cleaning cartridges

[Denn0001]

Anyone blow out their casings with compressed air after they've been through the vibratory cleaner? I am considering getting a small compressor like you use for an airbrush or just canned air. I figure that should remove any leftover media from the casing.:

 

[Levi Garrett]

Outdoors, even wanna be careful with the tumbler, that dust is not good for ya, not to panic, just use common sense

 

[horseman2]

Yes. Works great. Point the case like a rifle - pieces of crushed walnut stick in the flash hole and are rocketing when they come loose.

 

[Denn0001]

Thanks guys. just curious. Guess i'll get one of those little airbrush compressors. They are small, reasonably quiet and put out abou 25-35psi. That should blow the crap out.

 

[jimbubba]

I just use a custom bent paper clip,look,and poke out any media left in the flash hole.

 

[shootist22-250]

Have been using compressed air for years to get the dust out of cases.
The method also works very well for drying cases. I dry mine after annealing and cooling by dumping them into a water tray.

 

[The Cold Lake Kid]

I just tumble mine then decap and resize.
The decapping process will clean out any media stuck in the flash hole.
I never thought about dust etc left in the case.
Has anyone any info on how that would/could affect performance?
Regarding tumbling and the inherent danger of lead exposure etc, I run mine outside if possible. I also seal the top with a plastic bag and use latex gloves when I'm handling the cases and media when I'm emptying the tumbler.

 

[Obtunded]

...as long as the compressor is an oil-less type. oilt-type compressors can leave a fine oil film in the cases.

Personally, i ultrasonic clean and use a compressor to dry them after.

 

[easyrider604]

Anyone blow out their casings with compressed air after they've been through the vibratory cleaner? I am considering getting a small compressor like you use for an airbrush or just canned air. I figure that should remove any leftover media from the casing.:

Why bother with blowing out cleaning media. Too time consuming. You can get a Dillon media separator or simply dump the media and brass onto a big colander and stir. If you wish, with bottle neck brass like rifle casings, you can tap each casing, mouth down, on a piece of wood too. As long as your media is dry, it should flow out easily.

Any media caught in the primer flash hole will be pushed out by the decapper pin anyways.

 

[Denn0001]

How do I get the lube off my finished cartridges. Just a soft cloth I'm guessing. Would not removing the lube affect the chambering and cleanliness of the rifle, in this case an M4?

 

[ILoveBigRacks]

Seems a split here - as a bit of an aside, how many of you tumble before decapping/sizing and how many do it after?

 

[Levi Garrett]

size then clean for me.

 

[500 ss bob]

clean first then size,wipe lube off with soft cloth. i use lee lube,it wipes off really easy.

 

[Denn0001]

Thanks. I will be using Lee lubricant. I just want factory looking rounds and I don't want gunk in my M4 chamber and barrel.

 

[kimzter]

size then clean for me

 

[The Cold Lake Kid]

Clean then size for me.
Most of my stuff lands on a fine sand range floor.
I use carbide pistol dies for all my handgun cartridges.
Only the rifle cases get lubed and if I could obtain carbide rifle dies, I would.
Just lazy I guess.

 

[jimbubba]

Can't be too clean...

After many years of doing it each way,I now tumble clean,lube and resize/deprime,rinse in hot water to get rid of most of the lube,air dry,then tumble again.

After tumbling,I inspect each case and pick grit out of the flash hole if necessary.

I use walnut impregnated with red jewellers rouge.I don't want to kill it off prematurely by tumbling lubed cases in it,though it will do it.

Sounds tedious,and it is,but I end up with sparkly finished ammo.It leaves a bit of the jewellers rouge residue behind in and on the final finish,but I don't see that as a problem.My brass ends up very bright.

I disassemble and clean my dies periodically too.