reloading ?

1warewolfhntr · May 1, 2012, 05:11 AM

im having a problem with cleaning brass.the throat of my brass is blackish brown and doesnt seem to come off with tumbling. a friend suggested buying a sonic cleaner (and im not loading hot rounds)any ideas you can help me with i would be grateful thanks

P.A. Dutchman · May 1, 2012, 08:51 AM

I simply use some fine steel wool to clean the necks if they are real black otherwise I don't worry about it.

Uncle Buck · May 1, 2012, 09:02 AM

I do not clean the insides of the cases normally.

If the case should be packed full of dirt, I will wash the dirt out in soapy water and let it dry, then tumble it in the corn cob crushed walnut media.

I have never had a problem with it.

Salmoneye · May 1, 2012, 10:39 AM

I don't tumble, and I do not worry about the natural patina of brass...

As long as it is solid, and shows no signs of stress, I don't need ammo that looks 'pretty' to others...

Edward429451 · May 1, 2012, 01:11 PM

You need the new stainless steel media that people are starting to use. It is like SS toothpicks cut up into short chunks. You get a thumlers tumbler because it is water tight and add media, dishsoap and water to the brass and inside of two hours your brass will look like virgin brand new inside and out. It's amazing.

I am just beginning to use this media and having great results. I am using a treadmill and Gatorade bottles because I dont have 300 bucks for a new tumbler.

Read about it in this thread http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...50#post5061750

moxie · May 1, 2012, 01:28 PM

What caliber? If .223 and you're talking about the neck, that discoloration is the result of annealing, heating, the brass during manufacture. Don't worry about it. If you're talking about the inside of the case, don't worry about that either. That's normal. Cases don't have to be shiny or look like new. Just sorta clean. If you want to spend more time and money making the cases super spiffy, that's fine, but absolutely not necessary and won't make them shoot any better.

Uncle Buck · May 1, 2012, 09:51 PM

One of the nephews was bothering me during a reloading session. To keep him out of my hair (What little I have left), I gave him a barrel cleaning brush and an electric drill. Told him if he wanted to help, have at it. I think he cleaned the inside necks of 50 cases before he decided to do something else he forgot up in the barn.

Again, cleaning the inside is not required for reloading.

1warewolfhntr · May 2, 2012, 01:31 AM

thank you for your answers on my problem ive only reloaded a few times in the past few years but bullets are getting expensive and its time to start reloading again (my problem was with about 50 .308 cases and just dont want to mess up my dies or my gun. thanks again

PA-Joe · May 2, 2012, 06:42 AM

Discoloration will not harm your dies. Dirt will. I agree "that discoloration is most likely the result of annealing". They heat up the shoulder and neck of the bullet to make the brass softer. That will cause a discoloration of the brass and is normal on military ammo.

amamnn · May 3, 2012, 01:27 PM

There have been a few articles in the IBS magazine "Precision Shooting" the NBRSA newsletter, and on varmint shooter and other precision shooting e-zines that pretty much followed the same lines as when while back, on one of the BR forums there was some debate over this same subject which as I recall divided the people who posted on that thread into 3 camps:

1--don't bother - the carbon on the inner neck wall acts as a lube and aids in bullet release

2--brush the necks a couple of times and let it go at that since a substantial build up will result in an uneven bullet release

3--brush the necks a lot on the theory that if a little brushing is good a lot is better

As I recall, there was not much support for trying to get the necks squeaky clean and certainly none for expensive US cleaners or specialty tumbling media. A big part of the reason the most accurate shooters (BR and such) in the world don't use all that nonsense is that most used to reload "on the tailgate" at matches and there is not that much time between relays and more equipment and supplies to haul around was not wanted.

There are a lot of things that BR shooters do that do not translate as good practices for those folks just plinking or hunting or shooting factory rifles. We might want to pay some attention to things they do NOT do and save some money and frustration. If a guy shooting consistent .2 MOA or less aggregates does not see a use for perfectly clean necks, I don't think I'll see one for use cleaning my 5.56 AR brass.

BTW, I like to try new things and ideas and have wasted more money than I like to think about in that way. I already found a fool, I mean someone, to buy my little teeny ball bearings. Anyone who can make me a good offer for my US cleaner and chemicals can send me an E-mail....

May 1, 2012, 05:11 AM	#1
1warewolfhntr Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2012 Posts: 8	reloading ? im having a problem with cleaning brass.the throat of my brass is blackish brown and doesnt seem to come off with tumbling. a friend suggested buying a sonic cleaner (and im not loading hot rounds)any ideas you can help me with i would be grateful thanks

May 1, 2012, 08:51 AM	#2
P.A. Dutchman Member Join Date: August 17, 2011 Posts: 51	I simply use some fine steel wool to clean the necks if they are real black otherwise I don't worry about it.

May 1, 2012, 09:02 AM	#3
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	I do not clean the insides of the cases normally. If the case should be packed full of dirt, I will wash the dirt out in soapy water and let it dry, then tumble it in the corn cob crushed walnut media. I have never had a problem with it.

May 1, 2012, 10:39 AM	#4
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	I don't tumble, and I do not worry about the natural patina of brass... As long as it is solid, and shows no signs of stress, I don't need ammo that looks 'pretty' to others...

May 1, 2012, 01:11 PM	#5
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	You need the new stainless steel media that people are starting to use. It is like SS toothpicks cut up into short chunks. You get a thumlers tumbler because it is water tight and add media, dishsoap and water to the brass and inside of two hours your brass will look like virgin brand new inside and out. It's amazing. I am just beginning to use this media and having great results. I am using a treadmill and Gatorade bottles because I dont have 300 bucks for a new tumbler. Read about it in this thread http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...50#post5061750

May 1, 2012, 01:28 PM	#6
moxie Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2006 Location: TX Posts: 513	What caliber? If .223 and you're talking about the neck, that discoloration is the result of annealing, heating, the brass during manufacture. Don't worry about it. If you're talking about the inside of the case, don't worry about that either. That's normal. Cases don't have to be shiny or look like new. Just sorta clean. If you want to spend more time and money making the cases super spiffy, that's fine, but absolutely not necessary and won't make them shoot any better.

May 1, 2012, 09:51 PM	#7
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	One of the nephews was bothering me during a reloading session. To keep him out of my hair (What little I have left), I gave him a barrel cleaning brush and an electric drill. Told him if he wanted to help, have at it. I think he cleaned the inside necks of 50 cases before he decided to do something else he forgot up in the barn. Again, cleaning the inside is not required for reloading.

May 2, 2012, 01:31 AM	#8
1warewolfhntr Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2012 Posts: 8	thank you for your answers on my problem ive only reloaded a few times in the past few years but bullets are getting expensive and its time to start reloading again (my problem was with about 50 .308 cases and just dont want to mess up my dies or my gun. thanks again

May 2, 2012, 06:42 AM	#9
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 909	Discoloration will not harm your dies. Dirt will. I agree "that discoloration is most likely the result of annealing". They heat up the shoulder and neck of the bullet to make the brass softer. That will cause a discoloration of the brass and is normal on military ammo.

May 3, 2012, 01:27 PM	#10
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	There have been a few articles in the IBS magazine "Precision Shooting" the NBRSA newsletter, and on varmint shooter and other precision shooting e-zines that pretty much followed the same lines as when while back, on one of the BR forums there was some debate over this same subject which as I recall divided the people who posted on that thread into 3 camps: 1--don't bother - the carbon on the inner neck wall acts as a lube and aids in bullet release 2--brush the necks a couple of times and let it go at that since a substantial build up will result in an uneven bullet release 3--brush the necks a lot on the theory that if a little brushing is good a lot is better As I recall, there was not much support for trying to get the necks squeaky clean and certainly none for expensive US cleaners or specialty tumbling media. A big part of the reason the most accurate shooters (BR and such) in the world don't use all that nonsense is that most used to reload "on the tailgate" at matches and there is not that much time between relays and more equipment and supplies to haul around was not wanted. There are a lot of things that BR shooters do that do not translate as good practices for those folks just plinking or hunting or shooting factory rifles. We might want to pay some attention to things they do NOT do and save some money and frustration. If a guy shooting consistent .2 MOA or less aggregates does not see a use for perfectly clean necks, I don't think I'll see one for use cleaning my 5.56 AR brass. BTW, I like to try new things and ideas and have wasted more money than I like to think about in that way. I already found a fool, I mean someone, to buy my little teeny ball bearings. Anyone who can make me a good offer for my US cleaner and chemicals can send me an E-mail....