Cleaning oil / greasy residue from cases....

T

theycallmeike

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I have been cranking out .223 for my ARs and my last 2 batches have been covered in a sticky film after wet tumbling. My usual procedure is a quick wet tumble with out pins to clean the outside. Dry, small base resize, trim to length then a full wet tumble with pins. I have been fairly light with the case lube and I'm using the Lymans spray. Usually they come out super shiny but not these. I can wipe them off with a rag but I have thousands to prep for next season. Is it ok to use varsol or a similar cleaner to remove the mess then wet tumble with the pins?

I just got the Dillon case lube. Is that less likely to cause this issue?

Any help would be appreciated as my brass prep is starting to slow down
 
I deprime, then wet tumble, then do brass prep. I have never heard of cases coming out with any residue on them when using wet tumbling.
 
Use hotter than hot water with a little dish soap and ss pins. I would be very hesitant to tumble with varsol or a parts cleaner because of the mess and stink. Maybe try a tiny bit more citric acid or even replace your citric acid source with lemon juice as a citric acid source.

I experimented with using vinegar and salt solution for the acid, and you have to be REALLY FAST to save the brass, but it works really well to removing tarnish, waxes and oils. If left too long the muriatic acid resulting form Acetic Acid, Salt and free hydrogen reacts quickly with the brass to make copper(II)sulfate resulting in a small loss of copper and a different tarnish. (like the brighten a penny experiment you may have done in elementry school).

After reloading you could consider rolling the cartridges accross a rag with a touch of cleaner to remove the case lube residue.
 
What are you using for detergent? I use Dawn and tide with Lemi shine, works great. When I used no name laundry soap and no name dish soap, all the brass came out with a clear white film. The pins even looked dull, used dawn and tide with Lemi shine everyting came out super shiney.
 
I've been using Sunlight dish soap..... with lemishine

I just varsoled them in the parts washer at work and it took the goo off them. Hit them with some brake clean as well for good measure. I will wet tumble with pins again and see what happens.
 
Last edited:
theycallmeike said:
I've been using Sunlight dish soap..... with lemishine

I just varsoled them in the parts washer at work and it took the goo off them. Hit them with some brake clean as well for good measure. I will wet tumble with pins again and see what happens.
Click to expand...

Haha I was using sunlight and it left a film of dull but slippery something on the pins, brass, and the pan I dry my brass and pinS in.
 
theycallmeike said:
I have been cranking out .223 for my ARs and my last 2 batches have been covered in a sticky film after wet tumbling. My usual procedure is a quick wet tumble with out pins to clean the outside. Dry, small base resize, trim to length then a full wet tumble with pins. I have been fairly light with the case lube and I'm using the Lymans spray. Usually they come out super shiny but not these. I can wipe them off with a rag but I have thousands to prep for next season. Is it ok to use varsol or a similar cleaner to remove the mess then wet tumble with the pins?

I just got the Dillon case lube. Is that less likely to cause this issue?

Any help would be appreciated as my brass prep is starting to slow down
Click to expand...

1. Deprime, normal wet tumble with pins, dry then size, you want the pins to scrub the cases "BEFORE" sizing. You have a AR15 rifle that throws perfectly good brass away and it lands on the ground and picks up dirt and grit that can scratch your dies and cases.

2. Switch case lubes to a water soluble type or go back to your old case lube that didn't cause your problem.

NOTE: The very reason I went to wet tumbling was to clean the cases fired from my semiautos that land on the ground and keep my dies from getting dirt and grit embedded in them.
 
i clean the case lube (lee's case lube mixed 1:20 with isopropyl alcohol) off the cases with a few splashes of mineral spirits onto an old rag or towel. i put 50 rounds in the towel and fold it in half then shake it side to side for 30 seconds or so.
 
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