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Thread: Cleaning cases

  1. #1
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    Cool Cleaning cases

    I've been reloading for a couple of months and wanted others views on cleaning brass. I've got a lyman tumbler and have left the cases in for varying amounts of time. The outsides seem to come out shinier than when they went in but the insides always look just as black. Any advice appreciated.

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    Have a look at my reloading video series. I've got a clip on cleaning brass cases: https://youtu.be/GHjSt5HogGs

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    If you want shiny on the inside then you'll need to look at either ultrasonic or wet media tumbling with pins .
    I use the latter and the insides come up lovely 😎

    ATB
    James

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    Thanks for replies. I've watched the clip and the cases look much cleaner than mine. I think the ultrasonic cleaner? is what I will try next. Is the one shown a purpose made one for reloading?

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    Here's how I do my cases with Stainless steel media. - Perfect results.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyAkj-LzA8

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    Quote Originally Posted by 1066 View Post
    Here's how I do my cases with Stainless steel media. - Perfect results.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyAkj-LzA8
    Had a look at the video and your others .Nice case annealer👍👍

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    Quote Originally Posted by JB101 View Post
    Had a look at the video and your others .Nice case annealer👍👍
    Thank JB - I've got some more videos in the pipeline so will get them posted when I get chance.

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    Thanks for that. I replied yesterday but for some reason post is not appearing. I've watched the video and your cases are much, much cleaner than mine. The ultrasonic? cleaner looks quicker and I think I might try that next. Is the one shown made specifically for case cleaning or a general purpose unit? The tumbler and pins look good to, if going that route wheres a good place to look for them?

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    I've tried ultrasonic cleaning and although it works it's not as efficient (IMO) as the pin method. I would suggest save the money and put it into a wet tumbler.
    These can be brought new (such as from SPUD1967) or look out for a used rock polisher (free adds etc)
    ATB
    James

  10. #10
    Randy Bohannon's Avatar
    Randy Bohannon is offline “Junes1 is a whining bellend”
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    Do the insides of the cases need to be clean?

    I find a bit of carbon in the necks gives me more consistent seating pressure which must translate to more consistent neck tension, surely?
    "An infinite number of monkeys banging away at type writers for an infinite period of time will eventually reproduce Hamlet" Thanks to discussion forums we now know this to be untrue.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Lord Flashheart View Post
    Do the insides of the cases need to be clean?

    I find a bit of carbon in the necks gives me more consistent seating pressure which must translate to more consistent neck tension, surely?
    One could argue that the carbon build up would be inconsistent and build up the more times the case is fired along with the potential to reduce case capacity.Where as if clean it would be more consistent.

    Regards
    James

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Lord Flashheart View Post
    Do the insides of the cases need to be clean?
    Not really, I know some one who never cleaned the cases of his .357 or his .44 mag in the 15 years I know he was shooting those guns, he was well known for using pretty high loads (the safe side of high) and cannot have had more than 50 split cases (for .357 & .44 due to reloading fatigue of expanding and crimping) some of the cases had been reloaded over 30 times, all he did was clean the primer pocket and every so often check case length and debur.
    Shiny brass is purely a cosmetic thing (out side at least) as long as they are clean (no grit or any thing) they will cycle from the mag into the chamber smooth as shiny brass.
    Reloading powders are formulated to burn as clean as posable so carbon should be minimal, as long as the primer flash hole is clear and there's no obvious heavy carbon deposits then all should be well, every so often just turn the case upside down and give it a few taps on a bit of wood to knock loose carbon deposits out.

    On a slightly difrent note, I have a tumbler and been very hard up for cash, I wash the walnut media, get a very fine mesh strainer (I was govern a big mixing bowl size one) clean the media in small batches, fill a bucket with water and 1/2 fill the strainer with media and place in the bucket overnight, at this point do not agitate, the media swells as it absorbs water, very fine bits and carbon will fall through, next morning agitate the soaked media while suspended in water, keep checking the water and change when black, as said very fine media will have fallen through, don't worry about it, after a few water changes it should be nearly clear, leave the media to drain in the strainer, when no more water drips out transfer to a old rosting tin and leave in a very warm place to dry out, this way the media lasts a lot longer and you only have to top up with new media.
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    Randy Bohannon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JB101 View Post
    One could argue that the carbon build up would be inconsistent and build up the more times the case is fired along with the potential to reduce case capacity.Where as if clean it would be more consistent.

    Regards
    James

    But have you actually checked or collected any data?

    My findings are the opposite.
    "An infinite number of monkeys banging away at type writers for an infinite period of time will eventually reproduce Hamlet" Thanks to discussion forums we now know this to be untrue.

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    My thoughts were that factory loaded cases would have been clean brass inside but I haven't got enough knowledge to know what difference the carbon build up will make. I like the idea of the dirt being rinsed away instead of accumulating in the tumbler media and also the primer pockets being cleaned at the same time. I've googled rock tumblers and ultra sonic cleaners and will give both more thought, not sure about sizes of either that I will need.

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    Randy Bohannon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by panhard View Post
    My thoughts were that factory loaded cases would have been clean brass inside but I haven't got enough knowledge to know what difference the carbon build up will make. I like the idea of the dirt being rinsed away instead of accumulating in the tumbler media and also the primer pockets being cleaned at the same time. I've googled rock tumblers and ultra sonic cleaners and will give both more thought, not sure about sizes of either that I will need.

    I used to use a US cleaner to get the spotless, eventually got bored of rinsing, drying, etc.

    Now I tumble to clean up the outside ( notionally to stop the inside of my dies getting scratched) and have found bugger all difference in group size.

    I haven't done a ES/SD velocity test but that would seem to be the way to set the issue aside one way or another.
    "An infinite number of monkeys banging away at type writers for an infinite period of time will eventually reproduce Hamlet" Thanks to discussion forums we now know this to be untrue.

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