cleaning cases without a tumbler?

357shooter · November 9, 2005, 08:33 PM

Is there a good way to clean your cases if you do not have a tumbler? It is on my list of things to get but it may take a while.If there is,do you have to clean the cases every time you reload?These are 44.and45.colt cases.or can you skip cleaning them a couple times?I have reloaded the 44. cases a few times,and I tried to clean them by shaking them in a container with detergent,then in a vineger solution,this is how the local gun shop guy said to go about it.

Olaf · November 9, 2005, 08:49 PM

Technically, it is not necessary to clean your cases, especially inside. All I do is use steel wool on the outside, lightly, then use an old brass bore brush on the inside of the neck (bottlenose rifle cartridges). Tumbling is not really necessary, nor is cleaning in some sort of solution. I realise that this will likely be taken as heresy by some, but, tumbling or soaking really does nothing, except make the cases pretty.

Having said that, if you wish to clean them.... by soaking/ agitation, there are companies which make solutions for this. Iosso makes a kit, which if used with a resealable plastic bucket, can be used to clean thousands of cases. If I were you (and IF I chose to worry about cleaning the inside of my cases)...I would look into this. I'm sure that there are similar products available, as well.

918v · November 9, 2005, 11:28 PM

Soak them in vinegar, then clean the insides with a wooden-shaft q-tip. They will look like virgin brass.

Dave R · November 10, 2005, 01:02 AM

Before I got my $5 tumbler (that once was an ice cream maker from the thrift shop) I used to us steel wool, or a "curley kate cloth", and just clean them by hand. Works fine.

And for a revolver, yeah, I think you could go a couple of firings between cleanings. But then you'd have to clean your dies more often, and I'm not sure that's easier.

hawken50 · November 10, 2005, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Soak them in vinegar

what kind of vinegar and for how long? i did it with some cider vinegar and they looked worse than when i started.

hivel37 · November 10, 2005, 08:24 AM

If you use Iosso, read and follow the directions carefully. It's good stuff. Another good thing is Nevr-Dull, sold in a round silver can in Wal Mart's automotive department. I use it alot, especially on the necks of bottle-neck cases.

Foxman · November 10, 2005, 12:52 PM

If you mix 25-30% white vinegar ( def not cider!) with hot water ( not boiling) and put brass in for 15- 20 mins with an occasional shake they will come out clean. They wont be shiney but dull clean brass colored.
I know bucks might be tight but Midway have sales on their vibratory tumblers and you should pick one up for around $40.00 ish some corn cob media and the rcbs powder polish works very well for me you only need a thumbnail full in the corn cob every so often so it last a long time. This will give you nice clean cases everytime. Even more so if you do ten mins in the hot vinegar water before and let em dry, first.

AlaskaMike · November 10, 2005, 07:30 PM

Granted I only just started reloading several months ago, but it seems to me that the only reason you should clean your brass is to ensure it has no grit on it that might scratch your sizer die.

Mike

30Cal · November 11, 2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Granted I only just started reloading several months ago, but it seems to me that the only reason you should clean your brass is to ensure it has no grit on it that might scratch your sizer die.

Mike

That's the #1 reason, but it's also easier to find shiny brass on the range. A rag works nicely if you're just want to keep your dies in good shape.

Leftoverdj · November 11, 2005, 02:02 PM

If your cases never hit the ground, they will never need to be cleaned. Ugly don't affect how they shoot. Even if they have hit the ground and picked up a bit of grit, it ain't much of a concern with carbide dies.

I have sometimes cleaned tarnished cases with dilute vinegar, cider vinegar at that. Won't do it often because I am more concerned with the effects of repeated acid treatment than I am with dull cases.

bjmanersr · November 11, 2005, 07:39 PM

Now i cleam um every 3 or 4 times for the pistols.Dont know about rifles though.

Toney · November 12, 2005, 11:55 PM

What about a big plastic bowl with a lid throw in some media and cases and put it in the back of your truck for a while.

Hook686 · November 14, 2005, 01:33 AM

If you really want to clean your brass, why not ? A knit bag full of brass hung in the dish washer does a decent job of it ... de-prime first helps with drainage. Barring that, I see no problem with boiling a few minutes in soapy water. Why not clean your brass ... it is just plain what your mother would want you to do.

Hook686

blob · November 15, 2005, 10:24 AM

I have found that if you don't clean the inside of the case, especially when changing powders, there will be a substanial amount of burnt residue left in the case. If you want to see just how much, shoot a few rounds and then place the cases in plain old alcohol. Leave them there for a few minutes, an hour, overnight, etc. Then take each case filled with alcohol and place your fingers over the neck opening and the primer hole and shake the case. Then empty the case into the container. After doing a few you will see the whole bottom covered with left over burnt debris. Leaving this in the case changes several things. Case capcity and the powder burning rate depending upon the powder.
I have cleaned cases in plain rubbing alcohol swabbing out the inside with a q tip and the burnt residue in the primer hole softens and can be removed with a q tip also.
But since I am using my lee collet die I clean all the necks with 000 steel wool, resize the neck. trim if necessary and put them in the tumbler for a few hours to clean the inside, then clean the primer hole.
I have found, for myself anyway, that using the collet die, getting the inside cleaned well and cleaning the primer hole has shrunk the groups down a lot. the only draw back on using Alcohol, and it does a fantastic job of cleaning, is making sure all of it is evaporated before loading.

Smokey Joe · November 15, 2005, 01:21 PM

Like many, I resist getting a new gizmo for a long while, just because it is new. And like many, having finally gotten the new gizmo, often I wonder why I resisted so long.

This was certainly true in my case for the vibratory tumbler, using dry corncob as a cleaning/polishing medium.

For many years, I cleaned my brass by hand, one at a time. And used alcohol, like Blob. It evaporates more readily than water. But no more--It is an unnecessary, time-consuming hassle.

I do clean primer pockets by hand when they get really cruddy--Lyman markets a "Power Deburr Accessory Set" that includes a primer pocket cleaner--That and a power screwdriver make this chore go pretty quickly. But as far as cleaning cases by hand, IMHO, that went out with buggy whips.

The vibratory cleaners aren't that expensive, BTW. The sooner you get one, the happier you'll be. And the more time you'll save.

November 10, 2005, 01:02 AM	#4
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Before I got my $5 tumbler (that once was an ice cream maker from the thrift shop) I used to us steel wool, or a "curley kate cloth", and just clean them by hand. Works fine. And for a revolver, yeah, I think you could go a couple of firings between cleanings. But then you'd have to clean your dies more often, and I'm not sure that's easier. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

November 10, 2005, 12:52 PM	#7
Foxman Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2005 Posts: 466	If you mix 25-30% white vinegar ( def not cider!) with hot water ( not boiling) and put brass in for 15- 20 mins with an occasional shake they will come out clean. They wont be shiney but dull clean brass colored. I know bucks might be tight but Midway have sales on their vibratory tumblers and you should pick one up for around $40.00 ish some corn cob media and the rcbs powder polish works very well for me you only need a thumbnail full in the corn cob every so often so it last a long time. This will give you nice clean cases everytime. Even more so if you do ten mins in the hot vinegar water before and let em dry, first. __________________ Better the man suspected of being a fool keep his mouth shut, than to open it and remove all doubt.

November 11, 2005, 07:39 PM	#11
bjmanersr Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Tennessee by way of AL. Posts: 161	I reloaded for 5 years before I baught a tumbler Now i cleam um every 3 or 4 times for the pistols.Dont know about rifles though. __________________ B J Maner sr

November 15, 2005, 10:24 AM	#14
blob Member Join Date: July 7, 2005 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 32	cleaning brass I have found that if you don't clean the inside of the case, especially when changing powders, there will be a substanial amount of burnt residue left in the case. If you want to see just how much, shoot a few rounds and then place the cases in plain old alcohol. Leave them there for a few minutes, an hour, overnight, etc. Then take each case filled with alcohol and place your fingers over the neck opening and the primer hole and shake the case. Then empty the case into the container. After doing a few you will see the whole bottom covered with left over burnt debris. Leaving this in the case changes several things. Case capcity and the powder burning rate depending upon the powder. I have cleaned cases in plain rubbing alcohol swabbing out the inside with a q tip and the burnt residue in the primer hole softens and can be removed with a q tip also. But since I am using my lee collet die I clean all the necks with 000 steel wool, resize the neck. trim if necessary and put them in the tumbler for a few hours to clean the inside, then clean the primer hole. I have found, for myself anyway, that using the collet die, getting the inside cleaned well and cleaning the primer hole has shrunk the groups down a lot. the only draw back on using Alcohol, and it does a fantastic job of cleaning, is making sure all of it is evaporated before loading.

November 15, 2005, 01:21 PM	#15
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Brass cleaning Like many, I resist getting a new gizmo for a long while, just because it is new. And like many, having finally gotten the new gizmo, often I wonder why I resisted so long. This was certainly true in my case for the vibratory tumbler, using dry corncob as a cleaning/polishing medium. For many years, I cleaned my brass by hand, one at a time. And used alcohol, like Blob. It evaporates more readily than water. But no more--It is an unnecessary, time-consuming hassle. I do clean primer pockets by hand when they get really cruddy--Lyman markets a "Power Deburr Accessory Set" that includes a primer pocket cleaner--That and a power screwdriver make this chore go pretty quickly. But as far as cleaning cases by hand, IMHO, that went out with buggy whips. The vibratory cleaners aren't that expensive, BTW. The sooner you get one, the happier you'll be. And the more time you'll save. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

November 9, 2005, 08:33 PM	#1
357shooter Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2005 Location: upstate new york Posts: 111	cleaning cases without a tumbler? Is there a good way to clean your cases if you do not have a tumbler? It is on my list of things to get but it may take a while.If there is,do you have to clean the cases every time you reload?These are 44.and45.colt cases.or can you skip cleaning them a couple times?I have reloaded the 44. cases a few times,and I tried to clean them by shaking them in a container with detergent,then in a vineger solution,this is how the local gun shop guy said to go about it. __________________ shooter....

November 9, 2005, 08:49 PM	#2
Olaf Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2005 Location: not from Svalbard Posts: 346	Technically, it is not necessary to clean your cases, especially inside. All I do is use steel wool on the outside, lightly, then use an old brass bore brush on the inside of the neck (bottlenose rifle cartridges). Tumbling is not really necessary, nor is cleaning in some sort of solution. I realise that this will likely be taken as heresy by some, but, tumbling or soaking really does nothing, except make the cases pretty. Having said that, if you wish to clean them.... by soaking/ agitation, there are companies which make solutions for this. Iosso makes a kit, which if used with a resealable plastic bucket, can be used to clean thousands of cases. If I were you (and IF I chose to worry about cleaning the inside of my cases)...I would look into this. I'm sure that there are similar products available, as well.

November 9, 2005, 11:28 PM	#3
918v Junior member Join Date: September 25, 2005 Posts: 1,372	Soak them in vinegar, then clean the insides with a wooden-shaft q-tip. They will look like virgin brass.

November 10, 2005, 08:24 AM	#6
hivel37 Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2004 Location: Hill Country Posts: 522	If you use Iosso, read and follow the directions carefully. It's good stuff. Another good thing is Nevr-Dull, sold in a round silver can in Wal Mart's automotive department. I use it alot, especially on the necks of bottle-neck cases.

November 10, 2005, 07:30 PM	#8
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	Granted I only just started reloading several months ago, but it seems to me that the only reason you should clean your brass is to ensure it has no grit on it that might scratch your sizer die. Mike

November 11, 2005, 02:02 PM	#10
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	If your cases never hit the ground, they will never need to be cleaned. Ugly don't affect how they shoot. Even if they have hit the ground and picked up a bit of grit, it ain't much of a concern with carbide dies. I have sometimes cleaned tarnished cases with dilute vinegar, cider vinegar at that. Won't do it often because I am more concerned with the effects of repeated acid treatment than I am with dull cases.

November 12, 2005, 11:55 PM	#12
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	What about a big plastic bowl with a lid throw in some media and cases and put it in the back of your truck for a while.

November 14, 2005, 01:33 AM	#13
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	If you really want to clean your brass, why not ? A knit bag full of brass hung in the dish washer does a decent job of it ... de-prime first helps with drainage. Barring that, I see no problem with boiling a few minutes in soapy water. Why not clean your brass ... it is just plain what your mother would want you to do. Hook686