Cleaning inside of case necks

[40X Guy]

After tumbling my 3 times fired brass and chucking a nylon brush in my drill and running in and out of my 6.5X47 cases there is still carbon/soot baked on inside of case neck and more in spots than others, I don't have an ultrasonic or SS media setup and I am hesitant to use a bronze brush inside neck chucked in a drill, looking for an way to get inside necks clean. Anyone have any common household chemicals they use? Or any other methods you recommend?

Frank

 

[markm87]

Lemishine in water brings brass to a really good shine. I bet if you dipped your nylon brush in a lemishine mixture you'd get results. Perhaps a shell holder that would allow the necks to pre soak in lemishine before nylon brushing would be ideal.

 

[gmorganal]

Go ahead and use those worn brass brushes in a drill. I have been using them for that purpose for years and never had any loss of accuracy due to it.

 

[ava123]

inside of the neck is important to clean if you want the best accuracy, and i have done this on benchrest rifles when reloading. before sizing, run your brush with #4 steel wool on it thru the neck and iit will have the neck clean in a second or two. this does not effect the tightness of the brass to bullet hold, and works well.

 

[dmickey]

Is that actually #4 steel wool or 0000 steel wool? ???

 

[M-61]

000 or 0000 steel wool works great.
Also aluminium wool is good but harder to find.

 

[40X Guy]

Checked my local grocer, no Lemishine, will check Wally World tonite. Whats the best way to use the steel wool? I have some 0000 grade wool in shop.

Frank

 

[alf]

0000 steel wool wrapped around a brass brush, chucked in a drill, and polish away. The wool needs to be replaced quite often. I tear off several thin pieces ahead of time and just keep adding as I go.

 

[DaveWhite]

Building up the steel wool on a brass cleaning brush works really well. I then use a 25 caliber magnet (found on the end of an aluminum handled General brand scratch awl) to insert into my 30 cal cases. The magnet picks up every last wisp of the steel wool that might have been left inside the casing. I then use a stronger magnet, wrapped in a paper towel, to clean off the 1st magnet.

 

[40X Guy]

I just found a method that works pretty good for my 6.5X47 cases. i thought to myself what is good on carbon as far as a liquid, then I remembered i have some GM Top Engine Cleaner in the spray can since they don't make it in liquid form anymore. I sprayed enough in the cap and dipped case in the TEC and ran in and out of a 7MM stiff nylon brush (Bore Tech nylon) chucked in my drill 5 times, takes out the majority of the carbon/soot inside case neck to where you can see the brass color. And does not take anything out that it shouldn't. But i had to tumble them again and they are looking good. PN is 1052626 available at your local GM dealer. I feel this is non intrusive on the case and gets the crud out but not to extent that it makes the case neck sticky.

Frank

 

[Erik Cortina]

Building up the steel wool on a brass cleaning brush works really well. I then use a 25 caliber magnet (found on the end of an aluminum handled General brand scratch awl) to insert into my 30 cal cases. The magnet picks up every last wisp of the steel wool that might have been left inside the casing. I then use a stronger magnet, wrapped in a paper towel, to clean off the 1st magnet.

And what do you use to clean the stronger magnet? ;D

 

[DaveWhite]

unwrap the paper towel and throw it away, the steel stays with the paper... 8)

 

[40X Guy]

I love it when a plan comes together, lol, ;D

Frank

 

[alf]

My thoughts on the subject are to remove the majority of the loose carbon from the neck interiors, not necessarily clean the necks back to bare metal. I use a nylon brush and run it through the necks once. It leaves behind a layer of carbon but I am not convinced this is a bad thing. I feel a uniform layer of carbon in the case necks promotes uniform bullet seating. I have cleaned my case necks in the past using steel wool as described here but felt inconsistent bullet seating resistance when doing so.

I agree totally. The only time I polish the inside is after chamfering. Other than that, I never clean the insides on my 1K brass. My Hunter brass, I give it a quick in and out with a nylon brush only.

 

[lpreddick]

agree completely with lehanson: i once polished to a beautiful shine the inside of some necks. also polished to a beautiful shine some bullets. loaded the above and went to the range. WHAT THE H---! velocities were all over the place. nothing made sense, so i pulled and remeasured the charges...they were correct. saw on this forum that what i did can and did result in the bullet and neck sort of bonding due to the slick boundaries. did as suggested and seated some of these loads another 5-10 thous and heard the POP as the bonding was broken. i don't clean like this anymore. i totally agree that a little residue in the neck aids in allowing the bullet to be released without excessive pressure requirements, sort of like microscopic ball bearings that the bullet rolls over? could be why some guns require a number of fouling shots before they settle down and shoot? [/quote] if i can see you, i can touch you.BANG1

 

[dave7mm]

The SS media setup is the only way to fly.
Not only does it get the necks- it cleans the primer pockets as well.
While its doing it,your doing something else.
Cases come out better looking than new, every time.
Dump the cases in, dump the media in, couple tea spoons of Dawn and a tea spoon of lemshine.Bout half full of hot water. All you have to do, is turn a knob.
Takes about 3 hrs. for 50 cases.
So simple

My RCBS sidewinder does double duty.
I use it to clean cases.
I use it to impact plate Danzak and HBN.
Have a dufferent drum for each.
Hope this helps.

dave

 

[dave7mm]

You'll have to forgive the zero being off a tad.
Two rounds from a clean barrel fired from cases cleaned with SS media like described above.
Distance?
600 yards.

dave

 

[40X Guy]

I agree that the SS media is the way to go for ultimate clean. It may be something i invest in this winter. But i am liking the TEC I used yesterday and it definately gets the majority of the carbon/soot out leaving a dull color. And I had it on hand.

Nice shooting on the steel plate Dave!

Frank

 

[alf]

Two rounds from a clean barrel fired from cases cleaned with SS media like described above.Distance?600 yards.

Two shots are hardly conclusive evidence....... one way or the other......

 

[dave7mm]

all fired at 600
all tumbled with ss media
that better?

dave