How often do you clean pistol brass?

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j0n

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Do you clean your brass every time you reload it? Every few times? Wait until it looks really bad?

I've been reloading 38spl and just give the case a wipe-down with a cloth I use for gun cleaning before I resize. I use a carbide resizing die. I'm on reload #4 with my current batch of brass and haven't tumbled the cases and they're starting to look kinda gross. The cases are still in otherwise good condition, and I'm using target loads (148gr HWBC, 2.7gr Bullseye).

I'm going to invest in a tumbler soon, but was just wondering how often other people clean pistol brass.
 
I tumble it every time, for the sake of the dies. It doesn't matter if they're carbide or not. A carbide die might not be damaged by dirt and grit but it will press that crud into the brass.

I want to eliminate as many variables as possible when reloading, and that means taking all brass to as close to new condition as possible, every time.

:cool:
 
I clean my brass before and after deprime/resize. That's me, but I think it's overkill, but I like nice shiny clean brass... it just looks better.. :)
 
I do what armoredman does--e.g., tumble the brass when I return from the range.

Using crushed walnet and some auto polish added infrequently, the media lasts a long time, and the tumbler cleans it up easier and faster than I would any other way.

Jim H.
 
I've spotted some flaws in brass that I might not have had they been left uncleaned. So far, probably none of them (we're taking about extractor dents, not through-and-through cracks or anything) were anything to worry about, but until I load a lot more ammo, I want to be paranoid. Harder to spot bits of non-uniformity on a dirty case than a clean one.

I also like the way they look clean, which you may or may not care about. It's not like I care much about whether my *apartment* is clean, but cases ... Yeah, I want them to pass the white-glove test :)

timothy
 
I clean every time.

It's much easier to find it in the grass if at least a little shiny after firing.
Grungy brass is perfect camo for it to get lost!

rcmodel
 
Every time. Almost :)

Cleaning revolver brass is not so critical because the gun doesn't throw it in the dirt for ya to pick up. Don't worry about it. You don't actually have to *ever* clean it.

When you start reloading for an autoloader, or anything with bottleneck cartridges, you'll start cleaning your brass every time.
 
Every time. I am getting old and blind, so at the price of brass these days, I want to see every shiny piece of it wherever my bottom feeder throws it.
 
Thanks for the info everyone. Looks like I'll be cleaning them every time, once my new tumbler gets here.
 
my brass is so clean/shiny that i know what is mine and what is not based on the color even after firing it. also attracts attention when i whip out a bag of 223 that is so shiny everyone has to squint when they look over my way:neener:
 
Clean

I clean mine every time. I deprime it first with a seperate die, not the sizeing die.
I use an ultrasonic cleaner as it gets the inside, outside and primer pocket clean. It's surprising the amount of junk that builds up inside of the cases.

Pat
 
i dont understand why the insides dont get clean with tumbling. its odd as the nickel finish cases do get inside and out clean.
 
Every time.

Makes it easier to find on the ground.
Makes it easier to spot defects.
Less grunge on my fingers when handling.
It's not just the dies I'm protecting from dirt. It's my magazines and chambers.

Besides. I just like shiny.
 
I clean mine every time. The first thing I do with fired brass is wash in the sink with soapy water then dry and put it in the tumbler. After it comes out of the tumbler it gets washed with soapy water again and dried. Then I resize/deprime.
 
i agree to the fact that its easier to spot flaws and defects once i have tumbled the brass. for that part i try to tumble after shooting session.
 
Soon as I get home from a day of shooting I always toss my brass into the tumbler for two hours. Once it's done I deprime and resize then clean the primer pockets before I toss them into the clean and ready brass bin for the next reloading session.
 
I clean mine every time, since it's part of my normal sorting process anyway. Aside from the problem of grit in the press, I dislike having my hands coated with lead and powder residue and I want to be able to work the press without gloves.
 
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