the magnet and the case tumbler that extracts the pins, nothing worked. I will try something like Dawn dish soap and some Lemoshine.

Is it a particular case? I have zero issues. Maybe it's the size of pin?

 

[john k]

Anything you like. I use one shot spray. I hit the neck at a 45 and roll the brass 180 to get both sides. I use imperial on the body of some cases that don't respond well to one shot. I have graphite too but its a pia. The one shot has fixed the tension issues. I do this on new brass too. I always size it to make sure the necks are concentric and expanded correctly.

Ditto on the above method.

 

[old_heli_logger]

I want my brass to stick to the chamber walls, so I just wipe them off with a Scotchbrite pad. Give 'em a little twist

 

[Csafisher]

Y'all clean your brass?

 

[Mike D Texas]

I've been using these chips for the past two years and the use of a teaspoon of Dawn and a teaspoon of lemon Brite with warm water takes 20-30 minutes in my old Thumblers tumbler to have Brite Shiney brass. Zero issues with pins or corn Cobb or walnut media in flash holes. The chips also will not bind or bridge in the neck area.

How many pounds do you use?

 

[Reelamin]

Anything you like. I use one shot spray. I hit the neck at a 45 and roll the brass 180 to get both sides. I use imperial on the body of some cases that don't respond well to one shot. I have graphite too but its a pia. The one shot has fixed the tension issues. I do this on new brass too. I always size it to make sure the necks are concentric and expanded correctly.

I think I understand what you are suggesting. I think you put spray one shot spray into a casing you are going to put powder in, and then seat the bullet and push the same lube down with the bullet. I can use any similar lube inside my cases to ensure consistent neck tension when loading the case?