a better way to clean cases

[doubleh]

I don't clean a big bunch at a time anymore and have gone to chemical cleaning. Place the brass in a clean jar. I use a plastic one. Add hot water to about twice the depth of the brass, add a few drops of lemon juice concentrate (wife keeps a bottle of it all the time for lemonade), shake well and let set for a couple of hours. Then pour into a strainer, rinse well with hot water, shake throughly, dump the brass into a pan, and set it outside in the sunshine. Cheap, easy, and silent.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

My professor once told his class, "If there is more than one way to do something, then there is not a 'best' way." He happened to be lecturing on surgical approaches to the hip joint at the time, but his comment applies to lots of things, including cleaning brass.

I had a professor who would say the same thing. He was a professor of aeronautics and engineering. The class I was in first time I heard it was dynamics. Later also heard similar from a math professor teaching partial differential equations. His thing was, “there are always multiple equations to fit any one given solution - but only one is the correct equation.”

 

[Click_Here]

I still clean my cases the same as when I first started reloading. I use a vibratory cleaner with walnut media with a little nu finish added every now and then. I also use old dryer sheets to collect dust. I also clean before resizing or removing the primer.

My question is what would work better, safer, cheaper and easier?

Snowman357

Wet tumbling is superior for all your questioned items above.

If you're just doing a couple hundred cases the Lite FART would be my recommendation. Dont fall victim on how long to wet tumble. We're not trying to make smooth rocks, 30 minutes + adequate drying time (various methods) will get them clean enough to keep you and your dies from getting messy. I'll even do another 30 min round to get the lube off.

 

[Howa 9700]

For those using pins, what methods are you using to separate the pins from the cases? How many end up inside the cases.......or is that not an issue?

 

[Kaldor]

How well do the pins debur? Would be nice to eliminate a step at the prep center.

I think they deburr more than enough for range fodder.
Target stuff I still tumble, but handle it in a different process.

 

[Kaldor]

For those using pins, what methods are you using to separate the pins from the cases? How many end up inside the cases.......or is that not an issue?

Use a media remover, and fill it with water. Tumble the brass and pins out in the water. They fall right out.
Example of media seperator Im taking about: https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/frankford-arsenal-quick-n-ez-rotary-media-separator-kit

Have I ever found a pin in a pistol case? No, providing you are using the correct media and you tumble out as I described. However, I dont use pins in pistol cases anymore unless they are EXTREMELY dirty range pickups.
Have I found a pin in a rifle case? Yes, but only on small neck cases like 223 or a 6mm, but that is only rarely. Ive never had media in a 30 cal case when you tumble out in water.

 

[Click_Here]

For those using pins, what methods are you using to separate the pins from the cases? How many end up inside the cases.......or is that not an issue?

A large magnet from Harbor Freight wrapped in duct tape. $2 if I recall.

 

[lordpaxman]

My question is what would work better, safer, cheaper and easier?

BUY NEW.

However, like others have posted, I’ve crossed over to the dark side of wet tumbling and didn’t look back. I’m not sure if it meets any of your criteria but the bling helps me shoot better.

 

[KeithK]

For those using pins, what methods are you using to separate the pins from the cases? How many end up inside the cases.......or is that not an issue?

I have used a lot and settled on the Hornady rotary media sifter, it works great and fast.
pins being left in brass doesn't happen to me, with 223/556 I do occasionally get 2 pins stuck in primer hole but pretty easy to spot and remedy

 

[jmorris]

For those using pins, what methods are you using to separate the pins from the cases? How many end up inside the cases.......or is that not an issue?

I use my Dillon media separator with the tub filled with water to get rid of surface tension so the pins fall free (tubs on the right).

 

[Skgreen]

If you're just doing a couple hundred cases the Lite FART would be my recommendation

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020652544?pid=238852

 

[243winxb]

Roll & rub 100 brass inside a clean bath towel, for a couple minutes. Good enough for pistol. Rifle also gets the carbon removed from case neck & shoulder with fine steel wool.

If really dirty, citrus & 2 drops of Dawn, with water in Tupperware container. Shake 2 minutes, let sit an hour, shake again, rinse. . Dry.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I'll stick with my wet tumblers..

A few weeks ago Amazon had the Frankford Lite wet tumblers for $77.
I bought one, should of bought two of them.

 

[BushMaster-15]

Well cheaper or inexpensive are not words generally associated with reloading ,any longer that is .

The quickest least expensive method for ME ,as I had the ultrasonic prior to using it for case cleaning . Polishing is altogether a different animal .
Wet produces quicker and in MY opinion better results , shinier jewelry bling perhaps not . As with any surface for a flawless Piano mirror finish ,abrasions must be stepped out of the cases surface . Not unlike sanding or abrading in preparation for that $40K custom paint job , step abrasion removes previous abrasions 120, 150,180,220,280,320,400,600, 800,1200 - 2200 and finally polishing compound .

I just put MY cases that have previously been prepped and fired into the WET Tumbler with MY own cleaning concoction and works well enough for ME . Not to shabby considering these have #27 reloads on them ,1953 LC brass and still very much serviceable and YES that's what they looked like before I cleaned them up . Initially using the ultrasonic ,then simply tumbling for 20-40 minutes there after .
The necks and shoulders have had #8 annealing's ,last one this AM . As you can see the tumbler nearly erases any witness marks from a 1200 Deg.F. anneal temp . I figure it this way ,life's too short to spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning ,so anything that speeds up the reloading process is Good by ME. I prefer trigger time and load development over prep time . I simply mimic Lapua's annealing depth which is 0.5910" . So far so good ,cases are holding up to gas guns ,NO ripped rims separations or split necks .

 

[JDeere]

To each his own. I used to think shiny brass looked and shot better till I experimented. Unless it hits the ground at the outdoor range I just reload it. Nobody but me sees it anyway. When I do clean it the vibratory tumbler with corn cob and some polish works fine and is quick. I decap afterwards to prevent those pesky flash hole kernels. I do clean my primer pockets on my hp rifle rounds. ymmv