Clean Brass

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Ralph124c41

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How nice the brass looks I say to myself whenever I load new cartridges. Perhaps I should buy a tumbler and clean everything. Then the reality of the additional work and expense sets in and the thought gets shelved.

Is there any quantifiable advantage in cleaning brass or is the prime benefit simply the warm feeling that you have the cleanest brass on the line?
 
As far as I can tell, no, there isn't much need. I don't think it's a bad idea to tumble it to get some of the crud out but those that use SS and wet media aren't gaining any advantages to having really bright, clean brass with the expection that SS does clean out the primer pockets pretty damn good.

That being said, I also dig the shiny brass and will also one day get into SS tumbling but for now, I just use a regular tumbler with dry media.
 
Its always better to get the crud off of your brass prior to reloading :) the warm feeling you get is just the side effect of clean brass. Your rifle or pistol will thank you :)
 
I believe clean brass is easier on dies and allows flaws to be more easily seen.

Spotless primer pockets aid in primer seating.

Those are my reasons for cleaning my brass
 
I shot thousands of rounds of rifle loads with nothing more than a quick wipe with a rag with brakeclean to take the case lube off. Didn't even know enough to clean primer pockets, they all went bang, and from what I could tell the bullets all went where they were aimed. What it is, is much faster and efficient when loading hundreds of rounds at a time and when doing this for several rifles as well. I vibrate my cases solely to remove the case lube and a little polishing, but I don't care when the media starts to wear out and doesn't bring them like new. I do now, clean primer pockets each load and of course pick the media out of every flash hole, which is why I'm considering a SS tumbler to save more time and decrease the labor factor.
 
For the first 30 years I never had or used a tumbler. Now that i have one, I tumble range pick up brass. Not so much to make it pretty, but to get the dirt off and out of the cases.

Then I lube and deprime and load the brass and then tumble again for an hour to get the lube off the loaded ammo.

I find the sizing goes smoother with clean brass.
 
I do not think there is one down side except maybe expense to cleaning your brass. I would think it has to be better for a person's dies and for that matter the chamber of your guns. How long it might take to hurt either would I am sure be only guess's.

As to saving time C-Fbmi you will be disapointed if you go to the stainless steel pins. They do a better job but they will only add time to your job. The way to save time is to buy a very fine grain Walnut media to use in your tumbler and then you will not have any primer pockets to clean out.

Graydog
 
I don't tumble every time I reload a batch, only if it's range brass or pretty grungy. Things like neck splits and other defects tend to be a bit easier to spot when the brass is clean.

Besides, clean brass makes for more accurate ammo.... ;-})
 
I tumble first initially and then around every fourth reload just to clean the insides out a bit. Clean brass, I notice is slightly easier to run through the dies and better for the rifles chambers I am sure. Yes, dirty filthy brass will still reload and shoot, it all comes down to how much you care, some do and some don't, each to their own. My reloading time is quality time for me so I will make the most of it and make my brass look as new.
 
Well, the idea that one must have shiny, super-clean brass must have originated with the manufacturers/marketers of Cleaning equipment. ;)

For 2½ decades, I loaded all my ammo without any tumbler/other cleaning device. It all worked fine, and I am still using the 30-06 dies
I originally purchased in 1964, so I did not do my dies any harm, obviously.

But, I always wiped my brass carefully before lubing/sizing.
Range brass with some exterior tarnish was treated with steel wool. [Fine, then extra fine].

Cleaning primer pockets is largely a waste of time, unless you are shooting long range targets or bench rest.

If you must clean them each firing...go for it!! Myself, for hunting ammo, I tumble every 4/5th firing.

BTW, I do have two Vibratory tumblers, and I will occasionally clean my brass, either with Walnut or treated Corncob.
But I have better things to do with my time than clean every firing.

One little thing I do, though, is immediately after firing a round at the range, I take some steel wool and wipe the
carbon off the outside of the neck. This stuff becomes increasingly difficult to remove the longer you leave it on.

Whatever you decide though, is entirely up to you. I do not believe that being anal about cleaning is bad, just a bit of overkill, possibly. :) :)

Regards, Eagleye.
 
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