Hello Gents,

I'm just starting to make plans to start reloading some of my pistol ammo. The more I read about it the more involved it becomes in terms of equipment that needs to be purchased. I don't plan on reloading more than 50 to 100 rounds at a time so buying all the gagets doesn't seem to make sense. I just want to save some money on the obsolete pistol ammo that I use namely .32 S&W long and .38S&W. One of the things I want your opinions on is skipping the tumbler for case cleaning in favor of a liquid cleaner. One of the down sides of this process is the acid based liquids weakening the cases. My question is how many reloads will I safely get cleaning cases this way?

Thanks

Topbreak

Don't have to clean them period. If you see one with a little schmutz on it you can wipe it off on your shirttail.

Hello Gents,

I'm just starting to make plans to start reloading some of my pistol ammo. The more I read about it the more involved it becomes in terms of equipment that needs to be purchased. I don't plan on reloading more than 50 to 100 rounds at a time so buying all the gagets doesn't seem to make sense. I just want to save some money on the obsolete pistol ammo that I use namely .32 S&W long and .38S&W. One of the things I want your opinions on is skipping the tumbler for case cleaning in favor of a liquid cleaner. One of the down sides of this process is the acid based liquids weakening the cases. My question is how many reloads will I safely get cleaning cases this way?

Thanks

Topbreak

Know I've mentioned the old NRA case cleaner before, but it's been awhile.

Plastic container...cheap gallon water bottles work fine.

a beat up old pot to heat the liquid in

gallon of white vinegar..go to Big Lots or SAM's, vinegar is vinegar

dash of dawn dish washing liquid (or landry detergent)

tea spoon of salt

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Add a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water in your geat up old pot...about 1quart of each to make a 1/2 gallon.

Add the salt and soap

Heat until it just starts to boil.

Add your cases...just be sure they are covered by the liquid.

Let it set...every time you pass by, give it a stir. How long? Depends on how dirty/stained; can be as short or long as you'd care for as it will not damage the brass.

Once clean, pour off the liquid into the plastic container to save for reuse. Stuff doesn't go bad, can be reused many times.

Rince the cases in running water for 10-15min. How water (tap-hot) is best as it will make them dry faster.

Spread out the cases to dry.
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Do they come out bright and polished?...no. They come out (1) clean and (2) with the look of GI issued brass, bright and clean, but not buffed.

Agree with KenK - no need to do much more to handgun cases other than wipe the contaminants off the outside and maybe the primer pockets if you're real fussy.

Worst thing about these cases is neck splits eventually due to the flaring and crimping activities which work harden the mouths.

Yup! Pretty don't shoot better than ugly.
Cheezywan

Another suggestion for low volume loaders is to use the Lee Trimmer (the bottom part that holds the case) and spin them in a drill or drill press with some steel wool. Nice shiny cases, you can even polish them if you want and not much time, materials or tools invested.

I've always wondered why anyone thinks brass needs to be cleaned. :rolleyes: In 40 years of reloading, I haven't seen a need to clean/tumble the first case. Normally the resizing lube on rifle brass will keep it from corroding, so it just gets a patina. If you shoot a handgun that doesn't throw the brass in the dirt, all you have to do is wipe it down with a rag (shirttail).

This fastest and simplest way I have found to clean cases (and it cleans them well) is put them in a large plastic bottle or pail, cover with enough really hot water to cover them plus one more inch. Add a small squirt of Dawn dish detergent and two to four tablesspoons of concentrated lemon juice. Stir or shake vigorously for a few minutes and then let sit for an hour. Dump, rinse thoroughly, and spread to dry on a towel. They come out looking like they have been tumbler polshed. Works best to deprime first and then primer pockets will get cleaned too. Don't let anybody tell you that the acid in the lemon juice will weaken the cases. My Dad worked in a metallurgy lab and that story is BS. You stand more of a chance of being struck by lightning. I Have been cleaning my brass this way for years and have had zero cases failures.

I was intimidated at first over the multitude of items and cost of reloading. When I first got started I talked to a number of locals to see exactly what I needed. A tumbler or cleaner was never mentioned. For the most part I use my shirt tail to wipe off what will come off, makes my wife go ballistic, no pun intended. My cleaning consists of cleaning the primer seat area and the flash hole. I inspect the cases carefully for any wear, bulges etc. Most any flaws can be seen without cleaning the cases. You may be surprised at what you can get by without and still do a good, safe job. Things that you really need can be found at local flea markets, ebay etc. My only advice is to know what you are willing to pay and not go over that price. Secondly, make sure the items are in the best shape possible.

Good Luck

Brad
Hebrews 10:39

I reloaded for years b4 I got my tumbler. I agree it's not really necessary, just makes 'em look shinier. I'm just compulsive that way.

Only thing that's really needed is to get grit off the cases prior to sizing so the cases & dies don't get scratched. Wiping is usually enuf.

You mentioned only straight-walled cases in your post. Get carbide dies for them, and then you won't have to lube them, and won't have to worry about removing the lube after sizing! I've replaced all my steel dies with carbide cuz they're so much easier to work with.

The main reasons to clean pistol brass are to make it standout when ejected into grass or onto a carpet of aging .22 LR cases, and also to get sand and grit off so it doesn't scar your sizing die. If you only shoot revolvers and don't do speed loading drills that require you to dump the cases on the ground, I don't see why you'd want to bohter cleaning them?

Nick

I have used the liquid cleaning method outlined above. It works nicely. It does not weaken the brass. Some of mine cleaned that way has gone on to 8 reloads currently.

I bought a tumbler. Why? Because Im lazy. There I said it. Now you can all admit the same since I went first. No, really, this way I can spend time reloading while the tumbler cleans decapped brass for me. Now I can reload more and shoot more, costing me more money for components. :D That way I have more brass to decap and put into the tumbler for me to reload. Its a vicious circle. :D

I bought a tumbler. Why? Because Im lazy. :DWell. . . then I must be TWICE as lazy as you 'cause I have TWO (2) II, tumblers. One for walnut, the other for corn media. Before that used to wipe cases with my wife's dishtowels. Got my bottom singed when she found out. Now everything is peaceful again. 50-100 cases or not, IMHO, sooner or later a tumbler is going to start looking awfully desireable.

Cases do get dirty and greasy after a few loads. I have a tumbler mainly for the rifle loads. Using Hornandy spray lube to size and then put then in the tumbler. Hate wiping the lube off cases. You can also use the washing machine. Put the cases in two wraps of heavy cloth. Put the detergent in with the cases and then put a plastic tie wrap on to close up the cloth. Wash with towels in hot water. You can let the cases dry or put them in a warm oven to dry them quickly. The brass cases come put very clean and the nickle cases come out sparkling.

I tumble too. I only do so because I can. Clean is only one detail in the quest for better ammo.

Time spent making dimentional uniformity yields better results in performence down range.

I see it a little like "does your car perform better when it clean and waxed"? I think spark plugs, timing, and fuel make more of a difference.

I sure "feels better" to drive a clean car though!

If my car is clean, waxed, and tuned, I can spend more time shooting and reloading :confused: .

I am glad that I could clear that up for all of you :) .
Cheezywan

Between my late father, my two brothers and myself we have about 150 years of reloading experience. Not a single case tumbler between us.

When my wife asked what I wanted for my upcoming birthday present, the first thing that came to mind was a case tumbler. :)

consider that gunpowder residue has toxic lead in it. SOme primers still have mercury...also very toxic. If you tumble or wash the cases, then you won't get that crap on your hands and possibly into your system.

I like loading w/ clean brass and not haveing to worry about the crap in and on the fired cases.

…Wash with towels in hot water. You can let the cases dry or put them in a warm oven to dry them quickly…

I'm surprised you don't put them in the dryer with the towels, say, on permanent press... ;)

.

I cleaned my brass for the first year with the vinegar/water solution with salt and dish soap added. Works good! I like it `cause it cleans up the inside a little bit, too. After I cleaned my cases this way I would blow the remaining moisture out of the inside with compressed air through the primer hole. Then, I'd often polish them with fine steel wool to get that shiny look I like on my finished ammo.

But, several months ago a guy sold me a used tumbler for pretty cheap. It's a nice luxury to have because I can get the cases just about as clean, faster, with a lot less effort. You don't need one. But I find it's a nice thing to have if you have the opportunity to pick one up.

Think we need to get specific here.

CLEAN brass has lots of positives...doesn't ruin your dies...score your chamber...improves case life....makes loads more cnsistant.

POLISHED brass is just "bling"...doesn't have a single plus other than visual appeal.

I have had scratched sizer dies with dry tumbled cases. I suspect the polishing media? The liquid method would allow "grit" to seperate. Might be a good idea after polishing in the tumbler?

A defect in a case might be easier to spot on a unpolished case because it will show itself as a shiney spot? Something like a small neck split or perhaps a stretch ring.

Dry media tumbling is an abrasive prossess. Like a waterfall on a rock. Over time, it removes material. May or may not take away from the "useful life" of a reloadable case?

The warm bath method may have a few advantages here. It is cheap and gentle.

Cheezywan

I would echo what tomf52 said.
For all of my small lots of pistol ammunition, I simply use some soap and water.
When I finish a box of 50, I put them in an old t-shirt, one cartridge case of dishwashing detergent, and in the laundry tub put in enough hot water to cover the cases. Gather up the t-shirt and then start agitating the cases for a minute or so. I use my other hand as well. Then I rinse. This has worked well to get rid of the fouling and any dirt the cases might have picked up. They are simply not shiny.
If you are loading small batches, as mentioned, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment. A single stage press and the three die sets (preferably carbide type sizer) will do. You load them in batches - size them all, bell the necks, prime them all, powder charge, and then seat the bullets. I do that all the time for small batches of 50.

[QUOTE=ribbonstone]
POLISHED brass is just "bling"

we don't wear bling we shoot it! Polished brass sure looks purty. I too have used my wifes new dish clothes and after a few years of trying to hide them :o it was easier for me to get a tumbler. Noisy but it cleans them and no more fuss from my other half.

I go along with rs on the cleaning - bright and shiny isn't really necessary for reloading. CLEAN is the answer.

If you have the time and equipment to tumble, wash or polish cases - well and good. However, if you carefully inspect the cases for defects, wipe them clean on the outside and the inside seating area of the neck, cases can have a "patnia" color or look and still be perfectly suitable for reloading.

My practice is to wipe and inspect cases, clean necks and primer pockets, lube with a dab of Imperial Sizing Die Wax and neck size only until the cases no longer chamber without effort. Then, they get tumbled, 0000 pad spun shined and all the prep work including FL sized to restore back to minimum dimensions. Usually get at least 10 reloads for moderately heavy loaded cases and up to 20 for middle of the road loads.

Sorry, I am lazy, I use a tumbler, plus my wife likes her brass to look pretty, she has a bunch of little brass nick-nacks, I explained to her that a tumbler could be used to clean them too, so she let me get one, is that bad that I used a tad bit of B.S.? Les

Think we need to get specific here.

CLEAN brass has lots of positives...doesn't ruin your dies...score your chamber...improves case life....makes loads more cnsistant.

POLISHED brass is just "bling"...doesn't have a single plus other than visual appeal.BUT, BUT, BUT, POLISHED BRASS IS CLEAN BRASS. . . so why doesn't it have all the same POSITIVES???

Also, the waterfall over the rocks causing erosion principle won't cut it with brass. Rock is very porous with many weak points allowing water to penetrate and form ice in the winter eventually breaking down rock. The pores in brass are microscopic, much smaller than any tumbling media even with added polishing agents. Brass will fail due to cold working it long before erosion due to abrasion becomes a problem.

I have to respect the patience and dedication that many of you who hand wipe each piece of brass used in your reloads. I used to do it same way when my shooting was infrequent. Having done this, found it far more convenient to just use the tumbler and go onto other gun related chores (cleaning guns/reloading) while the brass is being cleaned. Hand wiping is probably the hardest way to clean brass. Would use the cleaning solution method before going back to hand wiping but IMHO, tumbling is the easiest way to go.

I have no argument with anything you said MK. Tunbling is easier. Top Break asked if it was nessesary. My answer is "no".
Cheezywan

Hello Gents,
My question is how many reloads will I safely get cleaning cases this way? TopbreakDepends on how "hot" you load your cases. Cleaning has little to do with this. I shoot a lot of midrange ammunition at my local outdoor range and I get over a dozen reloads out of my .38 Special and .45 ACP brass. The first signs of case failure with handgun cases is usually a casemouth crack caused by work hardening. The general rule is the hotter your load, the fewer reloads you will get from your brass.

I have no argument with anything you said MK. Tunbling is easier. Top Break asked if it was nessesary. My answer is "no".
CheezywanTotally agree with you.

I like shiny brass, not just because it looks cool, but because detecting splits and problems is a LOT easier. As much as I shoot, I always have a batch or two of brass to tumble, and I use a rotary tumbler because it's more efficient. Clean, shiny brass is a part of shooting for me, just like clean guns. I have the time to invest, so why not? It's part of the fun.

PJ

I'm a lot like KenK. Between my brothers and dad, 150+ years reloading experience and gunsmithing over the last 10 years or so.

The only reasons to tumble are:

1) Reduced wear on sizers due to less dirt and roughness in the brass.
2) Easier tp see cracks and possible issues(necks, etc.) in the brass.
3) Smoother feeding in magazines and less wear on the chambers.
4) Easier to find after shooting in the grass or at the range.


Other than that, very little good to always tumble. We tumble a minimum amount each batch of brass.

One almost free way to clean cases (either of range grit or sizing lube) is to go buy a bath towel. Get an ugly color so your wife knows it isn't one of hers! Lay out the towel, sprinkle on a couple of ounces of rubbing alcohol and then your brass. Roll the towel looself into a long tube. Grab each end and tilt the towel back and forth ten to 20 times.

I call it towel tumbling.

When done, hold one end of the tube over a plastic bucket and relax your grip. All the cases will slide out of the towel tube. Allow to air dry. Done.