Cleaning brass

[Shootinsurveyor]

What is a good way to clean brass without a tumbler or ultra sonic cleaner? Does this even need to be done really for once fired brass? My last batch I just wiped the outside of the case with a silicon cloth, but a old tshirt will probably see duty for that next time. I don't need pretty brass, just rounds that shoot decent and don't damage anything from some dirt or grit.

 

[Queequeg]

Re: Cleaning brass

000 or 0000 steel wool does a nice job of cleaning and shining up brass. If you chuck your cases in the Lee universal chuck tool (Pg 14 http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/2011%20Catalog.pdf)

you can spin them using your drill and do a bunch pretty quickly.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Cleaning brass

When I first started handloading, I was told that the cases just need to be clean. My loving spousal person let me throw rifle brass in a cloth bag in with my work clothes in the laundry. Just don't run them in the drier. Sling out all the way you can and lay them in the sunlight (or window sill) and they will air dry except the primer pocket. Size & deprime them and let them dry another day.

 

[427Cobra]

Re: Cleaning brass

Krazy Klothe

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Re: Cleaning brass

Stupid question-Wouldn't it be better to deprime the cases before I wash them so the primer pockets will dry out too?

 

[427Cobra]

Re: Cleaning brass

I always decapp b4 using SS media, the primer pockets come out clean then

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Cleaning brass

If you deprime dirty cases with a full length sizer die, you'll just scratch the inside of the die.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Re: Cleaning brass

I have a Lee Loader for now so I am just banging out the spent primers with the punch and hammer. Gotta get a spot that I can shoot more than 200yds frequently before I will actually get a press. I have used other peoples presses and my way just takes a little longer. The slower I have to go, the more I will pay attention to the little things

 

[zack-s]

Re: Cleaning brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you deprime dirty cases with a full length sizer die, you'll just scratch the inside of the die. </div></div>
Lee Universal decap die.

 

[vman]

Re: Cleaning brass

+1 on the Lee universal... costs next to nothing and has the most use out of anything i use, next to my press and priming tool

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Cleaning brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: zack-s</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you deprime dirty cases with a full length sizer die, you'll just scratch the inside of the die. </div></div>
Lee Universal decap die. </div></div>

Using one of the Lee punch sets, you're good to go. If you wash the brass first then deprime after it dries, rinse them in rubbing alcohol and let them dry. Canned air will help speed things along a bit, if you're in a hurry.

Good luck.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Cleaning brass

Personally, I think that brass cleaning begins at the time it's being fired.

My serious LR rifle has its ejector disabled, and my cartridges get individually hand-chambered. So the case pretty much goes from box to chamber to box, no detours in between. This goes a long way toward excluding grit, etc. from the equation.

I tumble my brass before resizing/decapping, mostly because tumbling deprimed brass tends to end up with media crumbs in the flash hole; while decapping previously tumbled brass tends to eliminate such issues.

I lube with RCBS Water Soluble Lube, wiped on with finger tips ala Imperial, etc., and finish my completed rounds with a wipe using an soft cotton cloth moistened with rubbing alky. The Lube somewhat resembles a thicker-than-usual dish detergent and probably contributes to case cleansing.

If some neck soot still remains, I'll spin the loaded neck with some 0000 steel wool, and re-wipe the cartridge with the alky cloth.

How you handle your brass on the line makes a significant contribution to this discussion.

Greg

 

[bm11]

Re: Cleaning brass

Using a neck die with the bushing pulled out functions as a decapper as well.