[FN47]

Hey gang,

I'd like this thread to be a place and post your brass. Before & after.

I'll go first - a mix of 45, 460, 10mm, 6mm and a lone 380. Going to deprime, quick ream, ultrasonic bath and desiccate. Pictures back when complete

 

[Buku Ringo]

It's a perfect day to clean some brass.

Here's 3 lbs. of CBC Magtech headed for the tumbler.

 

[HK SD9 Tactical]

Got to love that wet cleaning with SS pins. I still have thousands of cleaned cases that I need to load.

When I get to around 3K or more of fired cases, then I will break out the cleaning gear again, simply because I have so much ammo I don't have to reload every couple of hundred fired rounds.

I prefer to deprime prior to cleaning to let the pins clean the primer pockets. Have a couple of deprime dies just for this. Any one else do this extra step prior to cleaning?

Of course, the next step would be to swage the primer pockets after the clean, if required. I find I get a better feel for seating primers when the pockets are thoroughly cleaned first.

 

[Buku Ringo]

Got to love that wet cleaning with SS pins. I still have thousands of cleaned cases that I need to load.

When I get to around 3K or more of fired cases, then I will break out the cleaning gear again, simply because I have so much ammo I don't have to reload every couple of hundred fired rounds.

I prefer to deprime prior to cleaning to let the pins clean the primer pockets. Have a couple of deprime dies just for this. Any one else do this extra step prior to cleaning?

Of course, the next step would be to swage the primer pockets after the clean, if required. I find I get a better feel for seating primers when the pockets are thoroughly cleaned first.

As a matter of fact, I got into wet cleaning with SS pins based on your recommendation, HK.

I now deprime on a stand alone Lee press, right when I get home from the range. I knew I wanted to deprime before cleaning, and after puncturing my index finger (facepalm) while depriming something like 20 lbs. of .45 Auto, the idea came as a way to keep depriming batches small.

The condition of primer pockets and the feel of seating primers is starting to catch my focus. I have a bunch of Lake City stuff so I'm looking at swagers. The Dillon looks like a thrill. Haven't committed to any system just yet.

Another thing I'm chasing is some magical case neck lube. For those that wet clean, it is possible to get the inside of your case neck too clean. What can happen is a perfectly clean brass neck and a shiny new copper projo. can actually cold weld together to some degree. This is bad, for many reasons. One way to tell if this is happening is to re-seat the bullet in old loads to see if it has a good bond to the case. Velocity spread is another indicator.

I use powdered graphite to help with this. The case necks can be dipped in the tub or one can go all pro and brush it in with a nylon bore brush. What I really want is a paste sealer that gets stiff but doesn't dry. Gold Medal Match ammo seems to use something of the like. Something that will seal the case and provide uniform let-off, even with age.

Speaking about this with a bench rest guy, he said he doesn't even clean his cases. He just wipes the outside with a little spit to get the carbon off. Careful neck sizing and the residue inside the neck is good medicine to keep launch pressure consistent.

 

[Ex-Racer / Ex-Pat]

HK SD9 Tactical...

Definitely de-priming is the first step, but I also brush the pockets prior to numerous other steps, incl ultrasonic, annealing, and dry tumbling. I used to also ream the pockets and flash holes, but since I switched solely to Lapua brass I no loner have a need. Primer seating is very consistent.

I don't load for handguns, yet, I load for precision rifle, so the steps are a bit more intense and precise... Full length sizing and neck sizing, case trimming and chamfer, shoulder bump / head space, etc...

However, when I do begin reloading for handguns, I will certainly be wet tumbling with SS pins and following the same process as you described.

Haven't settled, yet, but I'm probably going to get a Dillon press.

Before and after, below.

Cheers

 

[FN47]

Beautiful!

I deprime before cleaning as well. I started with a frankford hand unit but it wasn't enjoyable. Moved to a station my my turret press but it makes a mess. Finally ordered the harvey hand deprimer which is a lot more pleasant than the frankford but more time consuming than the press.

Then I touch up the primer pockets with a hand tool. Doesnt clean much but makes sure priming is easy.

I then go to the ultrasonic with Hornady's solution 1:40 distilled. Couple rinses in distilled and dry in the dehydrator.

I think it works great but once I shoot a few cycles on the brass the insides don't look new. Pockets either but they seat well. Using a case prep station with a brush etc would fix it box I try to minimize lead in the air.

Cooked these last night only 25 minutes with heat, didn't agitate. Looks ready for loading but soon I'll bring a bunch to a friend's for vibratory polish.

 

[coupe11]

When I come back from the range I sort my brass and run it through the vibratory cleaners (crushed walnut shell media) to get the dust/dirt/as much powder residue off as will occur in 2 or 3 hours.

Then I sort the brass. If clean enough to resize I do that next. If not, I put the brass in another container till I get enough to run a batch through the SS pin, water, lemishine and armorall car wash cleaning. Anything coming out of that is dumped on an old towel on the porch of the shed while I get the pins out of it. Then I dump it back in the vibratory cleaners to finish drying it out (vibratory cleaners have a little nufinish car wax in that stuff to further add to shine and brass surface protection from handling, etc.

Then I do more sorting, resizing, primer pocket reaming (if needed) and case trimming (if needed).

Then it get primed, powdered, bullets seated and put away till I need it.

Don't take many pictures of good brass but here's one of brass cleaned in vibratory cleaners with and without nufinish in the walnut shell media. All of is cleaned for the same time, but the stuff on the right came out of one of the cleaners with was in the media. Just a cap full every 3 or 4 batches of brass, or when I notice it stops looking bright and shiny.

 

[FN47]

Bravo! The investment shows

Some of the guys in my club are as passionate about the finish on the cases as show car guys are about a perfect paint job. Other guys belong to a cult of as-long-as-it-isnt-flat (pickup random range brass outside) it's ready for the press. I notice the guys in that second camp get their arms covered in burnt flake as they shoot from their dirty cartridges. I don't want to be those guys. I don't deprime on the press because of the mess. Dirty cases in my sizing die I'm inclined to think the same way.

Side note: the inspiration for this thread was seeing another with the title "The cleansing has begun..." and I was disappointed it wasn't about firearms

 

[STORMINORMAN]

No pics, but I'll take a plunge in...

I wash all the brass in about 4 drops of Dawn, rinse and set out to dry. Deprime all the cases in either a LEE for rifle calibers or RCBS depriming die. When sorted cases that play well together (i.e., 9mm & 380 acp and 38/357) are sufficient to make up a batch they get a run through the Thumlers with SS pins, a dash -o- Dawn and some Lemi Shine. Once dried they get sorted & sized. My sizing dies are virtually all ANIB as a result.

I'll then hand reprime and hold off on any expanding until the bullet and powder choices have been made...

But that's another story: I apologize for digressing. Do THAT a lot, unfortunately...

Cheers!