Hand washing brass questions

[Lovesbeer99]

So I got my kit which is supposed to include everything I need to reload except for the dies and components. The Speer manual states that you need to clean the brass and if you don't have a tumbler, you can decap the brass and wash them with warm soapy water. I assume this is not the preferred method, but has anyone tried this?

It also says that you shouldn't dry in an oven as even the low temps are too hot. I planned on using a food dehydrator as a method to dry. Any concerns here?

BTW, I'm about done reading the manual and plan to start loading in the next week or 2 time permitting.

Thanks
Lovesbeer99 (but shoots safe)

 

[dbarale]

I'm washing a "load" right now.
I use dish soap and white vinegar. It removes the dirt, unburt powder and most of the soot.
I let mine dry out on an old bath towel. An air dryer can accelerate the process if you're in a hurry.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

How do you get the inside clean, especially with a bottleneck case?
(I hope your keboard is not too wet if your washing brass now)

Lovesbeer99

 

[USSR]

The Speer manual states that you need to clean the brass and if you don't have a tumbler, you can decap the brass and wash them with warm soapy water. I assume this is not the preferred method, but has anyone tried this?

It also says that you shouldn't dry in an oven as even the low temps are too hot. I planned on using a food dehydrator as a method to dry. Any concerns here?

Lovesbeer99,

You really need to buy yourself a tumbler. I have washed brass in warm soapy water, but only prior to putting them in the tumbler (they were filthy). Good dies ain't cheap, and the soap and water routine doesn't get alot of the crud that can damage your dies. No problem putting them in the oven at low temp for a couple of minutes, just don't let them get "over done".

Don

 

[only1asterisk]

Washing brass is perfectly fine. There is no need to get brass bright and shiny on the inside. Warm water with dishwashing detergent and plenty of agitation will get rid of the grit that damages dies. It is time consuming and labor intensive compared to a tumbler.

David

 

[lamazza]

Get case tumbler-it takes too long to dry brass with bottle necks.
This one at Midwayusa is only $39. sometimes they have them on sale for $29.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=587176

 

[scrat]

botle brush the same type you use to clean a rifle. you can run them in the cases. you really need to invest in a case tumbler though. its so easy. i have over a hundred rounds in my tumbler right now from this morning

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Thanks for all the feedback. I will eventually get a tumbler, but I'd like to load my first few rounds first. The idea was to test the waters before I made any more investments.

I'll have a few more questions in a little while regarding brass.

Thanks to all, and shoot safe, i do.

Lovesbeer99

 

[Luggernut]

I'm curious as to why you can't dry them in an oven. I jusr dried a batch at about 225 for 5 minutes... it didn't take long.

 

[USSR]

I'm curious as to why you can't dry them in an oven. I jusr dried a batch at about 225 for 5 minutes... it didn't take long.

You can. You just got to be careful you don't get them too hot and soften them.

Don

 

[Slamfire]

I wonder if the gentleman at Speer had every looked at a phase diagram. I for years have washed the RCBS case lube off my rifle brass and put them in the oven to dry. I put the wet brass in a WalMart stainless colander, put the oven on its lowest setting (warm) and wait under the oven thermometer on top the brass indicates 212ish F. My oven seems to hit equilibrium at “warm” just above the boiling point of water, and when it gets there I am certain the brass is dry. I do not set the oven higher as grease evaporates off the oven walls and gets on the brass, making the brass feel “greasy”.

I am not concerned about the oven annealing the brass. Based on my examination and understanding of this diagram, workhardened brass at 70,000 psia does not start to anneal until temperatures reach 300 C (572F). Few household ovens reach this temperature. When I copied this diagram I thought it was for brass of similar composition to cartridge brass, but even it is not, I know that cartridge brass is not effected in the least by the temperatures I use. And I have reloaded some 308 cases 22 times, all washed and dried, without any indications of annealing.

 

[ranger335v]

Drying washed brass

Unless you are in a frantic hurry, let the sun to it. I seldom wash my brass but sometimes it's the thing to do. I just drain them in a collander then spred them out (only one layer deep) on newspaper in direct sunlight. Once the wet paper is dry the bass is too. Two or three hours does it, especially if there's a breeze blowing.

 

[cheygriz]

Get a Thumler's model "B" rotary tumbler. I use one, and I wash (tumble) my cases in awrm water and liquid Tide for 20-30 minutes. I then rinse, and oven dry at 180 degrees for an hour. Been doing it for 40 years and haven't had a problem yet. BTW, the Thumler's or RCBS rotary tumblers give you the option of washing in liquid, or tumbling with walnuts of corncobs. The "vibrators" restrict you to solid media.

BTW, the "washed" brass comes out looking nicer than the stuff tumbled in walnut shells. And, even with the drying time, it's a lot quicker.

Most commercial reloaders wash their brass in a concrete mixer with warm water and Tide, so it's a generally accepted practice among those who reload large quantities of ammo.

 

[jeepmor]

let the sun to it.

I live in the PNW, that could take weeks.

A tumbler is a sound investment. There are fancy high dollar models and cheapies. They all work, some just faster than others. I have a Frankford Arsenal (aka - cheapie) and it's tumbled thousands of rounds and never complains.

For media, try the pet stores lizard litter, it is crushed walnut media and much cheaper than buying reloading specific media, where they gouge you liberally on prices. Get some Flitz metal polish or Nufinish auto cleaner to add roughly 1oz per tumbler full for best and fastest results.

I've done this type of washing once or twice to remove rainy weather dirt and crud from my range brass, then into the tumbler when dry for a final cleaning.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

You can get a decent tumbler from midwayusa for less than 50 bucks. It will save you a lot of aggravation.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Any thoughts on drying in a dehydrator? I have one from when I used to make jerky and since it doesn't get hot and sucks the water out I thought it a good option. Anyone else?

Shoot safe

 

[USSR]

I have a Frankford Arsenal (aka - cheapie) and it's tumbled thousands of rounds and never complains.

For media, try the pet stores lizard litter, it is crushed walnut media and much cheaper than buying reloading specific media, where they gouge you liberally on prices.

+1. I just ran 4,800 pieces of .308 thru my 15 year old Midway purchased tumbler this past weekend. I spray the brass and walnut media with non-ammonia Glass Plus glass cleaner. It cuts down on the tumbling time, and they come out much cleaner.

Don

 

[SSN Vet]

I'm a NewB myself....

But one of the things I like about adding the Nu Finnish (from the dollar store) to the corn cob media (from Agway) is that it leaves a very thin waxy film on the brass.

This makes sizing my straight walled brass a breeze with no add'l lube.

Bottle neck brass still gets a sparse wipe of Imperial Sizing wax.

Re. the dehydrator....I personally would never use it for food again once reloading materials had touched it.

Richard Lee tells an interesting story in Modern Reloading II about a shooting friend who had elevated lead levels in his blood. They brought in a lead monitor and foud the "hot spot" at his tumbler!

 

[Walkalong]

I am not concerned about the oven annealing the brass. Based on my examination and understanding of this diagram, workhardened brass at 70,000 psia does not start to anneal until temperatures reach 300 C (572F). Few household ovens reach this temperature.

212 degrees will not hurt the brass, just be carefull not to let it get to hot.

I used to use hot water to get the case lube off of .223 brass and then let it dry in the sun if I wasn't in a hurry. If I was I would dry it in the oven on low like you suggested.

Of course, the tumbler is the easiest way and works well. It just uses up media faster.

 

[lamazza]

Before I bought a tumbler I threw a bunch of brass in a plastic bag with some Nu FInish-shake shake shake -let it dry and then hand polished! The brass turned out very nice.

 

[Sunray]

"...don't get them too hot and soften them..." A 200F oven will not soften brass. Put 'em on a cookie sheet and into the oven for 15 minutes or so. Just remember that any metal heated to 200F will burn your fingers.

 

[saltydog452]

Clean brass is good for the reloading dies. 'Specially pre-carbide sizing dies.

If you want them to be pretty also, thats a different deal.

Back when the earth was flat and my bride and I lived in an apt, I used a couple of plastic one gallon milk cartons and stolen motel towels.

De-prime the brass...put 'm in the plastic milk carton with some kind of liquid detergent...shake 'with vigor'...empty the soapy water...rinse...then rinse again in bride's collander when she isn't around...place on stolen motel towel..and take outside to dry in the sun.

Make sure collander is clean and put away before bride comes home or it'l be a long time before you get home-made soup or spagetti sauce again.

salty.

 

[Walkalong]

Make sure collander is clean and put away before bride comes home or it'l be a long time before you get home-made soup or spagetti sauce again.

You have a nice big doghouse out back, don't you.
I used to, but figured out behaving is just easier.
Or are you reformed as well.

 

[tikkat3]

A friend (gun dealer) is in the process of cleaning several thousand heavily tarnished, loaded rounds that he is about to try and sell. He says the amount is too great to tumble and is using Coca-Cola to clean the rounds up! I have seen them and they have come clean amazingly well and quickly. They also seem to fire as well as pristine new rounds - good groups with identically loaded rounds. Anyone else used Coke for this?