Question about case cleaning.

JPainter

JPainter

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Hi Guys,

I am a soon to be new guy to reloading. My .40 consumption has skyrocketed so I put an order in to Dillon for an entry level SQB setup and most all the trimmings. However, they listed what I needed to start reloading, and "nice things to have" . Suffice it to say I got what I "needed" and that leaves me at present without a vibratory case cleaner. What methods are available to effectively clean cases without such a contraption, I am sure reloading was done without these before?

Thanks.

Stupid questions are better than stupid mistakes.

Cheers! And all the best.
Jeff
 
I use Birchwood Casey's Cartridge Brass Cleaning Solution; one bottle of concentrate makes many reusable solutions. Soak the cases in the hot solution for about 20 min, drain, rinse with hot tap water, then into the oven at 70C for an hour or so.
 
A friend of mine up north just wiped his cases down with a very light amount of the same Hoppes gun oil he uses after cleaning his guns. Seems to work out ok.

I saw Lyman vibratory cleaners for $89-ish (don't recall which model) at Williams Arms not too long ago, so they can be had for a reasonable cost.
 
thecollector said:
I use Birchwood Casey's Cartridge Brass Cleaning Solution; one bottle of concentrate makes many reusable solutions. Soak the cases in the hot solution for about 20 min, drain, rinse with hot tap water, then into the oven at 70C for an hour or so.
Click to expand...

After you make your first batch, you can use over and over again. Just make sure you keep in a plastic container with a tight lid, and you can use it cold as well. I use it to get the sizing off my rifle cases, but if you have carbide dies for your pistol, this won't be an issue.

Cheers
Dean
 
I started without a case claener and just kept using the brass. I did go out and buy a case cleaner and use it all the time but am not sure why. Case cleaners (vibratory at least) will not clean the inside of the case. So unless it is the need for clean brass on the outside then it is not really necessary.
 
Sometimes you can find inexpensive rock polishers at garage sales. Clean all the residual rock polishing stuff out them and use corn cob or walnut animal litter from the pet store.
 
Actually, I find washing cases in a 5gal pail with chemical cleaner is a lot faster and easier than tumbling. Or I'll use my ultrasonic cleaner, which cleans them far better than any tumbler I've ever used (but does not polish.) Only takes 20 minutes at MOST to clean - just dump 'em in, and go watch TV for a while. I decap before cleaning so the primer pockets get cleaned. And no poking media out of flash holes either.


I only ever tumble if the brass is in really rough condition, scratches, etc. Like range pick-up brass
 
Before I got a tumbler, I'd put 25-30 cases into a work sock, tie the top with a few rubber bands, and throw them in the clothes washer with the heavy stuff, ie: jeans, towels, sheets, etc. They'd also go in the dryer but they made a racket as they thumped around.

Of course, my wife wasn't too pleased but I had clean brass.

John

PS: If you do this, make sure that you use a few rubber bands or you'll end up with brass in the strangest places.
 
You can make your own cleaning solution with 5% citric acid (buy it inp owder form from health food stores) and a splash of Dawn detergent. Dawn contains no ammonia - some detergents apparently do.

This is much cheaper than the commercial cleaners and is the same thing anyway.

I decap and run a bunch of cases in a mesh bag, dump them in the bucket with the solution and agitate a bit and bingo. To dry spread then out on an old t-shirt in the basement next to the furnace.
 
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