Best way to clean 100 cases today?

[baddarryl]

Hi all. I have finally set up my Lee Turrett press and am going to do a test run of 9mm. I only have 100 bullets so I am going to do that. I haven't ordered a tumbler yet so I am wondering how to best clean up 50 for loading today by hand.

Also what is the best tumbler to get in terms of quality and value? I will be doing generally small volume, only a couple hundred rounds per month, but do have quite a bit of brass saved up over the years of 9mm and .223.

Thank you.

[Doyle]

Wash them. I don't own a tumbler. Look on YouTube and you'll see several methods for washing - from a simple sink was all the way up to using the washing machine. There are several recipes for washing - most use a combination of dish soap, salt, and vinegar. I use salt, vinegar, and car wash that contains wax (I think the wax helps to keep brass shiny longer).

Edit: I also deprime before washing using a universal decapper. Having both ends open helps water to flow in and out.

[F. Guffey]

I have used vinegar, I use vinegar for the worst of cases and I only clean a case one with vinegar, I limit the time to a maximum of 15 minutes. 15 minutes is not necessary if the cases do not fall into the category of 'the worst of cases'.

When I go to the range and nothing works as in I load 5 boxes of ammo for a 30/06 or 300 Win Mag I am not beyond spinning the cases with a home made spinner with 3M green pads and steel wool. I know; at the range it looks like I am showing 'bling' but I can spin 20 cases faster than I can tumble them.

And then there is soap and water. When I clean with vinegar I rinse the cases in boiling water 'twice'. The residual heat will dry the cases.

F. Guffey

Spinning; there is a very disciplined reloader that is closer to the range than I am, I think nothing of going for a visit and reloade my fired cases. We would normally make up 5 different loads of 4 rounds each. Problem, more times than not the problem is with the rifle and there is nothing a reloader can do to make one of those rifles look good.

[baddarryl]

Do you guys have a formula vinegar to water etc? Also the first stage Lee decaps. Should I decap anyway or let the press do it after washing? This is my first foray and I am just going for plinking ammo mixed cases and what not. For now anyway.

[g.willikers]

Never had a tumbler.
For only 50 cases, just wash them.
They're just going to get dirty again, or more likely, lost.
Shiny brass doesn't work any better than washed ones.
They only have to be clean enough for the dies.

[Metal god]

If you don't de-cap before washing the water will not likely dry in the primer area . So when you de-cap and seat your primer on the up stroke you could be seating the primer into a damp primer pocket . I don't have a time in which the primer area drys but I do know it takes much longer then the rest of the case .

I always de-cap before wet tumbling so I'm not sure how much this helps but some put there brass in a dehumidifier or in the oven at about 150* to 200* to dry . I've never done it but read many guys post claiming it works great .

[F. Guffey]

Do you guys have a formula vinegar to water etc?

Not me; I purchase vinegar premixed. My premix vinegar is 5%, There are a few that use the expensive/good stuff. The good/expensive stuff is 15%. They never discuss time but I will tell you 15% cuts down on the amount of time required.

If I was concerned with 5% I would add water, adding water would be a good ideal for the cautious reloader. I use vinegar on old cast iron post and pans and old tools. Nothing looks worst than a tool cleaned with a wire brush and then there is time added to remove the damage to the finish. I have used some bad stuff that only requires seconds and minutes' problem, when using the bad stuff is not a good time to answer the phone or to check to see who is knocking at the door.

F. Guffey

[baddarryl]

I guess what I mean is vinegar to water ratio, add soap whatever? or just straight vinegar?

[nhyrum]

What I do, it's use a cut off pant leg. Tie one end REAL GOOD. fill with about 6-8 cups rice, toss the cases in, double zip tie a few inches up to give them room to tumble around inside. Throw them in the dryer with a load of towels or jeans or something heavy and let it run for a few hours. The wife doesn't mind, as long as the bag doesn't open up (hence the double zip tie... Had it happen once...)

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[603Country]

Size them in a carbide die and don't worry about cleaning them. Of course, you may have nasty corroded cases, but if they've just been shot in your pistol you don't really HAVE to clean them.

Clean clean clean...OCDness.

[F. Guffey]

or just straight vinegar?

Yes; that is me, I go for straight vinegar. I know, sounds impressive' like; "I add salt, soap etc." If anything worked better than straight vinegar I could not stand it. Again, I use straight vinegar once for the life of the case for a maximum of 15 minutes. If the cases are not the worst of cases I can cut the time in half and if I move the cases around like agitate them I can reduce the time even more. AND! before I use the vinegar on the cases I can use it on my salad, then there is the wife; she has as many uses for vinegar as she does WD40. When she offers to help I have to watch her very closely. She did not think one of my scales looked as good as it could so she offered to clean the beam. When she brought it back the beam was clean and white; no markings.

F. Guffey

[baddarryl]

I found this over at THR. My question what mix of baking soda for the rinse? They are soaking now.

"1 pint of water, 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of detergent". Mix the solution in container. Shake 10 minutes with brass. Rinse 10 minutes clean water. Sun dry. This was printed in an NRA reprint of loading for the 45 acp many years ago. Dont forget to Give it a rinse with hot water+baking soda to neutralize the acid after the wash.
< Baking soda Not in Reprint of article Use at your own risk."

[BigJimP]

Getting the cases 100% dry inside is a pain in the butt...if you wash them.

For only 100 cases ...I would just lay them on a paper towel on your bench..and wipe them down with a "damp" paper towel sprayed with a little solvent - or maybe Windex ( because it has some amonia in it ). Just roll them around under the "damp" towel....and they roll them around with a dry towel. ( should take you about 2 min tops ).

Then run them thru press for resizing and depriming, etc...
-------------
Woops, I see you're soaking them already..../ continue and see if you like that process or not.

Grab another 100 and try the damp towel method ...and start loading in 5 min.

[Doyle]

I've never found the need to use baking soda. I just do a couple of warm-water rinses.

[Doyle]

As to drying, I use a large mesh laundry bag to do all the washing in. When done washing, I just put them on the hot concrete in the sun. Every 20 minutes or so, I'll turn the bag over and move the brass around. After an hour or so in the hot sun I know they are going to be dry.

[catgunguy]

I also do not have a tumbler and clean my brass with a couple table spoons of powdered citric acid in a gallon of hot water with a little squirt of Down soap.

Put the brass and the water solution in a five gallon plastic bucket and agitate with a wooden spoon off and on for twenty to thirty minutes. ( watch to make sure that the brass does not turn a pinkish color and adjust time accordingly). Then do at least a double rinse with cold clean water and put the clean brass on a screen in the sun till dried. If one has OCD like me, I also use a rag and wipe the cases to take more of the carbon off before drying.

I do use a universal decapper and a primer pocket brush to clean the carbon out of the pockets before washing.

[briandg]

If you have a little time you can drop them into a can after shaking out most of the water, then put the can on your coffee makers hot plate. If you want them clean and polished, that's what you want. Ignore anyone who tells you to not do what you want. A decent tumbler for less than fifty dollars is the Frankford arsenal that is available in many places.

You can find instructions and cleaning formulas everywhere online, literally hundreds of suggestions.

[briandg]

My process is washing, drying, using fine media, use whatever you want, and treat it with brass cleaner for ammo. I keep a sea sponge about the size of a tennis ball in with it and it collects dust and filth.

SPOTLESS BRASS

[baddarryl]

Thank you everyone. This works for now, but I discovered that having to sit down and deprime them with my press wasted about 20 minutes just for 100 rounds. I am going to get a tumbler and go that method since I can deprime and size in one stage on the Lee which will save time.

BTW with that NRA method I posted they came out really clean, but some have a bit of a pink shine to them. Just a couple though.

[baddarryl]

A decent tumbler for less than fifty dollars is the Frankford arsenal that is available in many places.

Do they have a good rep? Any competitors in that price class? I want to stay <$100.

[cw308]

Used a dry tumbler for 25+ years with corn also walnut media. Changed to wet tumbling with stainless steel pins , cleans the carbon from the inside of the case & primer pockets when spent primer is removed , I use a Q - Tip to dry the primer pocket. Changed to wet tumbling , when talking to reloaders on wet cleaning, at first I didn't like the idea of water. After watching some video's on line. Ordered a tumbler from Harbor Freight for smaller quantities. Ordered the tumblers model B tumbler for larger quantities. Very happy with wet tumbling & glad I did. Check it out before you pull the trigger on a tumbler.

[g.willikers]

No need for depriming prior to washing.
Just dry the cases in the oven, old primers and all.
The primer pockets will get dry.
Make sure dinner isn't baking in there, though.

[jdscholer]

Stainless steel pan on stove top. Submerge brass in water, bring to boil, add a spoonful of auto-dishwashing detergent, and stir for a minute or so. Drain water, and rinse in strainer. Toss in 200 degree oven for half hour, and then load.

I prefer to deprime first, but not necessary. jd

[briandg]

I own one, it ha weight and strength and power an ma last in til doomsday.

A tumbler is a weighted motor on a heavy bowl that is spring mounted to a heavy base, and as that motor throws the weight around, the drum shakes. The only thing that can wear out or break is the replaceable motor.

It's worth the price. Shipping will hurt,and the price will be the same everywhere online

[Longshot4]

I have been picking up range brass. I use the 45 ACP for loading at this time. They can have been siting in mud and other debris that is why I wash them.

I will throw 200 or so in a bucket and a dash of the low suds laundry soap (HE) in the bucket. Ill stir them up well and flush well a couple times. Then throw some white vinegar and lemi-shine dry powder and water in and mix them up well then let them sit for 5 Min>. Flush and repeat a couple times.

I find the flushing well is important particularly because the primers have been in. I use a large strainer to flip them around to get more of the water... out. I have plans to get a decaping die to quickly get the primers out before I wash so I can flush the pockets better.

After I am happy with the cases being well drained I will put them out in the sun on a towel for a few hours that heats them up well to dry.
When I remove the primers I get some soap stain in the pockets so I will get that out when I start with depriming before washing.

I have two walnut vibrators but seldom use them. I don't need to.