More on brass cleaning or how to waste 20 minutes watching this!

I will watch this later while cleaning 45acp brass with an old Tshirt.

Brass cleaning, one of the most argumentative subjects there is on reloading forums. Right along with "To trim or not to trim handgun brass?"

Also, what do you call the space between the case head and the bolt...north or south, regional or generational....some say potato; some say potahtoe....

buck460XVR said:

Brass cleaning, one of the most argumentative subjects there is on reloading forums. Right along with "To trim or not to trim handgun brass?"

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Agree! Tumbling brass is probably most talked about subject on forums, but the least important part of reloading... (does anybody really trim handgun brass? ).

IMO, he should have done similar comparative loads WITH pins. The physical impact/abrasion is the primary reason I use the wet pin rotary tumble, to get the interior and primer pockets clean. And I use hot distilled water; citric acid, about 50cc dry powder; and Simple Green, three squirts from a spray bottle. Tumble for about an hour and they are clean.

EDIT: I don't see that tumbling wet without pins cleans any better than dry vibrating, it is just more work.

mdi said:

Agree! Tumbling brass is probably most talked about subject on forums, but the least important part of reloading... (does anybody really trim handgun brass? ).

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I have trimmed .38Spc brass. It was a lot of mixed brands that were starting to develop case mouth cracking during crimping. I annealed them, then trimmed to the same length, chamfered inside and out. Problem solved.

mdi said:

Agree! Tumbling brass is probably most talked about subject on forums, but the least important part of reloading... (does anybody really trim handgun brass? ).

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I trim revolver brass one time.
I only use a vibratory tumbler Occasionally so I don't really get into the how to clean your brass.

JRB is a great reloading channel. Is he a forum member here?

I have been reloading 38 Special since 1969. I have not trimmed one of the thousands of reloaded cases. I get even, consistent roll crimps (95% of loads have been cast bullets). I inspect every case before I reload it and if a case mouth looks questionable, I toss it into the brass bucket. I don't have a lot of friends that reload but those that do, do not trim handgun brass. If you wanna, go ahead. The Reloading Police won't fine you or confiscate your trimmers...

I dry tumble. I let it run while doing other stuff.

if by dry tumble you mean vibratory I do as well, I usually let it run overnight, I like my brass shiny so I can find it in the grass

Yes in the vibratory tumbler. I run a 50//50 mix of corncob and walnut. And add some polish and mineral spirits now and then. I been using turtle wax chrome polish lately. I use my old media as a pre-clean before i de-cap in one tumbler. Then after i de-cap i do i final tumble with cleaner media.

Just curious, does anyone add TSP to their wet tumble (pins or ceramic)?

buck460XVR said:

Brass cleaning, one of the most argumentative subjects there is on reloading forums. Right along with "To trim or not to trim handgun brass?"

Click to expand...

Someone around here trims handgun brass? (BLAST)PHEMOUS situation...Dry tumbling is for clothes, linens and tighty whiteys, Real men like Rooster and Harry Callahan wet tumble with pins and Dawn....that all I got to say about that

First pass walnut media, 2hrs while mowing. 2nd pass corn with nu shine for 2 more hrs. Job done.. if I want to clean interior, start with the Hornady sonic, with Lyman cleaner cleaner pack.. no mystery..all looks factory when done...

Thewelshm