Brake Cleaner to remove case lube from brass?

harbl_the_cat

harbl_the_cat

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Is it safe/ok to use brake cleaner to remove case lubricant from your brass?

I'm under the impression case lube could contaminate your powder and cause squibs/misfire if the ammo is left in prolonged storage.

I typically tumble my rifle brass after resizing it to remove the lube (.223, 7.62x39, .308 only) - but I figured the lube gets left behind in the tumbling media, so this time, I tried spraying my brass and the media with a bit of brake cleaner along with a few dryer sheets. The brass comes out pretty clean - but I'm not sure if the brake cleaner could also contaminate my powder.

Any thoughts?
 
Personally I would not do that. Although the possibility is very rare there may be a residue left in the inside of the case.This sets up a potential for a possible reaction between the powder and the residue. But like I said I think the chance is remote.

I also run my brass through the tumbler after sizing to remove lube. I use untreated walnut and change it after it has done a couple hundred cases. I don't have a very large tumbler and I bought a 50lb bag from a sandblasting supply store a few years back for $40. I've barely made a dent in it so the cost of changing my media often is very little. This ensures I am not using lube contaminated media that may end up inside the casing. Thirty plus years of reloading and I have had exactly one cartridge not go bang at the right time.

I forgot to put powder in the casing DOH......:bangHead:
 
I would just stick to tumbling. Too much brake cleaner can't be a good thing (anything that works that well has to be bad for you). By the time you're done shaking it there won't be any meaningful amount of lube left. You can always wash your brass in hot soapy water, dry and then tumble, if you're concerned about getting every last bit of lube off. Plus you get the added satisfaction of saying that you are the most anal-retentive of all your gun-nut friends.
 
It takes a tremendous amount of anything to "deactivate" primer compound. I wouldn't be concerned at all, even if you don't tumble.
 
unforgivenx said:
personally i wouldnt use brake cleaner at all..... :O

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

if that short read doesn't convince you, then go right ahead fella.
Click to expand...

I do not know when this article was written, and I am not saying that BrakeClean is harmless, but the Chlorinated content is long gone from any Brake Clean that is sold in Canada, due to it's Ozone depleting potential.
I would still not be spraying it on anything in a confined area where you are breathing it in.
The way the stuff is formulated today, It cannot produce deadly Phosgene gas.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Eagleye said:
I do not know when this article was written, and I am not saying that BrakeClean is harmless, but the Chlorinated content is long gone from any Brake Clean that is sold in Canada, due to it's Ozone depleting potential.
Click to expand...

Think again. I work at a Carquest car parts store and the brake cleaner we sell under Carquest's own brand name comes in 2 varieties - our regular variety that contains Tetrachloroethylene, and a non-chlorinated variety.

Here's a link to the MSDS for the regular, chlorinated stuff:
http://starequip.com/pdf/msds_sheets/Carquest_Brake_Kleen_1005.pdf
 
I have been using the methyl hydrate trick for over 25 yrs, cases are dry within a couple mins of being wiped clean!! I use a plastic tobacco can with a couple of small rags in it and drop a couple of ounces in it, put he lid on tight and it is always ready to be used !!
 
I have a sleeve from an old flannel shirt. Drop the cases in, soak with lighter fluid, grab each end and shake! Dump the cases out and wait a few minutes for the lighter fluid to evaporate - clean as clean can be. When the shirt sleeve gets grungy, it goes into the washer.

That said, I got sick of the green-pad mess and switched to Imperial sizing die wax some years ago - so little is required that cleanup is generally unnecessary. The wax comes off during the remainder of the loading process.
 
May I suggest not using lube at all?

I have been using Imperial Sizing Die Wax for years, with very good results. Just the most minute wipe on the case exterior will guarantee smooth operation. One little can lasts practically forever. Plus, since it isn't gooey, it won't migrate inside the case. The result is there is no need to clean the cases afterwards, though I do give them a quick wipe with an old t-shirt just because.

l_749001052_1.jpg
 
fnrob said:
Think again. I work at a Carquest car parts store and the brake cleaner we sell under Carquest's own brand name comes in 2 varieties - our regular variety that contains Tetrachloroethylene, and a non-chlorinated variety.

Here's a link to the MSDS for the regular, chlorinated stuff:
http://starequip.com/pdf/msds_sheets/Carquest_Brake_Kleen_1005.pdf
Click to expand...

My bad!! Guess that should have read: Any Brake Cleaner sold in Canada
SHOULD NOT contain any chlorinated solvents, rather than DOES NOT.
However, I am curious as to how they get away with that. Tetrachloroethylene is a ODS, as well as it has high GWP. Here such refrigerants as R12 are off the market, but spray solvents that are actually worse continue to be sold!
Some watchdog is sleeping on the job, for sure. Regards, Eagleye.
 
I have used Red Stallion brake parts cleaner to remove case lube and clean guns. Red Stallion and Würth brand are ok but some brands, possibly the Klean Flo or one of the Carquests can melt some plastics. I found this out when cleaning oil from new dies and the die box melted. So like everything says test on a small area first.

I usually use RCBS Case Lube 2 on a pad or Imperial wax and have used any Amsoil motor oil. I wipe off by hand or tumble if I have a lot to clean after.
 
How much case lube are you guy's using? It takes such a light coating. Sometimes every second or third case I don't put any lube on.

Lightly lube, re-size and whip with paper towel or rag.
 
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