So I've been reloading now for a few years and mostly self taught myself from reading books and the forums. My question is about cleaning brass. When I started, all the research I did was telling me to use stainless media and a tumbler. So I purchased a cheap rock tumbler from Harbor freight which I made a new container for with pvc pipe. It works pretty well and has served me well. It limits me to about 100 .308 cases and about 175 .223 cases. My usually way of reloading is I prep the brass first. Meaning I size and trim it then put it in the media. For most of my used military brass, I use imperial sizing wax, as I found it the best for the brass that is tough to size. The easier stuff, out of my bolt actions, Like 338 lapua or 6.5 creedmore, I've been using the Hornady one shot. I usually only neck size this brass, as it starts out new and has only been fired out of my gun. A problem I'm experiencing is the wax doesn't seem like it comes completely off of the brass with the stainless media, water, dish soap solution. Another problem I'm seeing as some of my brass is so dirty from the range, I need to clean it before I do any case prep as it's really dirty from the range/mud. So I'm asking you guys what is your method? I was thinking of cleaning all the brass first with the stainless media, doing my case prep, and then cleaning it again with an old style tumbler with a dry media like walnut. Seems like a lot of work as I'd have to decap first so I can get the primer pockets clean and that adds a few other steps to the reloading process. Recomendations please.
Recommendation on cleaning brass
- Thread starter giannid
- Start date
Any range brass that hits the dirt and gets picked up goes into a tumbler with walnut media for 30-60 minutes to clean the dirt off before going into the resizing dies. After resizing, the brass goes back into the tumbler for 1-2 hours to clean off the lanolin / alcohol lube. Learned many years ago dirty brass scratches the resizing die. I don't worry about decapping to clean primer pockets. No evidence a clean primer pockets shoots better than a dirty one. All of my match prep ammo gets the primer pocket squared anyway.
I've been using this method for years. It seems to work fine for me. I've never felt the need for wet tumbling, but it does make the brass pretty.
I've been using this method for years. It seems to work fine for me. I've never felt the need for wet tumbling, but it does make the brass pretty.
Fired brass goes in the tumbler with corn cob for a couple hours before sizing. After sizing (with Imperial wax) they go back in for about 20 minutes, that seems to be enough to get the lube off. I use a standard full length sizing die so they get decapped during sizing. I used to use an ultrasonic, but I didn't see any accuracy difference, so I just cut out that step.
Everybody has their preferences as to what order they prep brass but the comman denominator is pretty much to clean brass PRIOR to sizing as a fundamental step so I would encourage you to make that change. It's pretty normal as well to run the cases through dry media after sizing ro remove lube. What type of cleaning method is just personal choice really, sonic, corn/walnut media dry tumble, SS wet tumble, etc all have their pluses & minuses. Primer pockets, again, there's debate on that too but for precision rounds, yes, I believe it makes a difference as primer seating and consistant ignition make a difference in keeping SD'S low. It's almost a "lifelong pursuit" to completely understand the nuances of precision reloading. I think a person needs to consider reloading as a hobby & pursuit unto itself in addition to actual shooting to create ammo worthy of exceptional accuracy if that is your goal. Otherwise, just keep the steps basic and bang away with range brass & enjoy the experience, it's all good!
get a universal decapping die so that super dirty brass can go straight to the tumbler.
dawn and lemishine, just a squirt of dawn and a 9mm case of lemishine does the trick. it should only take about 2 hours to get it clean.
dawn and lemishine, just a squirt of dawn and a 9mm case of lemishine does the trick. it should only take about 2 hours to get it clean.
+1 on the dawn and lemishine. Range brass gets run through the universal decapper, washed, sized (with imperial) and washed again. So far never had a problem with it not taking off the wax.
