Ok, quick question. Not looking for a scientific breakdown, but, I've been using a vibratory tumbler since I started hand loading. Unimpressed by the results, I've purchased an ultrasonic cleaner. Now, all I ask is, has anyone noticed a difference in accuracy and or consistency in their shooting cleaning their cases this way?
Case cleaning question.
- Thread starter Dillon87
- Start date
It will change your neck tension (bare metal has more friction) and thusly how your current load performs. Dipping in a dry neck lube or something will help relieve that and the cold welding issue that happens over time. Or you can just tweak your load to account for the higher neck tension. It could be either more or less accurate depending on a variety of variables specific to your own situation and how willing you are to accommodate them.
Dillon87, what ultrasonic cleaner did you get? The first ultrasonic cleaner I bought was the small black hornaday one, it did not do a very good job in my opinion. It probably is not much of an improvement over vibratory cleaning.
I was going to switch to SS tumbling but I decided I would try the silver hornaday ultrasonic cleaner with the heater in it. Well it was huge improvement over the first one and gets the brass 99% clean inside. The outside does not come out shiny like with ss media but I don't care about that.
Just giving you a heads up because some people say the ultrasonic cleaners do not work. I just use the hornaday oneshot brass cleaning solution with a teaspoon of dawn soap. Run for 60 mins with primer removed and then I run it for 20 mins after resizing to get lube off and clean anything left after first time.
I was going to switch to SS tumbling but I decided I would try the silver hornaday ultrasonic cleaner with the heater in it. Well it was huge improvement over the first one and gets the brass 99% clean inside. The outside does not come out shiny like with ss media but I don't care about that.
Just giving you a heads up because some people say the ultrasonic cleaners do not work. I just use the hornaday oneshot brass cleaning solution with a teaspoon of dawn soap. Run for 60 mins with primer removed and then I run it for 20 mins after resizing to get lube off and clean anything left after first time.
I bought the hornady 2L. Works fantastically, my brass was 100% clean after 30 minutes in 1 part water and 1 part vinegar with a little soap. No issues.
I'm going to have to try the cleaning solutions you guys are using. I have a small Lyman ultrasonic cleaner with a heater. It can only be set to a maximum of 420 seconds, I memory serves. In order to get the longer times I'd have to stick around and keep restarting it. I've taken to using the ultrasonic cleaner to clean lube off the resized cases. I use stainless steel media to clean the cases after first depriming. That does a wonderful job of cleaning.
I've worked up all my loads without lube in the neck so they are always bare metal. I'm assuming that would be same regardless of how you're cleaning your brass?
I've worked up all my loads without lube in the neck so they are always bare metal. I'm assuming that would be same regardless of how you're cleaning your brass?
Not me as I still vibrate so Ive never had to worry about it but Ive heard that people like the imperial with the little graphite balls that you just stick the necks in real quick.
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I hate the SS tumbling for precision rifle. It cleans all of the carbon off the inside of the necks down to bare metal. Even using Imperial lube I notice it takes much more effort to seat bullets. I haven't checked accuracy on paper but I do not like that seating pressure is inconsistent. I love the way it makes my brass look and use it for pistol and AR ammunition but for long range precision I just tumble mine in walnut hills. My brass isnt
purdy but my ES is in the single digits.
purdy but my ES is in the single digits.
I've only loaded brass once that was ss tumbled but I use ultrasonic all the time and the brass appears 98% as clean as the ss.
The only thing I load for is precision rifle and I've never noticed a problem with seating inconsistencies. I never use any kind of lube when seating bullets either. Currently I'm just running a whidden full length sizer with expander. I'm about to order a whidden with honed neck and expander to give me .002 neck tension.
I've loaded a friends 6 dasher with .002 neck tension and it is only very slightly easier to seat a bullet, only just enough you can tell.
Ive read several times that people don't like to ultrasonic clean or ss tumble because it get brass to clean. I'm just saying I haven had an issue with this. I wonder if it matters what solutions you use to clean or tumble? Maybe something to do with an expander ball, I know lots of reloaders run without one.
Only time I start seeing seating pressure inconsistency is if I have fiered brass two times without annealing. On the third time loading I start to notice issues.
Also my sd's are in high single digits, occasionally 10-13or so. I'm hoping running new sizing die, just bought an AMP annealer and Fx120i with auto trickler will help lower those sd's and es.
The only thing I load for is precision rifle and I've never noticed a problem with seating inconsistencies. I never use any kind of lube when seating bullets either. Currently I'm just running a whidden full length sizer with expander. I'm about to order a whidden with honed neck and expander to give me .002 neck tension.
I've loaded a friends 6 dasher with .002 neck tension and it is only very slightly easier to seat a bullet, only just enough you can tell.
Ive read several times that people don't like to ultrasonic clean or ss tumble because it get brass to clean. I'm just saying I haven had an issue with this. I wonder if it matters what solutions you use to clean or tumble? Maybe something to do with an expander ball, I know lots of reloaders run without one.
Only time I start seeing seating pressure inconsistency is if I have fiered brass two times without annealing. On the third time loading I start to notice issues.
Also my sd's are in high single digits, occasionally 10-13or so. I'm hoping running new sizing die, just bought an AMP annealer and Fx120i with auto trickler will help lower those sd's and es.
