Wet Cleaning Brass Before Deprimming

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TennJed

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Guys, I am wanting to get into reloading soon. Unfortunately I will not be able to buy any equipment for a few more weeks. I do have Lymans 49th reloading handbook that i have just started reading and have ordered the ABCs of reloading.

I have been saving my brass (9mm, 38 sp, & 357). I am wanting to go ahead and clean and inspect the brass and I have a question.

From what I can tell, Lymans handbook only mentions tumble cleaning and couldn't really find my answer from a Google search.

If I were to use a cleaning chemical, such as birchwood casey case cleaning concentrate, is it necessary to deprime first? I am worried that the primer pocket would not sufficiently dry if the old primer is still in it.

Also to dry it, can I just place them neck down on a towel over night.

Thats for helping a newbie.
 
I would personally wait the few weeks and when you get a vibratory tumbler (cheapest method to clean brass short of cleaning by hand), then do it. If you are going to clean using a wet method, then deprime first with your press.
 
I would for sure deprime first.

Most of the liquid case cleaners are a mild acid, and must be rinsed off immediately with water to neutralize it.

I would not want to leave it eating up the inside of the primer pockets of my primed cases.

rc
 
Why bother?

No sense messing with wet cases & then having to dry them of you are going to tumble them anyway.

rc
 
I keep thinking about trying wet tumbling, but my Berry's tumbler and walnut media/NuFinish car polish keep putting out clean and shiny cases.

I tumble pistol cases before I deprime/resize.

For rifle cases, I deprime first using Universal depriming die, uncrimp any military crimp pockets, clean primer pockets as necessary then tumble before resizing.

Lately, there are several sources for fairly cheap bulk walnut media (Grainger, Drillspot, Powder Valley, Harbor Freight, Lizard litter, etc.) that I find harder time considering wet tumbling anymore.
 
I use a solution of lemon juice, Dawn and hot water. Works great! I put the washed cases on a pan on the hood of my truck with a couple paper towels underneath them to dry. This solution gets all the stains off before tumbling. This greatly reduces tumbling time. Otherwise you may get very shiny cases with shiny stains on them.
 
Liquid Brass Cleaning

With primers in, add brass to 2 tablespoons of "ReaLemon" to 1 pint of water. Shake 5 minutes. Rinse in plain water 2 times. Shake water from inside of case. Heat to 120 to 180 Degrees for 1 hour. Check a few while decapping for remaining water, if ok, ready to load. :)
 
EMC45 said:
I use a solution of lemon juice, Dawn and hot water. Works great! I put the washed cases on a pan on the hood of my truck with a couple paper towels underneath them to dry. This solution gets all the stains off before tumbling. This greatly reduces tumbling time. Otherwise you may get very shiny cases with shiny stains on them.
Click to expand...
This is what a friend told me, tumbling time is greatly reduced and the media doesn't get dirty as fast.
 
Thanks for the info. I have a question. Does anyone make a tool for depriming that can be used without a press?
 
I will de-prime using a universal de-priming die and then clean/tumble. My .223 is all loaded on a progressive press with case feeder so I merely mist the clean cases with some Dillon spray lube, toss them around in a gallon zip lock bag for a few minutes and into the case feeder. No stuck cases and the lube is not an issue when dry. For my .308, I neck size using a Lee Collet die and no lube is required. I've started using Stainless Steel tumbling media so I get clean everything with my cases. Inside, outside, and primer pockets. As shiny as I need without the need for polish.

I believe in at least some cleaning before one uses a conventional sizing die on a case to avoid extra wear on the die or embedding the trash in the case surface.
 
Jed, I used to use lemon juice + salt liquid, shake up in container, real dull result, but clean. if you want to go liquid, I have found a "dark toast" cycle will heat them up enough, that by the time they cool off you are good to go, and that's after other times trying to dry with air compressor, etc. I pretty much abandoned that to go to "self-tumbling" using a square coffee type container, crushed walnut shell media and some dribbles of car wax in there, shake 'em up by hand, rotating container, for like 5-10 minutes, and you might like the results, as I do. Not perfect, shiny product, but keeps you loading! :)

That's just my info, better head back to Tennesee, Jed!
 
"...can I just place them neck down on a towel..." Just put 'em on a cookie sheet and into your oven set on 'warm' for 15 minutes or so. Dries 'em right out.
Lemon juice etc won't do anything for cleaning carbon.
 
I use wet cleaning to get the light tarnish off my brass. I use the IOSSO case cleaner with primer pockets removed for these. I normally tumble 1/2 hour to clean then size leaving primer in. Tumble to desired shine then use a universal deprimer to deprime as that keeps the media out of the primer pockets. then load as normal. This takes more time and other equipment not in the starter kits. You can do it normally but I personally dislike picking the primer media out of the primer pockets, others will tell you to get smaller sized media so that this will not happen. I already have all the stuff and a BIG bag of crushed walnut and am cheap so will use the media I have up first.:)
 
Decapper- Made about 45 years ago, before i got my Lee "Hammer" Loader.

Does anyone make a tool for depriming that can be used without a press?
Click to expand...
A large nail with a decapping pin press in to a hole in the nail works well for decapping. The bottom of the hard wood is drilled across the bottom of the block, making 2 legs so primers have a place to go. Capture.jpg
 
243winxb-

Just drill a hole in the bench and put a waste can under it. For a professional look one could just glue a steel washer over the hole. For those that don't want to grind down a nail, LEE makes a goo "ready made nail".
 
Does anyone make a tool for depriming that can be used without a press?
Click to expand...
A hammer & a 1/16" pin punch from the hardware store or Sears.
They cost about 2 bucks.

rc
 
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