How thoroughly do you brush your necks when loading?

[JEFFPPC]

Yes, annealing will leave a sticky tarnish on the necks.
I would definitely use graphite and/or brush.

Yes, on the neck. The brushing is inside the neck on the carbon.

 

[Fuj]

I've been doing it just a bit different. I replaced the
nylon brush with a bore mop. When I go in and out
just once, the neck is always in contact with lube
where I feel a brush can remove too much or not
be as consistent. Bullets seem to feel more consistent
in the seating process.

 

[CaptainMal]

After each firing brass is annealed, then tumbled, sized and then trimmed. Now there's more to o but because each piece is trimmed, often little to none

The edges of the case mouth can be rough, especially on the inside. I do a light burnish inside and out then push the case over a small rod with an old rag over it. That both takes out a bit of metal shaved off from trimming plus some carbon that may be left inside the neck.

No need for a brush.

 

[DngBat7]

I have found that not brushing at all my bullet seating has been the most consistent reading on the hydro press.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

You brush after priming?
I'm a non-brusher myself but this seemed odd.
(Unless you mean not to hit primer pocket inside case)

Yes, that just the way I have done it.
On fired brass not needing trimmed I dip necks in dry lube, Imperial wax on case body, full length size and wipe clean with towel. Chamfur and de-burr. Then prime case. I hold case upside down and brush, then lightly tap neck on wood loading block turn over and leave in block, charge then seat bullet.
Edit: left out that I clean up necks before lubing and sizing with a extra fine sanding pad and do this again after the de-burr.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Good timing on question - I am trying to improve my process and am confused about the order/interaction of a couple of steps.

How is your process/answer effected by Annealing.
- I have read that it is best to Anneal after each firing to ensure a consistent case (neck tension).
- I have read that must brush necks (inside and out) to remove scaling that occurs/results from Annealing,
- I have read that tumbling the cases in steel pins or vibrating in media will not remove this scaling.
- I have read that to remove this scaling I need to use a 3M pad (grey or burgundy) or 0000 steel wool to polish the outside of neck, and use 0000 steel wool wrapped around bore brush for doing the inside of neck.

If the above is the correct process related to Annealing then I assume there is no significant amount of carbon left in the necks. Either the newly-polished case neck is slick enough or the use of dry graphite neck lube is required to assist the expander mandrel and seating of bullets.

When I see these two discussion topics, are they discussing two different approaches/processes for case preparation? This is where I am confused - is this a matter of:
1) Discussions about retaining carbon in the case necks are predicated on fact that you are not annealing cases after each firing?
OR
2) Is the aforementioned procedure for polishing the case necks (post-Annealing) not necessary, and the metal scaling not a real issue?

Thank You

Over the last few years I've tried various things just to see the results (it's the curiosity factor in me). So, I've not only tried various things mentioned in this forum but also tried them at different stages in the prep process. Because annealing leaves as somewhat hard oxidation coating on both the inside and outside of the case neck, it effects what you do and when you do it.

Since I anneal after every firing, I've come to a process that I like and find works best for me. And here's what I do now:
1. Decap my fired cases and clean pockets with uniformer
2. Anneal
3. Clean outside of case neck and shoulder by hand with a few twists of steel wool
4. Size the case (no expander ball)
5. Dry tumble cases in rice (cleans and removes lube and leaves a very light lube like coating from the rice on the interior)
6. Expand the neck to get my desired neck tension
7. Trim to desired length (using a 3-way trimmer)
8. Prime, charge and seat bullet (no further lubing needed for interior of neck)

If I were to not anneal, the process would be the same. Though if I'm just neck sizing, which I do with a Lee collet die, the carbon left in the neck does well as lubrication and I don't try to clean any of it out at all. And I've found seating to be quite consistent, relative to other non-annealed cleaned neck brass.

But, if I wet tumble (like prepping some range brass that I have picked up) then the process is different. And when loading virgin brass I'll run a run a mandrel through the neck and be sure to use dry lube on the inside of the necks before seating.

If one doesn't use any kind of lube on the interior of the neck after annealing, seating will take more pressure and, base on my experience alone, leads to inconsistent seating depths and even greater TIR's.

 

[Louisb]

I brushed my brass with a bronze brush using my drill and it was a disaster for me. My MV''s were all over the place. Got better when lubed the necks but was not as good as before I used that bronze brush and my drill. Now only use nylon brush once or twice. Seems to work better and provide for consistency for me.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I hardly ever even clean my brass at all!
I prefer to leave the carbon in the necks.

 

[243Lapua]

In and out swipe and that's it for my necks. Using a nylon RCBS brush.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Thinking about it now those of us that use ball expander in the the die when full length sizing, wouldn’t this even the carbon out in the neck anyway?

 

[Retired Grunt]

I wonder if I can get my wife to do this? Wait you should see the look she just gave me...

 

[Shooter13]

CRAP! You mean there is something else I need to do to prep brass???????

 

[Shooter13]

I wonder if I can get my wife to do this? Wait you should see the look she just gave me...

She knows the morse code of your keyboard!!!

 

[Charlie-NY]

I put a bronze brush in a cordless screwdriver and wrap a small bit of steel wool around it. A quick run in & out cleans out anything loose or abrasive. All the carbon appears to remain in the neck. I've got many loads that indicate a SD in the single digits so the procedure doesn't seem detrimental to consistency.

 

[JFrank]

Nylon.

 

[Laguna Freak]

I always have tumbled my cases with corn cob media and resisted the urge to create “sparkling clean” brass by wet tumbling, because I really want to retain the carbon deposit in the necks. Recently, I started brushing the necks on my RCBS prep center with a spinning nylon brush, and I think it improves seating consistency. Problem is, I see some guys are spinning them in drills for 5-6 seconds, and some using bronze brushes to accomplish the cleaning. My question is, how much brushing is “too much”, and is just a quick swipe on the spinning brush enough in your experience? Please share your opinions and findings. Thanks guys!

I like your original method. Though I use walnut and Turtle Wax Scratch and Swirl Remover. Anytime I’ve brushed in the neck, I “feel” (with seating die) the need to dip the case mouth in graphite.

 

[Bill Norris]

Nylon brush in and out by hand. No drill. Done.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

With the stuff I mess with the difference between not brushing and brushing can be 50 pounds. Literally double or more your seating force. More seating force usually means more oal variation. At the end of the day the target is the answer.

 

[jonbearman]

I just use a nylon neck brush and one swipe in and out ,on to the next one.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

I use this little thing from Lyman, been working fine for me for years.
I sort of grip the brush just under the bristles so the neck stops against my finger