cleaning brass everytime, is it necessary really?

[retired]

business owners have to keep the customer happy and make a living.
we all use ground corn cob if we used media.
because our customers loved our brass and did not break the bank getting there.
that is your opinion, but not a fact in my case
i did not answer to a bean counter, the only one that did used the wet method.

Bean counters don't use the best. They use the cheapest. End of story.

 

[Rsadams]

If you use an expander mandrel, try using imperial dry lube instead of the wax - it saves having to tumble a second time.

Yes sir I just got some on my bench awhile back ordered the 2pack and used it on some .223 with good results.... I also run it to get the wax off the outside , I then brush once more to get the dust out of the inside of the necks.... And now dip in the dry lube before seating....

 

[JRS]

Nu-Finish ingredients:

Naphtha, petroleum, hydrotreated light Stoddard solvent, calcined flint clay. (no wax/polish)
Hazards Identification: This chemical is considered hazardous by the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)
Aspiration Toxicity: Category 1
Precautionary Statements - Storage: Store locked up. Keep away from other materials.
Disposal: Dispose of contents/container to an approved waste disposal plant.
Combustable Liquid - III B

It's nasty stuff, and is nothing more than a protectant (step #4 when detailing).

 

[LHSmith]

Gotta love OSHA regs
and sometimes their prevention measures are a much worse alternative-

 

[KMart]

calcined flint clay

Also known as Sorb-All, Oil Dry and kitty litter. Basically cooked dirt and somewhat abrasive

 

[Paddyd]

When it gets really dirty or I'm cleaning up old range brass that is badly tarnished, I soak 24 hrs in RCBS case cleaning solution and water mixed at 1oz cleaner to 32 oz water. Drain and put it in a cloth bag I sewed out of an old hand towel. Use a zip tie to close up the open end and throw it into the wife's front loader along with some old garage towels. Add the required amount of detergent and run it through a cycle. When finished it comes out shiny as like new. Super simple and cheap..Only drawback to my method I have seen is I then need to allow it to dry before loading.

 

[Barlow]

I use a Sinclair case holder and my 18 volt drill with scotchbrite pad, then a softer neck brush a few spins. Clean primer pockets with small screwdriver. I never clean the inside of the case unless I acquire some that are old and scrungy (tech term) and I use my Lyman case tumbler. I have used a bent wire scratching the inside of cases while spinning them, and what came out of them was not weighable. Barlow

 

[retired]

???????
no context, not reference,
what are you talking about ?

Also known as Sorb-All, Oil Dry and kitty litter. Basically cooked dirt and somewhat abrasive

 

[Fotheringill]

Using walnut/corncob media in a tumbler/vibrator will actually leave a thin abrasive coating on the brass that needs to be wiped off.

And then there is the walnut media that is brown in color from a rouge that is put into it.

Wipe them down no matter what and use a brush on the inside of the neck.

 

[KMart]

???????
no context, not reference,
what are you talking about ?

calcined flint clay. One of the ingredients in Nu Finish.

Other things that are made from calcined flint clay are Sorb-all, Oil dry, & kitty litter. It is a particular clay that is dug out of the ground and goes through an oven to get it into the form that is sold.

 

[LHSmith]

???????
no context, not reference,
what are you talking about ?

This is what happens when you have people on ignore.

 

[KMart]

This is what happens when you have people on ignore.

I kind of figured that but didn't know. I don't have anyone on ignore. Thanks

 

[retired]

yes this site does not show ignored, they disappear.
nufinish as i have said it works very well and 1/2 the cost of typical brass polish.

I kind of figured that but didn't know. I don't have anyone on ignore. Thanks

 

[Webster]

getting different answers on this verbally with folks who reload. some are very concerned with carbon getting in their expensive FL dies, others that i know are more hunters will fire 2 or 3 times before or until the brass actually looks pretty bad. my once fired brass looks pretty good to me.

so question is, with uncleaned brass, even if you wipe the cases with a micro fiber cloth to get rid of actual dirt particles, does the remaining carbon really do that much to your dies?

is there another factor that is being missed here (by me)

has anyone on here who doesn't have ocd and has an experimental nature, taken a step back and tried it both ways to see what happens to your groups and es and stuff?

i totally respect ocd since i have it myself but I am trying to apply my ocd to MY PERSONAL end goal here which is shooting more but with still very consistent ammo. I LOVE SPARKLING CLEAN, PERFECTLY MACHINED AND CONSISTENT CASES but i also am willing to suppress my ocd towards sparkles, skip not so important steps (if so) that do not affect my style of shooting. non-competition, long range hunting and target shooting.

in fact, if the big concern here is ruining my dies after loading 5000 rd or something, i think i am willing to just do that and order new dies.

thoughts, thanks?

I don't think there is any evidence that carbon wears out dies. Another made up fact. It's difficult to remove 1 thou from a hardened die with sandpaper.

 

[Brians356]

I don't think there is any evidence that carbon wears out dies. Another made up fact.

AKA "fake news".
-

 

[Dusty Stevens]

AKA "fake news".
-

May not ever wear it down in one lifetime thats for sure

 

[retired]

go to a gun show and look at some used dies.
just plain ugly inside. i do not know how they do it, but i have seen my fair share of ruined dies.

I don't think there is any evidence that carbon wears out dies. Another made up fact. It's difficult to remove 1 thou from a hardened die with sandpaper.

 

[Webster]

go to a gun show and look at some used dies.
just plain ugly inside. i do not know how they do it, but i have seen my fair share of ruined dies.

If carbon was a fine abrasive it would polish dies. I have about 20,000 6mm Rem cases sized with the same die without cleaning the neck od. They are not damaged. You had to go to a gun show to see a funny looking die?

 

[retired]

no, i use to work at gun shows. as many as 45 a year. so i have had the opportunity see a lot. your one set of good dies did not fix all the ugly one i have seen over the years. your sample size is small.

If carbon was a fine abrasive it would polish dies. I have about 20,000 6mm Rem cases sized with the same die without cleaning the neck od. They are not damaged. You had to go to a gun show to see a funny looking die?

 

[dolek]

What are the benefits of dirty brass ?