How do you clean out your 223 cases?

[bdft]

Now that I've finally got my Renegade up and running, I need to start reloading 223. I threw a bunch from today in the vibratory tumbler and every case is packed full of medium. Every case had to be dumped out and tapped on something to get all the medium out. When I was done there was medium everywhere. There has to be a better way.

 

[TacticalTeacher]

Finer sieve, or smalle sieve/particle size ?
I just switched to a smaller sized of crushed walnut media. Some folks go straight to stainless pins with liquid solution media or wet tumbling. Get what works for you and your: game/budget/price point/comfort level/cool factor Heh Heh Heh...

All the Best!!

Peace Be To Journey!

 

[hobit]

Wet tumbling with SS pins after decapping works great for me.

 

[Deathrawt]

I wet tumble but don’t use the pins
The pins like to get stuck in 223 cases
Just let it tumble for a little longer and it gets them clean enough

 

[bdft]

The problem isn't getting them clean, it's getting the medium out of their little tiny narrow cases.

 

[Gatehouse]

Use a rotary spinner to remove media

 

[B]

I use a SS tumbler with pins. In the tens of thousands I have loaded I haven't had any errant pins present any noticeable issues. I wash, rinse and dry then move on. There is enough handling to have all the pins remove themselves unless you skip brass inspection which is pretty stupid.

 

[back40sniper]

I have never had this happen, I mean I have had some cases with medium in them but not packed in. What are you using for medium?
Maybe try emptying tumbler, put cases back in and running it to see if medium vibrates loose.

 

[maynard]

I use extra fine untreated corn cob media. With the vibrating tumbler still on, I scoop the cases out with a plastic slotted kitchen spoon. Then hold the cases against the inside of the tumbler bowl and let the media vibrate itself out.

 

[IvoB]

^^^this^^^

 

[silverfoxdj]

Wet tumbling with SS pins after decapping works great for me.

Same here but use a small Tumbler for fewer cases

 

[thump_rrr]

SS Pins then spun in the RCBS Media Separator full of water.

 

[Chilly807]

If you want to try something different, an ultrasonic cleaner works well for me. Hot water, a squirt of Dawn dish soap, and a teaspoon of Lemishine does the job.
I don't do 223, but I don't think the smaller cases would make any difference.

 

[yomomma]

I use crushed walnut and only had the odd flash hole that had something stuck in it.

 

[JIMMY 808]

Haven’t cleaned cases in years.

Seems a redundant step

 

[Janeau]

This. No need to get anything else.
Dillon CV500.

Got the CV2000 - 40 years ago. Strong unit. You will never wear it out the CV500 either.

 

[.30/06 FTW]

I wet tumble and cleaned several thousand pieces of .223 for my buddy and maybe twice did I have pins stuck in the case.

 

[hend238]

Did you add any brass polish liquid? Add too much of it? That can cake things up quite a bit and will pack nice and tightly into your cases. I tumble cases with corn cob media before I resize/deprime. That way it prevents media from jamming in the flash holes and you won't be running a dirty case into your resizing die. Years ago I switch from dumping the contents of the tumbler through a sifter and into a bucket to using a rotary separator. A rotary separator gets 100% of the media out 100% of the time. It changed my life. I've often considered the SS steel pin method but I don't want the extra step of drying the cases.

 

[Boomer686]

Finer sieve, or smalle sieve/particle size ? I just switched to a smaller sized of crushed walnut media......

This will fix your issue. Media is available in different sizes. The walnut media I use for 223 is almost as fine as beach sand. No issue with it sticking anywhere.....

 

[Lefty Dick]

Walnut (sand) blasting media!