Case cleaning question

Joel

Joel

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Not too sure on this, so I figured I would ask the guys who know...

When you clean cases, either tumbling or ultrasonic, do you do it once before you run it through the deprime/size die and then once again after that?

I've read that built up dirt can damage dies in time, but I see a lot of unprimed brass gettin cleaned...Should I just buff it real quick with steel wool on the zip trim and then deprime/size it and then clean it?

Thanks!
 
I always tumble before resizing. Just cleans the crap off and helps keep the dies from getting scratched up or fouled with crap. Then I tumble again after sizing to get rid of whatever lube I was using. Then I have nice clean cases to work with.
 
If I want really clean cases, I deprime them before ultrasonic cleaning. Thus the primer pocket will also be cleaned. I use a usual neck size die to deprime it, but the trick is not to force the lever up to the end - just to push the primer out. Afler cleaning the cases are sized.
You may also tumble them with primers and size them the usual way after. But you will have to clean the primer pocket manually.
There's no strict rule, it's up to you. The only rule is not to force too dirty case too deep into a die.
 
I like to deprime before running through my ultrasonic. I use a Lee universal decapping die so that I don't run any risk of scratching my sizing dies with dirty cases.

This way, the first run through the ultrasonic (15min) with my homemade cleaner (soap, vinegar, water), really cleans up the primer cavity. I then lube with Lee case lube and resize. The Lee lube is water-based, so it justs takes 1min through the ultrasonic with water and a bit of soap to leave the cases super-clean.

I clean and size my cases in advance whenever I have a pile lying around. I then find the actual act of reloading more relaxing.
 
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