How often should I clean .223 brass?

I would. I like clean brass.

Not the end of the world if you don't. I think cleaner brass makes for longer die life.

Just once for each time it's shot...if you clean thoroughly.
/Bryan

Is it dirty as dirt, or dirty as soot? If dirt, definitely clean it before doing anything to it. If it's just sooty, it doesn't hurt to load it as-is, but it doesn't look as pretty as nice shiny brass. Shoots the same though.

Clean every time you fire it.

mine are thoroughly cleaned everytime i load them.

squeeky clean brass is easy on the eyes/dies.

Rifle sizing dies aren't carbide. If you don't clean them VERY well, you'll scratch the necks. Then all your brass will get scratched until you buy new dies or have them fixed.

I figured I'd size 'em first, them clean 'em real well before priming. Now, all my 223 brass has deep scratches covering 99.9% of the necks!

Clean them well after every firing.

After every time I fire it my brass gets cleaned.

I shoot off the bench using the same 5 cases over and over, other than a wipe down after every firing and a tumbling maybe once, twice a year I don't clean them. My 5 cases have been reloaded approx 80 times so far now. Friend of mine does the same and reloads his cases normally 300 times then starts with new cases.

This is using EJ Wilson dies, neck sizing only and bumping when needed when the case gets slightly hard to chamber.

This is done using a bolt action rifle.

With a bolt gun, you can take the cartridge out of the box, fire and place the brass back in the box, so the Richard Lee wipe them down works. All my .223 rifles throw brass and must be cleaned prior to sizing. Plus, problems with your brass are easier to see when clean.

Yes!

Now, all my 223 brass has deep scratches covering 99.9% of the necks!

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I'd bet you your dies are not scratched.
Dies are harder then woodpecker lips, and nothing short of silaca grinding compound or sand will scratch them.

What I believe you have is specks of brass galled to the steel surface from lack of enough sizing lube at some point.

Take a dowel rod, split the end with a thin saw, and insert a double-flap of 600 grit Wet or Dry emery paper.

Then chuck the dowel in a drill and polish the die to get the galled brass out.

You will not hurt the die or make it larger, unless you spend several hours doing it!

Removing the galded brass stuck on the surface will only take a minute.

rc

rcmodel said:

Take a dowel rod, split the end with a thin saw, and insert a double-flap of 600 grit Wet or Dry emery paper.

Then chuck the dowel in a drill and polish the die to get the galled brass out.

You will not hurt the die or make it larger, unless you spend several hours doing it!

Removing the galded brass stuck on the surface will only take a minute.

rc

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I used to polish out "scratch makers" quite regularly when steel handgun dies were the order of the day. Even by hand, it never took very long to clean the die up and eliminate the scratches.

Thanks for the tips, guys. I took the die apart and didn't see any galling, but I'll take your advice and see if sanding helps. But first, I'll have to find some new brass. As I stated, ALL my 223 brass is now completely scratched over the entire neck area!

I drop the brass into the polisher the instant I get home. That way subsequent handling of the brass does not result in grimy fingertips, dirty fingerprints on everything I've touched, and an angry wife.

Clean them every time.

I clean all new to me brass before & after FL sizing. Fired by me never gets cleaned.

I clean my brass after every firing.

Gosh, how did we ever reload ammo before brass cleaners appeared?

I'm old old school and use a rag to clean my hulls and very sparingly at that.

PreMod70 said:

I'm old old school and use a rag to clean my hulls and very sparingly at that.

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Trying to get that Pre '64 look?

MtnCreek said:

Trying to get that Pre '64 look?

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Now you're talking, I found out years ago that a shiny stress crack is easier found on unpolished brass; that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.