How thoroughly do you brush your necks when loading?

[fatelvis]

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!

 

[46and2]

I've thought about doing it but I just dip the neck in Imperial dry lube (graphite) then wipe off the outside before charging.
I think I if use a nylon brush it won't do anything and if I use a brass brush I'll just take off way too much carbon.

 

[Hoot]

I've thought about doing it but I just dip the neck in Imperial dry lube (graphite) then wipe off the outside before charging.
I think I if use a nylon brush it won't do anything and if I use a brass brush I'll just take off way too much carbon.

Ditto on the dry lube but I wet tumble. For me, the key to happiness is opening the necks with a mandrel before charging. I have two single stage presses beside each other. plunge - mandrel - plunge - wipe - charge - seat, As quickly from one to the other as is prudent but that's just me.

 

[tsyarnall]

Hopefully Boyd Allen will come along shortly. He has some real good reasons on why to just “lightly” brush the inside (in and out once) of the neck. He can explain it so much better than me and it seems to work well.

Scott Y

 

[Mark W]

I do one pass in and back out with a nylon brush.

 

[Martin52]

Depends on the case for me. Usually a nylon brush pushed by hand into the neck then twisted on the way out is enough. I had some old well used brass that required a bronze brush. Have also used very fine steel wool wrapped on a worn bronze brush and spun for a few seconds in a drill, made the inside of the necks very smooth and seating easier.

 

[rwj]

Not a direct answer, but regardless of which case cleaning method I use (vibratory media, wet pin tumbling, ultrasonic, neck brushing), I lightly swipe a Qtip on the neck ID. If black residue is present, cases are good for bullet seating. If still white, graphite is applied before seating bullets.

 

[358WCF]

In & out. Done.

 

[piie]

Never brush - only dip my bullet bases in graphite before seating.

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that to really know you need to test for each situation. The reason that I say this is that I have seen it done more than one way, by good shooters. IMO on the easy to do stuff resist the urge to ask on the internet, do your own tests, and believe your targets, assuming you did a proper test. A long time ago, I did something that resulted in high effort, juddery seating (arbor press) for one match (6PPC, group). After that it evened out. The thing is that that group was the smallest that I shot that day. Some powders like a lot of bullet pull, some don't. Years ago, a friend who is in the Benchrest Hall of Fame and who holds numerous records did a test, and not doing any brushing shot better than brushing. Since then he has not brushed. Would I use his method for every situation, of course not. I would test for myself, understanding that there are lots of variables that could affect the outcome.

 

[M-61]

Comes out of the walnut media vibratory tumbler and that's it.
So no brushing.

 

[comagutsa]

in/out done

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

In and out twice and done

 

[Oso]

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

 

[Jet]

In and out once with a nylon brush.

 

[KMart]

I do one pass in and back out with a nylon brush.

Great minds think alike

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Couple strokes here. I found that if I hold my index finger against brush it serves as a stop to not let brush tip hit bottom and primer.

 

[46and2]

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

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

 

[M-61]

Couple strokes here. I found that if I hold my index finger against brush it serves as a stop to not let brush tip hit bottom and primer.

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

 

[JEFFPPC]

Why not brush before seating primer. Makes no sense to make residue from brushing the neck to fall on the primer. I have tried different methods when shooting 1000yds. From sonic cleaning to using an old brush wrapped with steel wool to make them bright and shiny. I have dipped them in graphite and done nothing but run a nylon brush in and out. The once in and out with a nylon brush is where I have ended up. I know top short range and long range shooters I have spoken to that use all of the above methods and are at the top of their sport. So, maybe one is not better than the other any where but in our minds.