Has anyone ever used a bead-blaster (glass) on brass to clean up the primer pockets? There would inherently be some over-spray on the rest of the case but just wondering if anyone thinks this is good or no bueno...
Bead Blasting Brass?
- Thread starter High Binder
- Start date
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
I'm not so sure I'd go that route. Benchrest shooter and we 1000 yard shooters all Anneal our brass for more accuracy and longer brass life.
Brass opposite of steel softens when heat is applied and hardens when impacted. (pressed-resizing die, impacted-cases rattling together in a vibrator tumbler, your blasting process, etc.)
Granted you only talking about the head of the case and you don't want that to soften.
I think you'd be far happier with the less labor, and overall (long range) accuracy gains if you went to harbor freight and got you and ultrsonic cleaner and cleaned the cases that way/ this way:
http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html
I'm not so sure I'd go that route. Benchrest shooter and we 1000 yard shooters all Anneal our brass for more accuracy and longer brass life.
Brass opposite of steel softens when heat is applied and hardens when impacted. (pressed-resizing die, impacted-cases rattling together in a vibrator tumbler, your blasting process, etc.)
Granted you only talking about the head of the case and you don't want that to soften.
I think you'd be far happier with the less labor, and overall (long range) accuracy gains if you went to harbor freight and got you and ultrsonic cleaner and cleaned the cases that way/ this way:
http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
just use a primer pocket cleaner chucked on a cordless drill or screw driver.
I use a K&M primer pocket uniformer to uniform and it doubles as a cleaner on the pockets it had uniformed, carbide blade ensures lifetime of service.
large primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261616
small primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261617
just use a primer pocket cleaner chucked on a cordless drill or screw driver.
I use a K&M primer pocket uniformer to uniform and it doubles as a cleaner on the pockets it had uniformed, carbide blade ensures lifetime of service.
large primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261616
small primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261617
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
It may work, but my guess is you will still have some carbon residue in the corners of the primer pocket. Everyone likes clean brass, but no need to overthink it, a twist of a primer pocket scraper or primer pocket cutter is all you need.
Kirk R
It may work, but my guess is you will still have some carbon residue in the corners of the primer pocket. Everyone likes clean brass, but no need to overthink it, a twist of a primer pocket scraper or primer pocket cutter is all you need.
Kirk R
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
Look at the SS media thread that's on the front page of this forum. That's your answer to brand new looking brass each time.
You don't want to bead blast the brass, it's going to erode your flash hole and make inconsistencies in the brass.
Look at the SS media thread that's on the front page of this forum. That's your answer to brand new looking brass each time.
You don't want to bead blast the brass, it's going to erode your flash hole and make inconsistencies in the brass.
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">just use a primer pocket cleaner chucked on a cordless drill or screw driver.
I use a K&M primer pocket uniformer to uniform and it doubles as a cleaner on the pockets it had uniformed, carbide blade ensures lifetime of service.
large primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261616
small primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261617 </div></div>
Agreed>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">just use a primer pocket cleaner chucked on a cordless drill or screw driver.
I use a K&M primer pocket uniformer to uniform and it doubles as a cleaner on the pockets it had uniformed, carbide blade ensures lifetime of service.
large primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261616
small primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261617 </div></div>
Agreed>
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
10-4 guys, thanks for the heads up. I'll skip the beads. I was wondering about the effects because I use one almost everyday at work and figured it would be a quick way to clean out the pocket. Thanks for the good info all!
10-4 guys, thanks for the heads up. I'll skip the beads. I was wondering about the effects because I use one almost everyday at work and figured it would be a quick way to clean out the pocket. Thanks for the good info all!
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jkkfam89</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">just use a primer pocket cleaner chucked on a cordless drill or screw driver.
I use a K&M primer pocket uniformer to uniform and it doubles as a cleaner on the pockets it had uniformed, carbide blade ensures lifetime of service.
large primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261616
small primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261617 </div></div>
Agreed>
</div></div>
Hell, after uniforming the pockets, which will clean the carbon out as well, I don't bother cleaning primer pockets until three, or so, cycles and then only because I'm fearful that I'll get carbon build up causing the primers to seat high (not really an issue).
I think cleaning primer pockets after every cycle is one of those chores that doesn't really need to be done and has little effect on the target down range.
Time is better spent elsewhere, if you ask me.
Chris
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jkkfam89</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">just use a primer pocket cleaner chucked on a cordless drill or screw driver.
I use a K&M primer pocket uniformer to uniform and it doubles as a cleaner on the pockets it had uniformed, carbide blade ensures lifetime of service.
large primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261616
small primer http://www.grafs.com/product/261617 </div></div>
Agreed>
</div></div>
Hell, after uniforming the pockets, which will clean the carbon out as well, I don't bother cleaning primer pockets until three, or so, cycles and then only because I'm fearful that I'll get carbon build up causing the primers to seat high (not really an issue).
I think cleaning primer pockets after every cycle is one of those chores that doesn't really need to be done and has little effect on the target down range.
Time is better spent elsewhere, if you ask me.
Chris
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
I saw some commercially reloaded 5.56 cases a while back I suspect were blasted as I noticed the writing on the case head was "washing out" so to speak. No longer sharply defined.
I would love to have my own glass blaster but not for cases.
I have to disagree on cleaning primer pockets. I have seen way too much commercial brass with shallow pockets that was hard to get a primer below surface and had to be uniformed.
Then there is the primer residue you don't want getting in bore as it will score your bore.
Don't believe it? take a portable decapping rig to range and shoot 308 and deprime half the cases and scrape it. You will find it is soft powdery. Leave rest with primer in and next day deprime a few more and scrape it and see the difference in how hard it is to get it out (if you even can). All that crud will just get blown into barrel and follow on round will embed the carbon in bullet jacket, carry it down bore and score the barrel.
Then again if you have a barrels like I have seen that were rifled with a mill bastard file and a brick, this might be beneficial haha.
I saw some commercially reloaded 5.56 cases a while back I suspect were blasted as I noticed the writing on the case head was "washing out" so to speak. No longer sharply defined.
I would love to have my own glass blaster but not for cases.
I have to disagree on cleaning primer pockets. I have seen way too much commercial brass with shallow pockets that was hard to get a primer below surface and had to be uniformed.
Then there is the primer residue you don't want getting in bore as it will score your bore.
Don't believe it? take a portable decapping rig to range and shoot 308 and deprime half the cases and scrape it. You will find it is soft powdery. Leave rest with primer in and next day deprime a few more and scrape it and see the difference in how hard it is to get it out (if you even can). All that crud will just get blown into barrel and follow on round will embed the carbon in bullet jacket, carry it down bore and score the barrel.
Then again if you have a barrels like I have seen that were rifled with a mill bastard file and a brick, this might be beneficial haha.
Re: Bead Blasting Brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hummer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Then again if you have a barrels like I have seen that were rifled with a mill bastard file and a brick, this might be beneficial haha. </div></div>
OK, I admit it, that made me laugh out loud.
You make a very good point with the residue. I do it not for consistency (because I haven't seen a difference in accuracy in a quick back to back test) but more because I'm trying to minimize the crap being blasted down the barrel. Burning powder and bullets are hard enough on them.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hummer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Then again if you have a barrels like I have seen that were rifled with a mill bastard file and a brick, this might be beneficial haha. </div></div>
OK, I admit it, that made me laugh out loud.
You make a very good point with the residue. I do it not for consistency (because I haven't seen a difference in accuracy in a quick back to back test) but more because I'm trying to minimize the crap being blasted down the barrel. Burning powder and bullets are hard enough on them.
