Question about my brass (reloading virgin)

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YoungGunz

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So my .338lapua is bankrupting me and I know I have to start reloading soon so I've been collecting my brass after every outing. I don't have the cash to buy the equipment quite yet so I'm just stockpiling all my spent casings. I've got about 400 lying around and by next spring, when I should have my equipment, some of the brass will be coming up on 2 years old. I'm just wondering if the brass will still be good if I haven't cleaned out all the residue after shooting them over a year ago? Also they're sellior and bellet (or however you spell it), are they ok for reloading?

Thanks guys :wave:
 
You can scrub em by hand but that's a waste of time.

Most reloaders use a vibratory cleaner with some type of gritty polishing media to clean all the crap off of cases and polish em up like new.

This also allows you to run a nice clean case through your dies which is preferable.
 
YoungGunz said:
S I'm just wondering if the brass will still be good if I haven't cleaned out all the residue after shooting them over a year ago?
Click to expand...

Just throw them in a zip-lock bag and they will still be good to go 25 years from now.

Yes, SB cases can be reloaded just like any other brass case.
 
If you can't afford a vibrator, throw em in a bucket with some sort of media, even fine washed gravel and drive around for a few days, take a dirt road or 2. Rinse, dry, load.
 
The outside can be cleaned with fine steel wool but its more labour intensive than a tumbler or ultrasonic. I trim with Lee trimmers and chuck the lock stud up in a hand drill which speeds things up considerably. A $2 box of fine steel wool will last the rest of your life and does a nice job polishing the cases. Its probably one of the best cheap options for cleaning brass. Your brass will be just fine sitting so long as its not exposed to extreme moisture. Even then if it tarnishes you just clean it back up. My dad still has .30-06 handloads from the 80's that are still good, your brass has a while before it returns to the earth lol.
 
A quick twist in some steel wool will get all the carbon and dirt off, if you're worried.
The carbon won't hurt anything, and so long as they are dry, should store well for decades.

For the price of a couple of boxes of ammo, you could get started reloading.
It doesn't have to be expensive to get going, and you don't need all the gadgets right off the bat.
Press, dies, caliper, scale and a manual or three, and the rest can be worked around or improvised.

Read lots and go slowly, you'd be suprised how simple reloading really is.
We all tend to argue and fixate on the minutiae, but the process is pretty simple.
 
They should be fine in storage as is. If you rather them looking nice and clean, you can soak them in a homemade cleaning solution (useable in an Ultrasonic as well), agitating every once in a while:

1 quart water
1 cup vinegar
1 tblsp salt
1 tblsp dish soap

Rinse in some fresh water after or as another CGNer mentioned in another thread, a baking soda and water solution.
 
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