Cleaning brass

[mikecockcroft]

They say cleaning brass is a waste of time, doesn’t make you shoot better. They are probably right, but it makes me feel better.
I dont mind the 3 minutes it takes me to dump brass in the vibrator or the 3 minutes to get it out.

 

[jackieschmidt]

There is a lot to said about “feeling better” about something you are doing. It tends to build confidence.

I do not even own a brass cleaning set up. I have 6PPC and 30BR cases that have countless firings, and the inside has never been touched. I would take them to the line tomorrow.

Of course, I shoot Short Range Benchrest. I suppose that there are test done in the crowd that lives by the “SD and ES” numbers that justifies about 90% of the things they do that in truth, don’t make a hill of beans difference at 100 and 200 Yards.

 

[searcher]

I tumble most of mine because I hate wiping each case by hand or brushing the inside of the necks - both are things I do as little as is reasonably possible. So - on all my high-volume ammo is done in this fashion. When one is loading the same brass between relays - there isn't enough time for them to tumble anyways...

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

Makes me feel better also.

 

[JB10]

I know BR guys dont clean brass like some of us do and its all a personal preference i think. But man it makes me feel good to show off my loaded rounds all shiny to guys that dont reload. To my varmint rounds, they are not as clean since i dont care as much in case they get lost in the field.

 

[6MMsteve]

only thing I clean is 9mm during my bi- monthly pickup where I shoot 9mm

 

[Nomad88]

I’ve quit using my wet tumbler and went back to a vibrating one. Too much hassle but the shiney brass is nice.

I just throw them in for an hour to get the lube off after resizing. They aren’t shiney but dang it’s a lot less hassle

 

[AlNyhus]

The only thing my tumbler gets used for is lubing bullet jackets.

 

[topclass2017]

I've taken to wiping down and decapping my brass at the range between strings of 5 shots. I use either 0000 steel wool or a shotgun sized patch with Hoppes, Gunzilla, or something similar on it. That's the extent of cleaning I do. SO FAR it has been effective.

 

[K22]

Feeling good has value!

I feel good about not tumbling anymore after my tumbler died last year. Now I just clean the necks with 0000 steel wool (which I have done forever) and wipe the cases a shop rag with some mineral spirits. This one less piece of equipment I have and one less consumable (media) I have to inventory. I feel good about that!

 

[markm87]

We shoot a lot of gas guns and suppressed bolt guns. I can't stand handling dirty brass, and it's too hot in AZ to wear latex gloves, so I'm not giving up wet tumbling any time soon.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Like the old saying, "clean brass is happy brass and happy brass shoots better!"

 

[Rocky Mt High]

I tumble so I don’t drag dirt into my dies
and rifle.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I’m only using my tumbler with walnut hulls and a small amount of polish to get that pesky varnish off new Lapua brass. In case you’re not aware, there are some threads about that subject already.

 

[Dimner]

It's really all about volume. If I have over 50 pieces of brass, I'll use the tumbler twice in my process.

Once to get rid of the soot on the necks.
Once to get rid of the lube after resize.

If I have under 50 pieces to process, it's just steel wool and a nylon brush. Then after sizing, I wipe off the lube with a cotton cloth.

As of yet, The difference in brass processing doesn't show up on my targets. I'm not that good. I cannot shoot the difference.

 

[Lance21]

I make my own lube, rubbing alcohol and lanolin. The alcohol cleans the brass some. Then tumble it in white rice for 1/2 to 1 hour. Comes out pretty clean, but leaves a dry lubricating film in the necks. I don't ever have to use lube during the expanding mandrel process.

 

[quest450]

I clean outside only with scotch bright leave carbon inside the necks for lubrication and uniform seating pressure

 

[Cecil S.]

I tumble so I don’t drag dirt into my dies
and rifle.

Same here.

 

[Footsore]

For large quantities I like to tumble before sizing so that the brass is clean before going into my dies and then after to remove the Imperial lube.
Anyone got an easy way to get the media out of the flash holes?

 

[makurtz]

For large quantities I like to tumble before sizing so that the brass is clean before going into my dies and then after to remove the Imperial lube.
Anyone got an easy way to get the media out of the flash holes?

Use the wedge shaped media, not the pins.