removing cleaning media from 223 brass

bullspotter · January 13, 2009, 01:43 AM

I just got my 223 brass today, the larger cleaning corn media is stuck in many of them, pry about 400-500. i have been banging them on the bench, trying to pull it out with a pick ext... not much luck and wasting alot of time trying to get this crap out of my casses..... not to happy with the seller, and second of all the cases arnt even that clean.... if he thinks the were, well im afraid to ask what they looked like before he cleaned them.... OMG....

Im almost to the point of trying to fill them with aceton or something to eat that crap in them up some so i can get it out.... any ideas here guys???? im not spending 20 hours trying to get this stuf out.....

Shoney · January 13, 2009, 01:51 AM

Have you tried walnut? It is for cleaning and corn cob is for polishing. I use a 40/60 mix of walnut /cob.

Some use a table spoon or more of paint thinner (called Mineral Spirits and Stoddard Solvent in various cans) in the media to help clean.

Are you tumbling with primer in or out?

joneb · January 13, 2009, 02:05 AM

Weevils

Sorry,
Maybe you could toast them out ? Bake the brass at 175 and re-tumble.

bullspotter · January 13, 2009, 02:07 AM

This was once fired brass i bought from someone, I dont use the big stuff, i use fine corncob myself, with a little turbo bright in it. But this stuff i got is full of big chunks i cant get out. then i still need to clean it.... LOL

DBotkin · January 13, 2009, 10:04 AM

Primers would probably blow it out... not very cost effective, but lots of fun!

I had that problem when I got some ground corn cob @ Wally World from the pet department. It was just too big for tumbling anything with a case mouth smaller than about .40 cal. I haven't seen any corn cob ground smaller except when sold as case tumbling media.

RidgwayCO · January 13, 2009, 10:33 AM

You can use toothpicks or ice picks to poke them out, but I've found that long, thin hex keys work the best. Plus if I poke myself instead of the cob media, it doesn't hurt so bad...

totalloser · January 13, 2009, 05:42 PM

Compressed air and a blowgun? Decap and push/blow from the primer side? Paper clip from the primer side? That's about all I can think of.

bullspotter · January 13, 2009, 05:48 PM

ohhhh i like the primer idea!!! lol prime them up and turn the kids lose with the ARs to spend them all!!!! just to bad it would be 1 shot at a time...

I think ill pull my decapping pin and run the expander in the cases, might give me some room to dump some of the crap out of a few more.....:barf:

yosemitesamaz · January 13, 2009, 05:53 PM

carefull with the depriming iwth the corn cob still in it i had the same broblem and broke a few decaping pins that way. i just but the in a walnut media til it boke it doun enough were they fell out.

Primered · January 13, 2009, 06:26 PM

Had the same problem. Initially, with the .223, I started using rice. It does clean and does not get stuck in the cartridge. Most recently, however, I started buying my cleaning media from Green Products Company (http://www.greenproducts.com/). Ask for the 40lb. bag of 1014 grade. It's $38 and that includes shipping. Great stuff.

oneounceload · January 13, 2009, 07:07 PM

If the media was small enough to get in there, it should be small enough to get out. With small cases like that, I just take a handfuls all pointing down and roll them in my hands and shake a little - works for me

DBotkin · January 13, 2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

If the media was small enough to get in there, it should be small enough to get out.

You'd think that, wouldn't you? But if it's .2" one way and .25" the other way, guess which way it's going to wedge itself in there?

glazerguy333 · January 13, 2009, 07:18 PM

has happend to me alot i just use a safetypin works great i just poke the media out and have switched to a smaller media that gose threw the hole now

DiscoRacing · January 13, 2009, 08:21 PM

when i have that problem i use a syrenge needle... you can get them from the farm store for around 1.20 for three in a pack... dont take long at all.

rn22723 · January 13, 2009, 09:20 PM

If there is a lg amount of media in the cases....then I had one possible idea.
Throw the cases in an EMPTY tumbler and run it. Perhaps you will have some success. I suspect you used the large bedding corncob media and it is way too big!

bullspotter · January 13, 2009, 10:31 PM

Lots of great ideas thanks guys!! And just to clairify, i didnt do this!!! This is the way the brass came to me as i bought it once fired and suposibly cleaned.... anyone buying cleaned once used brass needs to ask the seller if their will be large chunks of crap stuck in the casses. lol Or just buy brass from the lovemaster on this site.... top notch guy to deal with and AAA+++ on his brass, ive orderd more then once from him, and will again if i need more!! This brass was not bought from him, but should have been for sure.....

Sport45 · January 14, 2009, 08:55 PM

If it's unprimed you could try compressed air through the flash hole to blow the media out. Primed brass can probably be deprimed using the pick and pry method of depriming Berdan brass. A sizing die sans decapping rod mounted upside down in your press would make a good case holder for the process.

If it was just a few I'd toss them. You have more than I would be willing to throw away. Have you contacted the seller to see if they'll make it right?

Good luck with it!

swmike · January 14, 2009, 09:37 PM

I just run mine through the press and the de-priming pin does a great job of making sure the flash hole is clear.

PCJim · January 14, 2009, 09:54 PM

Bull, I'm thinking like others that your best bet may be compressed air if you have access to it. I would think you can get enough pressure through the flash hole to blow it out thru the neck. It's a poor shame that it was sold to you in that fashion. Good luck.

Sport45 · January 15, 2009, 12:20 AM

Quote:

I just run mine through the press and the de-priming pin does a great job of making sure the flash hole is clear.

He's talking about big chunks in the case, not the bits that sometimes stick in the flash hole. It seems several have given advice based on the assumption that it is just the flash hole that is plugged. He won't want to run a decapping pin into a case that isn't empty.

robfromga · January 15, 2009, 08:43 AM

i had the same issue with corn cob and .223 i set all the stuck cases on my heater vent in a bowl to really dry the media, re tumbling got 40%. got a small drill bit to act as a pick, then tap'd the cases with a ping hammer(small hammer)

Im cheap and going to try rice next

CrustyFN · January 15, 2009, 07:58 PM

Been there done that. I threw the cob away and went back to walnut. I got the media out of the cases with a drill bit just held in my hand and turning it with my fingers. Didn't take too long but learned a valuable lesson.
Rusty

Inspector3711 · January 15, 2009, 08:47 PM

I use walnut for .223 and .22-250 and corncob for larger calibers for this very reason. Corncob is difficult to get out through a .22 neck. The only problem then becomes making sure you aren't leaving some walnut in the case by accident. This wreaks havoc with the depriming pin! I compacted one so bad once that I had to drill a hole next to the pin where it was stuck in the walnut shell! I eventually rescued the lodged pin but had to cuss up a storm to succeed!

Sometimes some gets left behind in the flash hole so i knock it out with my flashole deburring tool.

BigRodPackin · January 28, 2009, 06:08 PM

buy yourself a box of rcbs walnut media. comes with the polishing compound right in a little bag inside the box. works great

Alleykat · January 28, 2009, 06:12 PM

Nothing wrong with corn cob...as long as you get the finely-ground type and not that crappy pet store stuff!

January 13, 2009, 01:43 AM	#1
bullspotter Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 308	removing cleaning media from 223 brass I just got my 223 brass today, the larger cleaning corn media is stuck in many of them, pry about 400-500. i have been banging them on the bench, trying to pull it out with a pick ext... not much luck and wasting alot of time trying to get this crap out of my casses..... not to happy with the seller, and second of all the cases arnt even that clean.... if he thinks the were, well im afraid to ask what they looked like before he cleaned them.... OMG.... Im almost to the point of trying to fill them with aceton or something to eat that crap in them up some so i can get it out.... any ideas here guys???? im not spending 20 hours trying to get this stuf out.....

January 13, 2009, 01:51 AM	#2
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	Have you tried walnut? It is for cleaning and corn cob is for polishing. I use a 40/60 mix of walnut /cob. Some use a table spoon or more of paint thinner (called Mineral Spirits and Stoddard Solvent in various cans) in the media to help clean. Are you tumbling with primer in or out? __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

January 13, 2009, 02:05 AM	#3
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	Weevils Sorry, Maybe you could toast them out ? Bake the brass at 175 and re-tumble. Last edited by joneb; January 13, 2009 at 02:43 AM.

January 13, 2009, 05:42 PM	#7
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	Compressed air and a blowgun? Decap and push/blow from the primer side? Paper clip from the primer side? That's about all I can think of. __________________ You only truly believe in freedom if you believe in the freedom of those you disagree.

January 13, 2009, 07:18 PM	#13
glazerguy333 Member Join Date: November 19, 2008 Location: Dilworth,MN Posts: 17	media has happend to me alot i just use a safetypin works great i just poke the media out and have switched to a smaller media that gose threw the hole now

January 13, 2009, 02:07 AM	#4
bullspotter Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 308	This was once fired brass i bought from someone, I dont use the big stuff, i use fine corncob myself, with a little turbo bright in it. But this stuff i got is full of big chunks i cant get out. then i still need to clean it.... LOL

January 13, 2009, 10:04 AM	#5
DBotkin Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2006 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 302	Primers would probably blow it out... not very cost effective, but lots of fun! I had that problem when I got some ground corn cob @ Wally World from the pet department. It was just too big for tumbling anything with a case mouth smaller than about .40 cal. I haven't seen any corn cob ground smaller except when sold as case tumbling media.

January 13, 2009, 10:33 AM	#6
RidgwayCO Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2008 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 244	You can use toothpicks or ice picks to poke them out, but I've found that long, thin hex keys work the best. Plus if I poke myself instead of the cob media, it doesn't hurt so bad...

January 13, 2009, 05:48 PM	#8
bullspotter Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 308	ohhhh i like the primer idea!!! lol prime them up and turn the kids lose with the ARs to spend them all!!!! just to bad it would be 1 shot at a time... I think ill pull my decapping pin and run the expander in the cases, might give me some room to dump some of the crap out of a few more.....:barf:

January 13, 2009, 05:53 PM	#9
yosemitesamaz Member Join Date: December 15, 2008 Location: az. Posts: 68	carefull with the depriming iwth the corn cob still in it i had the same broblem and broke a few decaping pins that way. i just but the in a walnut media til it boke it doun enough were they fell out.

January 13, 2009, 06:26 PM	#10
Primered Member Join Date: September 24, 2002 Location: SW Kansas Posts: 41	Had the same problem. Initially, with the .223, I started using rice. It does clean and does not get stuck in the cartridge. Most recently, however, I started buying my cleaning media from Green Products Company (http://www.greenproducts.com/). Ask for the 40lb. bag of 1014 grade. It's $38 and that includes shipping. Great stuff.

January 13, 2009, 07:07 PM	#11
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	If the media was small enough to get in there, it should be small enough to get out. With small cases like that, I just take a handfuls all pointing down and roll them in my hands and shake a little - works for me

January 13, 2009, 08:21 PM	#14
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	when i have that problem i use a syrenge needle... you can get them from the farm store for around 1.20 for three in a pack... dont take long at all.

January 13, 2009, 09:20 PM	#15
rn22723 Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2001 Location: Burbs of Minneapolis Posts: 676	If there is a lg amount of media in the cases....then I had one possible idea. Throw the cases in an EMPTY tumbler and run it. Perhaps you will have some success. I suspect you used the large bedding corncob media and it is way too big!

January 13, 2009, 10:31 PM	#16
bullspotter Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 308	Lots of great ideas thanks guys!! And just to clairify, i didnt do this!!! This is the way the brass came to me as i bought it once fired and suposibly cleaned.... anyone buying cleaned once used brass needs to ask the seller if their will be large chunks of crap stuck in the casses. lol Or just buy brass from the lovemaster on this site.... top notch guy to deal with and AAA+++ on his brass, ive orderd more then once from him, and will again if i need more!! This brass was not bought from him, but should have been for sure.....

January 14, 2009, 08:55 PM	#17
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	If it's unprimed you could try compressed air through the flash hole to blow the media out. Primed brass can probably be deprimed using the pick and pry method of depriming Berdan brass. A sizing die sans decapping rod mounted upside down in your press would make a good case holder for the process. If it was just a few I'd toss them. You have more than I would be willing to throw away. Have you contacted the seller to see if they'll make it right? Good luck with it! __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

January 14, 2009, 09:37 PM	#18
swmike Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Marysville, WA Posts: 670	I just run mine through the press and the de-priming pin does a great job of making sure the flash hole is clear. __________________ My definition of Gun Control--- A steady grip and hitting your target. "In God we trust, all others are suspects." "If I shoot all the ammo I am carrying, either I won't need any more, or more won't be of any help". ____________________________________________

January 14, 2009, 09:54 PM	#19
PCJim Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Location: FL Posts: 570	Bull, I'm thinking like others that your best bet may be compressed air if you have access to it. I would think you can get enough pressure through the flash hole to blow it out thru the neck. It's a poor shame that it was sold to you in that fashion. Good luck.

January 15, 2009, 08:43 AM	#21
robfromga Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2009 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 240	i had the same issue with corn cob and .223 i set all the stuck cases on my heater vent in a bowl to really dry the media, re tumbling got 40%. got a small drill bit to act as a pick, then tap'd the cases with a ping hammer(small hammer) Im cheap and going to try rice next

January 15, 2009, 07:58 PM	#22
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	Been there done that. I threw the cob away and went back to walnut. I got the media out of the cases with a drill bit just held in my hand and turning it with my fingers. Didn't take too long but learned a valuable lesson. Rusty __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

January 15, 2009, 08:47 PM	#23
Inspector3711 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: Puget Sound Washington Posts: 1,553	I use walnut for .223 and .22-250 and corncob for larger calibers for this very reason. Corncob is difficult to get out through a .22 neck. The only problem then becomes making sure you aren't leaving some walnut in the case by accident. This wreaks havoc with the depriming pin! I compacted one so bad once that I had to drill a hole next to the pin where it was stuck in the walnut shell! I eventually rescued the lodged pin but had to cuss up a storm to succeed! Sometimes some gets left behind in the flash hole so i knock it out with my flashole deburring tool. __________________ "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." The Dalai Llama (5/15/01, The Seattle Times) "That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." George Orwell

January 28, 2009, 06:08 PM	#24
BigRodPackin Member Join Date: November 25, 2007 Posts: 16	buy yourself a box of rcbs walnut media. comes with the polishing compound right in a little bag inside the box. works great

January 28, 2009, 06:12 PM	#25
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	Nothing wrong with corn cob...as long as you get the finely-ground type and not that crappy pet store stuff!