fired brass cleaning?
- Thread starter Lynum Up
- Start date
IMHO.........
Well, your brass that you pick up off of the ground picks up grit. I don't want that grit to scratch my sizer die. So, it needs a cleaning prior to reloading.
It doesn't have to glint in the sun in order to be clean enough for reloading.
How to:
Some hot water, squirt of dish soap and some vinegar. Use Lemishine if you don't want to use vinegar. Anyway.......stir it around some let it sit, come back and do it again. When the cases appear to be clean enough........dump the solution.
You could use an old towel to get the majority of water off. Then, continue with the air drying or use an oven at very low heat (don't heat too much or the brass will change it's qualities).
Dry throughly before moving onto the next step.
Then........I will also wash my cases after the lube/FL resize step.....I find it faster to delube my cases in lots rather then a few at a time. Note I didn't reprime yet. Make sure they're dry before moving onto the next steps.
I've sold my tumbler long ago........this way I don't have to put up with the media expense, dust or noise.
Aloha, Mark
Well, your brass that you pick up off of the ground picks up grit. I don't want that grit to scratch my sizer die. So, it needs a cleaning prior to reloading.
It doesn't have to glint in the sun in order to be clean enough for reloading.
How to:
Some hot water, squirt of dish soap and some vinegar. Use Lemishine if you don't want to use vinegar. Anyway.......stir it around some let it sit, come back and do it again. When the cases appear to be clean enough........dump the solution.
You could use an old towel to get the majority of water off. Then, continue with the air drying or use an oven at very low heat (don't heat too much or the brass will change it's qualities).
Dry throughly before moving onto the next step.
Then........I will also wash my cases after the lube/FL resize step.....I find it faster to delube my cases in lots rather then a few at a time. Note I didn't reprime yet. Make sure they're dry before moving onto the next steps.
I've sold my tumbler long ago........this way I don't have to put up with the media expense, dust or noise.
Aloha, Mark
I lube then FL size. Then toss them into the Ultrasonic cleaner.
I clean them after every firing. I can't say it makes a difference but its what I do.
I clean them after every firing. I can't say it makes a difference but its what I do.
coyoteklr
i'm pretty slow at reloading because i use a single stage press (Forster) and have for alot of years.... if necks are really grungy i use some 4 0tt steel wool and then hand lube with resizing wax... size and wipe off with paper towel.... prime... load with 3br powder measure and seat bullet.....
all the same from 223 for ar to 270 AI
all the same from 223 for ar to 270 AI
NorCalMikie
Gold $$ Contributor
Any "range pick up" brass gets thrown in the tumbler before it ever sees a die.
My BR brass never hits the ground. It may see the tumbler after 4 or 5 firings. Clean brass shoots better and it makes everybody think you really know your $hit.
My BR brass never hits the ground. It may see the tumbler after 4 or 5 firings. Clean brass shoots better and it makes everybody think you really know your $hit.
Lynum Up said:
If you do any more it's cosmetics. Not necessary.
In addition to cleaning carbon off the outside of the neck [I use Nevr-Dull] and cleaning out the primer pocket [I use a Primer Pocket Uniformer], you only need to clean the inside of the case neck, [not the entire case], with a nylon brush.
I shoot a 6PPC and 30BR competitively and know some highly successful shooters who have even reduced that list. Here's one's list of the things he's eliminated:
Eliminated from routine:
1. Brushing out case necks; I still clean primer pockets every time.
2. Wiping off each case after sizing and priming. After running them through the sizing die and repriming, the cases go right back into the block. I use Imperial Sizing Die Wax sparingly and find it is a waste of time to wipe each case every time. A little residual lube on a case won't hurt a thing.
3. Weighing charges. Set the powder measure by weight. If you can throw charges that are within plus or minus .1 grains 85% of the time with the occasional .2 grain excursion, that is more than adequate.
4. Tumbling and polishing cases.
5. Cleaning after every match. I clean after every 40 to 50 rounds.
6. Weighing and sorting brass and bullets.
7. Coating bullets with super slickem.
I always tumble clean before I resize. I also tumble them after I resize them to get off the lube. I had a very bad experience with 223 brass in my AR. All the lube gummed up and I had a case with the base ripped off stuck in my chamber. I wiped each case down after reloading them but after 600 rounds the little that was on it built up enough to glue the case in. I'll never do that again.
NorCalMikie - I now have a reason to continue the SS method. Thanks. 
"Clean brass shoots better and it makes everybody think you really know your $hit. "
"Clean brass shoots better and it makes everybody think you really know your $hit. "
NorCalMikie
Gold $$ Contributor
You can fool some of the people, some of the time........ ;D It's been said that the Stainless Steel media, will over time, damage brass but it sure makes it look good. ;D Beats an Ultra Sonic anyday. 8)
Forum Boss
Administrator
Regarding cleaning cases, I recommend using Ballistol. It will remove the carbon from the outside of the necks, and at the same time you can lube your cases, and get them ready for the FL sizing die. Ballistol comes off easily with a paper towel, and a whisper of lube is all you need...
Off-Topic -- Regarding Charge Weighing
Countless short-range matches and many short-range championships have been won with thrown charges. There's no disputing that. However, a number of the top shooters are starting to weigh charges now. It's interesting that now that a lot of guys are weighing charges there is much less talk about mysterious tuning issues.
If your throws only have a +/- 0.1 grains accuracy, that's a 0.2 grain spread. An 0.2 grain spread is 20 fps with 108s in a 6BR. I know, I've chron'd the difference between a 30.4 grain load and a 30.6 grain load. 20 FPS spread WILL NOT CUT IT in longer-range competition. Point of impact difference at 800 yards of a 20 fps spread (2880 vs. 2860 fps) with 6BR load, 108 Bergers, is nearly 3" (at 70deg F, 500' altitude). That will drop you out of the X-Ring.
800yd Drop at 2880 fps: 167.6" (Bullet 108gr Berger, JBM calc)
800yd Drop at 2860 fps: 170.3" (Bullet 108gr Berger, JBM calc)
If you have 20 fps spread with a 6BR you're going to have 2.7" of vertical at 800, just from the difference in MV, and your group can only get bigger from there.
The best 600-yard shooters can hold an inch of vertical at 600 now. That would be impossible without weighed charges, given the fact that most powder measures are lucky to give an 0.3 grain ES over for 20 throws. I have personally seen a Hall of Famer, using his "pet" powder measure, giving it his "best effort", throw sequential charges that weighed 0.5 grains different -- and he didn't know it until we put it on a Denver Instrument scale.
Off-Topic -- Regarding Charge Weighing
Countless short-range matches and many short-range championships have been won with thrown charges. There's no disputing that. However, a number of the top shooters are starting to weigh charges now. It's interesting that now that a lot of guys are weighing charges there is much less talk about mysterious tuning issues.
If your throws only have a +/- 0.1 grains accuracy, that's a 0.2 grain spread. An 0.2 grain spread is 20 fps with 108s in a 6BR. I know, I've chron'd the difference between a 30.4 grain load and a 30.6 grain load. 20 FPS spread WILL NOT CUT IT in longer-range competition. Point of impact difference at 800 yards of a 20 fps spread (2880 vs. 2860 fps) with 6BR load, 108 Bergers, is nearly 3" (at 70deg F, 500' altitude). That will drop you out of the X-Ring.
800yd Drop at 2880 fps: 167.6" (Bullet 108gr Berger, JBM calc)
800yd Drop at 2860 fps: 170.3" (Bullet 108gr Berger, JBM calc)
If you have 20 fps spread with a 6BR you're going to have 2.7" of vertical at 800, just from the difference in MV, and your group can only get bigger from there.
The best 600-yard shooters can hold an inch of vertical at 600 now. That would be impossible without weighed charges, given the fact that most powder measures are lucky to give an 0.3 grain ES over for 20 throws. I have personally seen a Hall of Famer, using his "pet" powder measure, giving it his "best effort", throw sequential charges that weighed 0.5 grains different -- and he didn't know it until we put it on a Denver Instrument scale.
Outdoorsman said:
Ya, I kinda got a little problem with that one myself.
Should be good in a hunting situation, and maybe an afternoon doggin.
But if'n yer wantin to step into the top ten at a match a bit more care with the charge will help alot.
Course maybe the winners are just lucky that day.
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