Cleaning before sizing for bolt action?

[timelinex]

What are your guys thoughts on cleaning your 308 brass before full sizing. Obviously picked up range brass or brass that gets fringed around from semi's into dirt, have to be cleaned. This is for your bolt action match brass, that doesn't see anything other than your shooting mat.

I have nice Redding dies, so I don't want to ruin them. But a quick wipe with a q tip should be able to clean the die after use.

The reason I ask, it adds an extra step to have to clean before sizing and then all over again after.

 

[mdmp5]

It's not even a question. Brass should be cleaned before sizing. I have heard guys on this forum proudly boasting that they never clean their brass, and that they never miss a shot. However, I see no reason not to clean brass before sizing. Dirty brass will shit up your dies. Who wants that? You don't have to clean your brass after sizing. If you just wipe the case off with a rag, and maybe some acetone, you will strip most of the lube off of it. My loaded rounds are just a tad more slick than unlubed cases, but it is hard to tell the difference. To take it a step further, annealing should be done before sizing your brass as well.

 

[Unknown]

I tumble cases, then I lube them on a cookie sheet pan that has a piece of sleeping pad that holds the sizing lube. After sizing, I dump all the cases into a pillow case that has a few washcloth pieces soaked with rubbing alcohol (because it is cheap). A couple of minutes rubbing the cases around inside the pillow case with the pieces of washcloth gets all the lube off. I give them a chance to dry, but the alcohol dries off really fast, then I can continue with nice clean brass to work.

 

[rw496]

yep. they are all covered with carbon and crap whether they hit the ground or not. get home and throw them in the tumbler for a bit.

 

[roggom]

Why wouldn't anyone tumble first? I can see if your gonna load them up and head right back to the range, but its only an additional 15-30 minutes.

Tumble> lube > size >tumble >seat >shoot. Repeat. Then anneal somewhere at 5-8 (for me at least)

 

[forrestgump01]

yep. they are all covered with carbon and crap whether they hit the ground or not. get home and throw them in the tumbler for a bit.

Agree 100 percent. Even if they never touch the ground the carbon on the neck is just as bad as dirt.

 

[timelinex]

Why wouldn't anyone tumble first? I can see if your gonna load them up and head right back to the range, but its only an additional 15-30 minutes.

Tumble> lube > size >tumble >seat >shoot. Repeat. Then anneal somewhere at 5-8 (for me at least)

Do t have a tumbler... Only ultrasonic cleaner which is a bigger hassle... So I guess maybe it's time for a tumbler..

 

[Boogie]

I run my brass through a ultrasonic cleaner with dawn and lemi-shine for about 20 minutes before I anneal and size. After sizing they go into the tumbler with SS media and again dawn and SS media for a couple of hours. I like my brass shiny But then I also f/l size and neck size each piece of brass.

 

[M40_A1]

Do t have a tumbler... Only ultrasonic cleaner which is a bigger hassle...

Why is that? I use an ultrasonic and find it easier, less messy, and less hassle than a tumbler. I ultrasonic before sizing, and use a water soluable lube for sizing, then rinse and dry. Big deal. The insides of the cases don't even have to be thoroughly dry when lubing the outsides for sizing.