Two items clean cases and primer pocket sizing

Tinbucket · August 21, 2016, 08:28 PM

I used to use corncob or walnut media in a Lyman vibratory cleaner, with small amount of Brasso or Lyman stuff. Lyman works better for other reasons.
Then I wiped them off and lubed them on a RCBS pad with their lube, lube neck inside, pre carbide days. Still have most ofboth tubes after 40 years, Loaded the rounds sized and rimed and then rubbed the lube off mostly and finished loading rounds on single stage loader.
Now using the Dillon, I can still clean in the vibratory cleaner but still have to wipe the cases and ht the case a bit on the bench to shake any possible media still in the primer pocket area out.
So on the progressive press, its clean brass wipe each case off, lube and into the bucket.
Is there a better option for cleaning cases, not having them sit, for several hours, or days to dry inside, with wet method. Then when ready for the case loader lube each round?
Then after loading, do you tumble, to remove lube or what.
Then the primer pocket. Is their a gauge to measure, quickly, primer pockets, particularly Mil 5.56 rounds?
I found some missing primers in some supposedly once fired Military cases.
And by hand swagging some such cases, the swagging pin was loose in the primer pocket. Obviously once fired means different things to some loaders.
The reason de tere we handload is to save money, other wisse I would jsut buy new cases

Reloadron · August 21, 2016, 08:46 PM

Quote:

I used to use corncob or walnut media in a Lyman vibratory cleaner, with small amount of Brasso or Lyman stuff. Lyman works better for other reasons.

You really do not want to use Brasso as it contains ammonia. I still use walnut media for dirty brass and for a polished look corn cob media with Nu Finish car finish. Doesn't take much. I size as for the most part my brass is clean and after sizing I trim and then clean and polish. I like clean primer pockets not that it is important. Then prime, charge and seat my bullets.

As to wet tumbling I haven't gotten there yet and I am waiting for several old vibratory tumblers to die.

Ron

firewrench044 · August 21, 2016, 09:54 PM

With ultrasonic or SS pin cleaning
Dry the cases with a food dehydrator,
takes 1/2 to 1 hr to dry ( depends on how many cases are in dryer )

Tried the SS pins and will not go back !
I have two vibrating tumblers gathering dust in the corner

jepp2 · August 21, 2016, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Is their a gauge to measure, quickly, primer pockets, particularly Mil 5.56 rounds?

There is a gage. Uniquetek makes it and here is the link. I never got one so I can't comment on how well it works. I can tell by looking if the pocket is crimped and needs to be swaged.

I stainless steel pin wet tumble. When the cases come out of the tumbler after the pins are separated, I just toss them into my dry tumbler with fine (20-40 sieve size) corn cob with a splash of Nufinish. It dries the cases and puts a protective film on the brass.

I also use the same media without the Nufinish to remove case sizing lube. Does a great job and much better than hand wiping them off. I use the Bootleg case lube and the lanolin comes off easily.

alexcue · August 24, 2016, 10:51 AM

I just picked up the Lyman Cyclone Rotary Tumbler. It has the pins and a nifty little separator in the kit. It was on sale at Midway for under $140. Ran over to Harbor Freight and picked up a cheap Dehydrator. Under $20 with their 20% off coupon. I was able to clean 350 .380's in under 3 hours tops ... that includes the dry time. Now the only thing I did before hand was deprime them with my Lee Classic Cast Press with InLine Manufacturing's Case kicker. Did that outside on my little portable press setup I have.
I'm thinking of using my XL650 with a dedicated toolhead with a Universal Deprimer to speed things up. Just drop the dirty cases in the casefeed and run them through. I figure I'll pickup on bad cases that won't feed through the shellplate before I go through production.

In my mind it's already paid for itself. Found a case that had split, being as they are so clean, it was hard to miss the crack. I've always tumbled my fired brass, but this was pretty simple, especially with the dehydrator. It only took between 45 minutes to an hour to do and I just rotated the dividers every fifteen minutes.

stubbicatt · August 26, 2016, 07:40 AM

Been a long while since I loaded progressive press. When I did, I would lay a bunch of cases out in a wire basket and spray them with Lee lube mixed 1 part lube to 6 parts iso alcohol from an atomizer I bought at Walmart. The Iso evaporates leaving the cases lubed and ready to go.

Start processing them, and put the loaded rounds back in the tumbler with fresh, cheap, corn litter from the pet store. Cleaned them right off in about 5 minutes.

There are admonitions all over the 'net about tumbling live rounds, but I did it for years with no adverse consequences. YMMV.

August 21, 2016, 08:28 PM	#1
Tinbucket Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2015 Posts: 355	Two items clean cases and primer pocket sizing I used to use corncob or walnut media in a Lyman vibratory cleaner, with small amount of Brasso or Lyman stuff. Lyman works better for other reasons. Then I wiped them off and lubed them on a RCBS pad with their lube, lube neck inside, pre carbide days. Still have most ofboth tubes after 40 years, Loaded the rounds sized and rimed and then rubbed the lube off mostly and finished loading rounds on single stage loader. Now using the Dillon, I can still clean in the vibratory cleaner but still have to wipe the cases and ht the case a bit on the bench to shake any possible media still in the primer pocket area out. So on the progressive press, its clean brass wipe each case off, lube and into the bucket. Is there a better option for cleaning cases, not having them sit, for several hours, or days to dry inside, with wet method. Then when ready for the case loader lube each round? Then after loading, do you tumble, to remove lube or what. Then the primer pocket. Is their a gauge to measure, quickly, primer pockets, particularly Mil 5.56 rounds? I found some missing primers in some supposedly once fired Military cases. And by hand swagging some such cases, the swagging pin was loose in the primer pocket. Obviously once fired means different things to some loaders. The reason de tere we handload is to save money, other wisse I would jsut buy new cases

August 21, 2016, 09:54 PM	#3
firewrench044 Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2007 Location: Fort Pierce, Florida Posts: 381	With ultrasonic or SS pin cleaning Dry the cases with a food dehydrator, takes 1/2 to 1 hr to dry ( depends on how many cases are in dryer ) Tried the SS pins and will not go back ! I have two vibrating tumblers gathering dust in the corner

August 24, 2016, 10:51 AM	#5
alexcue Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2015 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 134	I just picked up the Lyman Cyclone Rotary Tumbler. It has the pins and a nifty little separator in the kit. It was on sale at Midway for under $140. Ran over to Harbor Freight and picked up a cheap Dehydrator. Under $20 with their 20% off coupon. I was able to clean 350 .380's in under 3 hours tops ... that includes the dry time. Now the only thing I did before hand was deprime them with my Lee Classic Cast Press with InLine Manufacturing's Case kicker. Did that outside on my little portable press setup I have. I'm thinking of using my XL650 with a dedicated toolhead with a Universal Deprimer to speed things up. Just drop the dirty cases in the casefeed and run them through. I figure I'll pickup on bad cases that won't feed through the shellplate before I go through production. In my mind it's already paid for itself. Found a case that had split, being as they are so clean, it was hard to miss the crack. I've always tumbled my fired brass, but this was pretty simple, especially with the dehydrator. It only took between 45 minutes to an hour to do and I just rotated the dividers every fifteen minutes.

August 26, 2016, 07:40 AM	#6
stubbicatt Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Posts: 1,707	Been a long while since I loaded progressive press. When I did, I would lay a bunch of cases out in a wire basket and spray them with Lee lube mixed 1 part lube to 6 parts iso alcohol from an atomizer I bought at Walmart. The Iso evaporates leaving the cases lubed and ready to go. Start processing them, and put the loaded rounds back in the tumbler with fresh, cheap, corn litter from the pet store. Cleaned them right off in about 5 minutes. There are admonitions all over the 'net about tumbling live rounds, but I did it for years with no adverse consequences. YMMV.