Wet or Dry Case Cleaning?

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Does it shoot better? I know it sticks to the powder funnel on my 650.

Shoot better, nope! But I can sure see powder in each case. Helps with not double charging etc... Helps me see defects in brass so much easier to toss them. Clean primer pockets each time for nice easy seating jobs or there's another problem to toss them etc...

So shoot better? Nope. But I think a clean case helps detect issues with the casings much better before finding the problem in my firearm.
 
All that needs to be done is to wipe the dirt off the case to make sure you don’t scratch your dies, and make sure there is no dirt inside the case to be blown down the barrel of your gun. Anything more than that is a matter of preference.

For brass that was just shot and immediately picked up, dry tumbling is good. For range brass that has been sitting on the ground, outdoors, then wet tumbling is the best.

@Telum Pisces mentioned that having the cases clean and shiny on the inside makes it easier to inspect inside the cases and to see the powder level inside, and that is something that I have noticed and appreciated.

Having the cases completely clean on the inside can cause a bit of a problem when expanding the case, particularly with 45acp (my experience). The expander can stick inside the case - think of a Chinese finger lock. I had this problem when I first started wet tumbling, using Dawn dishwashing soap. I switched to Armorall wash-n-wax and the problem mostly went away. You won’t have that problem dry tumbling.

If you get a dry tumbler, get one with a lid that screws on and seals the top, this will keep the dust contained. Take it outside to separate the media. Also, I suggest using a little mineral spirits and a capful of Nufinish polish. The mineral spirits helps with getting the dirt off the inside of the cases.
 
I wet tumbled some 44spl/44mag, 9mm, 10mm, 30/30, and 223/5.56 cases today.

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The cases are sitting out side drying in the sun.
I love my drying racks.
 

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Besides the carbon buildup, there is also lead dust from the primers inside the cases. I prefer to get all that crap out before running it through my press. I also add car wash with wax and none of my cases stick to my powder funnel and it keeps them from tarnishing
 
Ok so for the most part I don't tumble anything.I inspect them and wipe any crap on them off then go through the reloading process. But sometimes there are those that have soot stains on the outside so I throw them in a milk jug and when I get a bunch I splash some vinegar in with water swish them around put them on a towel to dry and they look just fine.
 
I cleaned some cases recently for the first time since getting a FART in my dry tumbler with corn cob media, and I forgot what a pain it is to get the media out of the flash holes afterwards. Maybe with walnut I wouldn't have that issue, but when I factor in the time for that, dry isn't that much faster. I always decap my brass before it goes in the FART so drying the brass afterwards is not a big deal and doesn't take long. People talk about how dry tumbling leaves a coating of dust on the brass that acts like a bit of lube, but if you use car wash soap with wax in it you get a similar effect.

I don't know if one method is really "better" than the other, except when you are cleaning really dirty/tarnished brass that you picked up at an outdoor range. Wet with pins really "shines" ;) in that scenario.

What is a FART? I’m sure it’s not what I’m thinking.
 
I don’t think I will be cleaning more that 100 cases at a time. I just want the cases clean enough to not scratch my dies. I thought you were supposed to clean them before depriming for that reason. Is that not the case?
 
I use a lee universal depriming die.
I do a butt load of range brass from a gravel pit so I want them nice & clean before I rezize any of it.
After I wet tumble the brass I use the home made lube 10 to 1 mix
Red can of dry gas HEET and liquid Lanolin.
On the semi clear spray bottle i put a line at 4 1/2 inches and fill it up to there with dry gass, I put a line a 1/2 inch above that and fill up to that line with the lanolin.
With any wet spray lube you need to give the cases enough time for the dry gas (99% achohol) to evaporate before sizing your brass.

If it doesn't dry the lube does not work and that my friend equals stuck cases.

Frankford sells a smaller wet tumbler for smaller loads. I will be picking ip a small wet tumbler for smaller loads.
Generally I tumble 500 to 700 pieces of brass with my bigger Frankford tumbler.
I have enough drying racks to accomadate about 2,000 pieces of brass.
When i get more new preasure treated 2X4s and or 2X6s i will make up more drying racks.
 
I don’t think I will be cleaning more that 100 cases at a time. I just want the cases clean enough to not scratch my dies. I thought you were supposed to clean them before depriming for that reason. Is that not the case?
Harbor Freight has a small tumbler that would be good for small loads.

A universal decapping die will only punch out the primer, which is a good idea before wet tumbling. Having the primer out let’s the water drain easier and allows some airflow through the case to promote quicker drying.

Since I switched to wet tumbling, I get less primer residue and crud on my Dillon press. In the past I’ve done all my decapping on my Lee Classic Turret, on that press all the primer residue drops down through the center of the ram and doesn’t require extra cleaning.
 
I don’t think I will be cleaning more that 100 cases at a time. I just want the cases clean enough to not scratch my dies. I thought you were supposed to clean them before depriming for that reason. Is that not the case?

I switched to wet tumbling for volume. I can clean upwards to 1400 cases of 9mm at one time. If you are cleaning 100 cases at a time I would not consider spending money on a wet tumbler. If you google wet cleaning brass you will find some people use coffee cans with a cleaning solution and it seems to work well.
 
The cases are sitting out side drying in the sun.
I love my drying racks.
Whoa. Your taking the time to place each case on its very own drying pin blows my mind just a little bit. :)

I quick-towel my freshly-FART'd cases, dump them from the 2nd towel into corrugated cardboard flats (think case of 5oz catfood cans) and put them in front of my basement 24/7 air circulation fan. Next day, they are all completely dry.

If I had a really sunny-hot day I could, alternately, just place those flats on the patio. A few hours in the hot sun would probably do the trick in a small fraction of the time ... IF ... none of my menagerie of cats, squirrels, fox, raccoons, possums, skunk, crows, errant woodchucks, inquisitive bears and friendly deer didn't get into them and make a mess. ;)
 
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First of all how clean does your brass have to be to reload?
The reason most reloaders clean their brass is to protect their expensive sizing dies.
Dirt on the brass will eat up a sizing die fast & we don't want to have to replace our dies it would make reloading very costly.
Everyone talks about the primer pockets, how clean do they really need to be? The primer pocket needs to be flat at the bottom to receive the new primer & the flash hole needs to be open. You are not going to see the inside of the pocket after priming the case. So as long as it's flat & flash hole is open you are good to go.
The neck of the case needs to be clean enough to accept sizing by a tapered pin in necked down rifle brass & in pistol brass it needs to be able to be flared to accept proper seating of the bullet. So internal cleaning of the case is not critical, as long as it is not enough to change the internal volume of the case a little discoloration is acceptable.
A lot of OCD reloaders have to have them perfectly clean. For some of my brass (small quantity) I clean by rubbing with 0000 steel wool & running a primer pocket cleaner in the pocket, then sizing & it's ready to go.
Clean brass is being way over done. If you have a small amount of brass to reload 50 to 300 pieces a vibratory tumbler will work fine it normally takes about 4 hrs depending on how clean you want them, keep in mind you will have to buy media & polish if you are wanting to get a like new shine on them adding to the cost. If you have med to large quantities 300 & up you may want to go with a wet tumbler it will cut down on your running time & let you do larger quantities without much added cost just a bottle of Dawn & a bottle of Lemi-Shine. The SS pins or chunks are an extra, not really needed, they get clean enough without them.
So it depends on if you want to reload to shoot again or if you want to reload for sale, pride, or status symbol on how clean your brass really needs to be.
 
I've thought about building a tumbler using 4 or 6" pvc pipe and a small motor, it would be alot like the Harbor Freight one just bigger, I have plenty of pipe, my thoughts now are between using rollers or 4 tires.
I like the vibratory ones I have, I deprime then clean with walnut, nufinish, mineral spirits and a dryer sheet but after seeing some that was done with pins, my problem is they had no "wax" on them and I could tell the difference when running through the sizing die
 
Yes, that is the single drum tumbler they have a double drum tumbler as well that is $59.99. With the double drum tumbler you can tumble two different calibers that shoildn't ne tumbled together because the cases get stuck together like 380 & 9mm,
9mm & 40cal.
40cal & 45 auto.
I don't think these tumblers come with any Stainless Steel Media so besides the tumbler you will need to buy the stainless steel pins.
They generally run about $40 for five pounds.
I just bought five pounds a month or so ago for $29.99 from either e bay or amazon..
So it will be $90 to $100 dollar investment for a little more you can get a lot better quality Frankford Arsenal Rotery Tumbler.
Money well spent in my oppinion.
Pay once, cry once.
 
That is true, considering the Frankford and Lyman ones come with pins and are a lot bigger and also come with some basic media separation capabilites (you still want a better media separator if you are doing large batches), they really aren't that much more.
 
When it co.es yo my reloading equipment I do not skimp nor do I go high end. Most of my stuff is used and bought from about half retail to 3/4 retail price which is what I can sell it for if I ever decided to exit reloading.

As far as wet tumbling i have my personal bress in storage container. The new range brass I pick up or buy from the brass scroungers I deprime and wet tumble. I have been selling all of the five gallon buckets of 9mm & 223/5.56 brass that has built up.
Nobody want to buy haf azzed clean brass co it needs to be wet tumbled.
One of the guys made a comment on my drying racks.
It takes more time to place the cases on them, but i get to make sure other calibers do not get slipped in yo the calibers I tumbled.
I also can give a quick look for any flaws on nice new looking cases.
I hit them with a air hose which removes a lot of water from inside the cases and also blows out an occasional pin that stuck inside the cases.
Thay 100% dry inside the case. I just read where a guy loaded a hundred cases that were still damp inside the case and had about 70% misfire.
It would seam bottle neck cases like 30/06 that had any amount of water in them would take a long time to dry out left laying on it's side.
I enjoy cleaning my range brass and when I sell it, it gives me extra cash to buy my reloading componets.
.
I will be listing more cailbers here shortly.
380 auto
40 cal
45 cal
308
Maybe a few others.
 
my problem is they had no "wax" on them and I could tell the difference when running through the sizing die

I use Auto Wash and Wax and a dab of citric acid.
The Auto wash and wax makes them easier to size and prevents sticking.
For 9mm having the inside nice and clean makes it easier to spot the ones with the stupid ledge.
I had one of those separate at the ledge with a midrange load, they are bad news. Straight to the recycle can now.
 
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Dry tumbling for me, The cases go in right from the range for several hours. I then resize and pop out the primers and good to go. been doing it for 40+ years . no issues yet.
 
Dry tumbling for me, The cases go in right from the range for several hours. I then resize and pop out the primers and good to go. been doing it for 40+ years . no issues yet.

How often do you shoot? Do you get your lead levels checked annually? Have they been low? The lead dust in the cases from the lead styphnate from the primers is what I'm most worried about. Dry tumbling just gets all that stuff into the media and it's still in dust form. I suspect pouring the cases out of that media releases a huge amount of lead dust into the air.
 
How often do you shoot? Do you get your lead levels checked annually? Have they been low? The lead dust in the cases from the lead styphnate from the primers is what I'm most worried about. Dry tumbling just gets all that stuff into the media and it's still in dust form. I suspect pouring the cases out of that media releases a huge amount of lead dust into the air.
I shoot weekly and never had lead levels checked, Thanks for the advice.
 
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