a better way to clean cases

[snowman357]

I still clean my cases the same as when I first started reloading. I use a vibratory cleaner with walnut media with a little nu finish added every now and then. I also use old dryer sheets to collect dust. I also clean before resizing or removing the primer.

My question is what would work better, safer, cheaper and easier?

Snowman357

 

[Soonerpesek]

Did the way you’ve been cleaning them for years all of a sudden not work….??

 

[Blue68f100]

When it comes to dealing with lead dust, wet cleaning is the best. Keeps if from getting airborne. I use the SS pins in a FART tumbler, with Citric Acid, and ArmorAll wash & wax. The acid converts the lead compound to a safe state beside aids in cleaning the brass. Some don't use the SS pins.It does take a little more time the SS pins cleans the inside oaf the case as well as the primer pocket if you deprime prior to cleaning.

Ultrasonic cleaners are also used.

 

[N555]

Wet pin tumble.

 

[.38 Special]

Wet tumbling may work better, depending on your definition of "better". It doesn't appear to be easier, cheaper, or safer, though.

 

[Varminterror]

I wet tumble for 45min with no pins, dry in a dehydrator for an hour, and I’m ready to load.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Wet tumbling does a great job but it isn't cheap to get into and does take longer to get them dry.
But you will have like new brass. I quit dry tumbling about three maybe four years ago and I have four wet tumblers.
My dry tumblers and in a box sitting on a shelf.

 

[reddog81]

Hot water with a bit of dish soap works for me. It’s pretty cheap and easy.

 

[maxxhavoc]

Wet is not easier, or faster for that matter. It costs a lot to get started vs dry, but $6 of wash and wax lasts longer for me than $15 worth of lizard litter did.

As far as safety, every inch of my garage floor that I tested maxed out the lead tester I used right before I stopped dry tumbling. If I had tumbled outside it would probably have not been a problem, but I didn't have the option.

It's more of a pain in the butt, but I get better results with wet and am happier with the process all around.

 

[Obturation]

I punch primers out with a die that doesn't resize. Put in a bucket of hot water and tide. I shake that around some and when the waters cool I dump it out on a towel and dry in the sun or if it's cold I put it on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven. When it's dry I tumble in walnut and nu finish. Done.

Not the easiest but it's what works for me and I don't have a wet tumbler.

I tumble outside if it's not super cold

 

[length_of_pull_1]

I wet tumble with ss pins. A shot of Dawn dish soap and some lemi shine. If I decap first, the primer pockets are spotless. I couldn't be happier.

 

[GW Staar]

safer, better, faster...... Wet with pins^^^^^^ Faster to the bling.....but then you have to dry them. I just spread them on the sunny back patio on a towel while I do something else. No big deal.

Below.........Somebody has to illustrate! ......my attitude is brightened as well.
And Lee's inexpensive APP is the quickest way to deprime before you do it.

 

[mdi]

This thread reminds me how important pristine brass, inside and out has become and the lengths some will go to get the most bling outta their brass. When I started reloading many shooters were proud of their brown ammo, sorta a badge of pride saying "I am a reloader!". My first meeting of reloaders was when at a range, I noticed two shooters shooting a lot, their ammo loose in 50 ca. ammo cans. All their ammo had brown cases and their targets had 1 1/2" to 2" single holes (1911s, 45 ACP @ 25 yards).

I reloaded for 12 years before I started tumbling brass and I had zero problems with my dies or chambering. I just wiped each case with a solvent dampened rag as I inspected it. An easy way to clean brass is the NRA recipe, very popular "pre-gloss"; "NRA publication. It calls for 2 cups of water, 1 cup of white vinegar, 1TBS salt, and 1tsp dish detergent. Wash for 10 minutes, rinse, and dry."...

 

[Hole maker]

safer, better, faster...... Wet with pins^^^^^^ Faster to the bling.....but then you have to dry them. I just spread them on the sunny back patio on a towel while I do something else. No big deal.

Below.........Somebody has to illustrate! ......my attitude is brightened as well.
And Lee's inexpensive APP is the quickest way to deprime before you do it.
View attachment 1156399

I have had great luck with Denatured alcohol and Ballcone stainless steel Jewelers shot , it is a bit to sift and dry but no need to wait for cases to dry, in rotary tumbler, Just make sure all the stuff is out of the cases, Ron.

 

[Rebel Dave]

I deprime first then wet tumble. i gave my walnut tumbler away.

Dave

 

[Obturation]

Lee's inexpensive APP is the quickest way to deprime before you do it.

Amen

 

[jmorris]

My question is what would work better, safer, cheaper and easier?

There are a few that will clean better, a couple that would be safer, a number cheaper and easier would depend on the number you have to clean, for an accurate answer.

It’s the old “fast, good, cheap, pick two” saying, just expanded even further.

 

[.308 Norma]

My question is what would work better, safer, cheaper and easier?

It's no safer or cheaper, but using a vibratory tumbler with walnut media, I clean cases easier and faster by getting my wife to help me wipe the dust off and/or check the primer pockets (if I deprimed them before putting them in the tumbler). Working together with a couple of short pieces of baling wire, my wife and I can easily wipe the dust off and check the primer pockets (and remove any leftover pieces of tumbling media if necessary) of 100 cases inside of 5 minutes.

 

[J-Bar]

My professor once told his class, "If there is more than one way to do something, then there is not a 'best' way." He happened to be lecturing on surgical approaches to the hip joint at the time, but his comment applies to lots of things, including cleaning brass.

 

[Steve in Allentown]

I used dry tumbling for many, many years. Then one day my faithful tumbler died. This occurred just as wet tumbling was being developed. So I bought a Thumblers Tumbler, a bag of stainless steel pins from the only guy who sold them, a bottle of Lemi-Shine, and a bottle of Dawn. I haven't looked back and have no buyer's remorse. Getting every scrap of carbon out from inside the fired brass is a big deal in the benchrest game since the more it builds up the less case capacity there is and a corresponding increase in pressure which will eventually screw up your group sizes.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I don't do any accurate long range or bench rest shooting, but if you are going to tumble your brass why not get it 100% clean.

 

[dobedo]

2K of range pick up from fugly to ugly with a ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[Skgreen]

I Tumble and also own the larger RCBS Ultrasonic cleaner. My ultrasonic efforts won't replicate the shine my wet tumbler produces. Both are about an equal hassle.
Unclear how much capacity the OP needs, but a HF dual drum and some pins would produce nice results relatively 'on the cheap'.

 

[Kaldor]

I used dry tumbling for many, many years. Then one day my faithful tumbler died. This occurred just as wet tumbling was being developed. So I bought a Thumblers Tumbler, a bag of stainless steel pins from the only guy who sold them, a bottle of Lemi-Shine, and a bottle of Dawn. I haven't looked back and have no buyer's remorse. Getting every scrap of carbon out from inside the fired brass is a big deal in the benchrest game since the more it builds up the less case capacity there is and a corresponding increase in pressure which will eventually screw up your group sizes.

My grandfather taught me to reload and I always hated with a capital "H" the dust from the corncob and walnut.
When I got back into reloading, the first thing I did was build a tumbler and buy some pins from STM which was one of the few early places to get pins from. Then I bought a Dillon media separator. Never looked back from there!
Now that Ive been doing wet tumbling for 10 years, Ive stopped using pins with pistol brass, only using pins with rifle brass for the purpose of deburring post trim.
Heres my tumbler. Its served me well for a long time and many 100s of thousands of pieces of brass.

 

[Click_Here]

My grandfather taught me to reload and I always hated with a capital "H" the dust from the corncob and walnut.
When I got back into reloading, the first thing I did was build a tumbler and buy some pins from STM which was one of the few early places to get pins from. Then I bought a Dillon media separator. Never looked back from there!
Now that Ive been doing wet tumbling for 10 years, Ive stopped using pins with pistol brass, only using pins with rifle brass for the purpose of deburring post trim.
Heres my tumbler. Its served me well for a long time and many 100s of thousands of pieces of brass.
View attachment 1156466

How well do the pins debur? Would be nice to eliminate a step at the prep center.