Wiping brass

[buzzcut]

The ABCs book, Lee instructions and others suggest wiping brass with a rag as a first step. Those who do this: do you use a dry rag, or do you wet it with water, or a lube, or a cleaning solution?

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[Rustynuts]

Wipe before tumbling, sizing? You want to clean the brass to help preserve wear/tear on the dies. I don't know why you'd wipe before tumbling! But I do wash my brass before tumbling. Feel better about getting some of the lead out before dusting it in the tumbler!

 

[30Cal]

Tumble or wipe. Although if you tumble with an abrasive, it'd wipe them down after.

You just want to prevent scratching your sizing die with grit.

 

[GP100man]

the cleaner it is the easier it is to inspect especially rifle,straight walled pistol will let you know when it hits the sizer,split cases are much easier to size.
i tuble mine then pour it on a towel then wad it all up & sloosh the brass around to remove dust if any present.

GP100man

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I put my range pick-up brass in a net sack I got from Midway then wash and dry it before inspecting then lubing with Lee lube, then drying and sizing/depriming. gets lots of crud off it.
roll it in an old towel and get it ready to load from there.
of course every 3-4 sizings I have to check length before loading again.

 

[buzzcut]

The abbreviated step-by-step instructions that I have seen typically haven't shown a tumbling step. To follow these types of instructions, would I use a dry rag, or a moistened one? Would a dry rag really remove much?

Also, what lube wipes off the easiest after sizing?

Thanks,
Buzz

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[Larry E]

At the range I always wipe rifle case necks with a towel that's got a little Hoppe's #9 on it to remove powder fouling, then run an old bore brush into the necks to loosen powder residue. Some powders if left on case necks leave a stain that is not removed by tumbling even with abrasive. If the cases haven't hit the ground they're sized without further cleaning, then tumbled to remove the sizing lube.

I don't know what lube wipes off easiest, but Imperial Die Wax works the best for full length sizing or case forming.

 

[stubbicatt]

Buzz, the sticky lanolin based lubes will wipe off easiest. I prefer the Lee lube as you don't have to wipe it off if you don't want to. It is extremely effective and easy to use.

If you dilute it down about 5 to 1 in an atomizer bottle, and spray it into a plastic ziplock freezer bag, roll your cases around in there to get them coated well, and then let it dry it is the best lube ever.

You can wipe it off with a moist towel if you desire, or tumble for about 15 minutes to get your brass all sparkly and such.