Wet or Dry Case Cleaning?

[Dudedog]

Off thread, but I would mention I had lead issues once. Traced to the indoor range where I used to shoot.
(this seems to be where most shooters have issues with lead,shooting at indoor ranges)
Most insurance will pay to have your levels checked, just tell your Doc you shoot and you would like them checked.
I don't know how much it is if you don't have insurance or your insurance won't cover it.
I would say it is a good idea to have them checked every now and then, they can be way high and you can still feel fine.

Better safe than sorry.

I wet tumble but if you dry tumble there are things you can to to address the dust issue.
Used dryer antistatic sheets help, wear a dust mask when dealing with media etc.

 

[GBExpat]

Whenever I find that I must dump & separate-out cases from a session in one of my (closed-top, btw) VCCs (vibratory case cleaner), I always have my "bench" HEPA vacuum cleaner configured by the rotary media separator to remove as much of the dust as possible ... and I move the media slowly & methodically to minimize the amount of dust.

 

[Cokeman]

Yes, that is the single drum tumbler they have a double drum tumbler as well that is $59.99. With the double drum tumbler you can tumble two different calibers that shoildn't ne tumbled together because the cases get stuck together like 380 & 9mm,
9mm & 40cal.
40cal & 45 auto.
I don't think these tumblers come with any Stainless Steel Media so besides the tumbler you will need to buy the stainless steel pins.
They generally run about $40 for five pounds.
I just bought five pounds a month or so ago for $29.99 from either e bay or amazon..
So it will be $90 to $100 dollar investment for a little more you can get a lot better quality Frankford Arsenal Rotery Tumbler.
Money well spent in my oppinion.
Pay once, cry once.

I see that people are buying these pins to use in that tumbler. This company is right by my house.

https://stainlesstumblingmedia.com/...s/media/stainless-tumbling-media-refresh.html

 

[Highland Lofts]

I just bought a five pound box of stainless steel pins on amazon for $29.99.
I didn't need thrm but they were at a decent price.
If I buy the smaller Frankford tumbler I don't thing it comes with the stainless steel pins.

 

[Arthur R Dirindin]

I do wet tumbling exclusively now and allow me to explane as to why.
I dry tumbled about 350-375 of my own 1x fired 9mm brass in quite new crushed walnut husk with a non-ammonia liquid polish added for 5-5.5 hours. This brass was not very dirty to begin with as I shot it all at my rifle clubs indoor range. After separating it from the walnut media washing, rinsing it and drying it in the oven it didn't look all that clean.

So I put it in my wet media tumbler with SS pins, dawn DS and Lemon shine and tumbled for two hours. I was very impressed with how much cleaner the brass was and then proceeded to rinse the brass of and dry it in my oven. Now for what I found rather astonishing. Once the brass was drying in my oven I filter all my dirty water to insure I haven't missed and SS pins and while doing so I was utterly amazed just how much crushed walnut was in the waist water, and later also found more walnut media on the paper towels I line the bottom of my drying pan.

Considering this was after not one but two very thorough rinsings, I was very surprised and came to the conclusion the media must have been lodged in the primer pockets that still held a spent primer. I will grant you the media would've most likely been knocked out during the primer removal step, but I will only wet tumble my brass from now on.

 

[Reloadron]

If only doing one method, which is preferred, wet or dry? I’m looking at a vibratory tumbler with corn cob media and rotary with SS pins. Which is the better way to go?

Choose one or the other and see what works for you, whatever works for you is the best choice. Both work and both give nice shiny results when done correctly.

Ron

 

[.38 Special]

I dry tumble. It works. I suppose if it was important to me to have "like new" appearance, I would wet tumble.

Regarding accuracy, benchrest shooters reload the same set of matched cases during the match. They run a bit of 0000 steel wool around the case and then load on their pick-up gate or whatever. So I'm not remotely convinced that wet tumbling improves accuracy.

I've personally never scratched a die with dry-tumbled cases, so I'm not buying that excuse for wet tumbling either.

And as a bullet caster, I do have my blood lead levels checked regularly. They have always been fine.

I note that whenever something new comes along in this game, a certain type of fellow will jump on the bandwagon and declare that not only is the new way better, but also that anyone who doesn't immediately dump the old way is some kind of a fool.

I personally have no problem at all with people who want to wet tumble, but some of the blather is a little annoying.

 

[GBExpat]

I personally have no problem at all with people who want to wet tumble, but some of the blather is a little annoying.

<chuckle> Ayup ... some of the Wet fellas do carry on a bit much with their detailed descriptions/explanations/gushing.

From what I have observed, in general, many of the Wet-only Fans tend to be enthusiastic & verbose and some of the Dry-only Fans tend to be a bit prickly regarding their choice of method.

Talk of this stuff reminds me of the 7,92x57 boxer cases that I scrounged and reloaded 50 years ago. Man, I was shooting the fugliest reloaded ammunition on the planet at that time ... but it all shot true ... and became just a bit fuglier after each reload.

Now, most of my reloads look factory-new.

<shrug> Whatever works best for you ...

 

[Toprudder]

just tell your Doc you shoot and you would like them checked.

That is what I do. Last time I had it checked, the level was 1, which is basically their noise floor for measurement.

Funny, when I asked for the test, he immediately asked me if I reload. Apparently he has had a few reloaders ask him for the test.

 

[rayw1128]

Dry for pistol brass. Wet for rifle brass.

 

[Cokeman]

I use Auto Wash and Wax and a dab of citric acid.
The Auto wash and wax makes them easier to size and prevents sticking.
For 9mm having the inside nice and clean makes it easier to spot the ones with the stupid ledge.
I had one of those separate at the ledge with a midrange load, they are bad news. Straight to the recycle can now.

What is the stupid ledge?

 

[Cokeman]

I use a lee universal depriming die.
I do a butt load of range brass from a gravel pit so I want them nice & clean before I rezize any of it.
After I wet tumble the brass I use the home made lube 10 to 1 mix
Red can of dry gas HEET and liquid Lanolin.
On the semi clear spray bottle i put a line at 4 1/2 inches and fill it up to there with dry gass, I put a line a 1/2 inch above that and fill up to that line with the lanolin.
With any wet spray lube you need to give the cases enough time for the dry gas (99% achohol) to evaporate before sizing your brass.

If it doesn't dry the lube does not work and that my friend equals stuck cases.

Frankford sells a smaller wet tumbler for smaller loads. I will be picking ip a small wet tumbler for smaller loads.
Generally I tumble 500 to 700 pieces of brass with my bigger Frankford tumbler.
I have enough drying racks to accomadate about 2,000 pieces of brass.
When i get more new preasure treated 2X4s and or 2X6s i will make up more drying racks.

To deprime before tumbling, do you have to use a universal decapping die or can my dacapping/sizing die be adjusted to only remove primers and not resize?

 

[GBExpat]

What is the stupid ledge?

He is probably referring to the cases that sport a step built into them, almost certainly to avoid bullet setback in the original commercial load.

I think that most of us just toss the little buggers ... but first you have to be aware that the step (stupid ledge) is there which is where the clean-shiny innards comes in very handy.

 

[Highland Lofts]

To deprime before tumbling, do you have to use a universal decapping die or can my dacapping/sizing die be adjusted to only remove primers and not resize?

I have the Lee Universal decapping die and just bought a Frankford hand help deprimeing tool.
I always deprime before I wet tumble all of my brasd.

 

[Dudedog]

What is the stupid ledge?

This

He is probably referring to the cases that sport a step built into them, almost certainly to avoid bullet setback in the original commercial load.

I had one separate right at the step,mid range load, left half the case stuck in the chamber, and I couldn't get it out at the range.
(ended up using a drill bit a hair bigger than the inside of the case to get it out, getting it out was easy once I had something to get it out with)
Lucky it was practice, not a match or something more serious.
They all go in the recycle can now.

If I can find one I will post a pic, but of course since I am looking for one now, I probably won't have one around....(if anybody else has on handy a pic would be appreciated)

 

[Toprudder]

To deprime before tumbling, do you have to use a universal decapping die or can my dacapping/sizing die be adjusted to only remove primers and not resize?

Most use a universal decapping die. There is no reason you can’t use a larger sizing die, though. For instance, use a 45 sizing die to decap 9mm.

 

[dcarr]

I started with a dry tumbler in the shed with walnut, would still be using it but think the dust was starting to get to my sinus's and the noise to the neighbor lady.I clean my guns out there and I don't want walnut stuff in the actions. Went to a cheapo harbor freight ultrasonic followed by the hornady shell dryer and gets them as clean inside and out as i desire. Sure it doesn't affect my accuracy any, clean or dirty.
As many reloads as i try to get out of the brass it helps to see cracks etc if the shell is somewhat clean. Can't help but wonder if you leave enough crud on the brass it wouldn't end up in the sizing die.

 

[Dudedog]

To deprime before tumbling, do you have to use a universal decapping die or can my dacapping/sizing die be adjusted to only remove primers and not resize?

For pistol I just use my normal resize die for the cal, no reason not to resize them.
The Lee universal decapping die is fairly inexpensive <$20 and works well, happy with mine.
I use it for .223 brass.

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-LP90292-Decapping-Die/dp/B002SF2ZXU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JF7IPHOGOFJU&dchild=1&keywords=lee+universal+decapping+die&qid=1598899936&sprefix=Lee+universal+,aps,216&sr=8-1

Squirrel Daddy makes nicer replacement pins if you ever need one. I like to have spares on hand.
https://www.squirreldaddy.com/Decapping-pin-s/336.htm

 

[Herman B]

Volumes have been written on the merits of both methods. From a materials-handling perspective, dry is short and simple. If wet, you need a good system with efficient equipment/process. If lacking efficiency, wet may be time-consuming.

Me - wet with stainless. My solar dryer, even from 90+ M miles, is efficient. Can't understand the temporal importance of dry brass, ready to immediately reload after cleaning. Tells me more brass is needed.

 

[Toprudder]

For pistol I just use my normal resize die for the cal, no reason not to resize them.

One of the main reasons we clean the brass is to remove any dirt that would scratch the sizing die. Are you saying you take dirty, range pickup brass and size them before you clean them?

 

[Dudedog]

One of the main reasons we clean the brass is to remove any dirt that would scratch the sizing die. Are you saying you take dirty, range pickup brass and size them before you clean them?

My range has nasty dirt. (about 60 grit )
I run a quick 1/2 hour initial pass on all brass before it gets to the press..
So brass gets 2 passes thru the tumbler.

 

[Nature Boy]

Wet for pistol

Dry for rifle

 

[Skeeter300]

I wet tumble, the clean cases are easier to inspect.

 

[Cokeman]

He is probably referring to the cases that sport a step built into them, almost certainly to avoid bullet setback in the original commercial load.

I think that most of us just toss the little buggers ... but first you have to be aware that the step (stupid ledge) is there which is where the clean-shiny innards comes in very handy.

This

I had one separate right at the step,mid range load, left half the case stuck in the chamber, and I couldn't get it out at the range.
(ended up using a drill bit a hair bigger than the inside of the case to get it out, getting it out was easy once I had something to get it out with)
Lucky it was practice, not a match or something more serious.
They all go in the recycle can now.

If I can find one I will post a pic, but of course since I am looking for one now, I probably won't have one around....(if anybody else has on handy a pic would be appreciated)

Did anyone get a picture of that stupid ledge?

 

[doubleh]

I never clean over 200 cases at a time anymore and have gotten lazy I guess. I use a clear plastic jug, some lemon juice concentrate, a drop or two of dishwashing soap, and hot water in the jug with the brass. Screw the lid on and shake it. Go off and leave it alone for an hour or so and shake it some more. Repeat. Then dump everything in a strainer in the kitchen sink and rinse with hot water. Pour the brass back and forth between a heavy steel pan and the strainer two or three times to get rid of any water in the cases. Dump them in the pan and sit them outside in the sun and wind for an hour or so. The reason for the heavy pan is so they will still be where you left them in the wind when they are dry. I learned the hard way not to use an aluminum pan. Then I de-prime. This is for pistols and I use carbide sizer dies. For rifles I do the same and after sizing I run the cases through another cleaning to remove the case lube before continuing. Very little work, no electricity used, and no noise. It won't make grungy range pick up brass look new but it will be clean.