Case Cleaning and Accuracy?

[chemist308]

There are supposedly no dumb questions, but I might just be an inquisitive idiot on this one. In my 308 I fire only neck sized cases from new rounds that I bought from a single manufacturer / load, and keep the cases trimmed to length of Lee's trim guide. After about 3- 4 reloads with BL-C(2) and H4895 that I have previously fired, the cases do get really dirty around the neck. Lubing only gets so much off. Inside looks ugly too. Previously I never cared. But will case cleaning give any improvement in accuracy?

 

[joustin]

Unlikely from what I have read. I wet tumble for better than new appearance, no difference in accuracy that I can see

 

[ironworkerwill]

If the mouth of the case doesn't seal off quickly enough the necks will become sooty. You may not be creating the pressure needed to burn that last bit of powder and seal the mouth. No big deal really, its better than being over pressure.

The load may benefit from another work up. If it shoots well now, I wouldn't worry about how the brass looks. Of course, cleaning the cases won't hurt anything either. It may make you more confident thus improve your shooting skills.

 

[Robert101]

I don't remember seeing any empirical data on whether some minor soot would affect accuracy. I'd wager that to the novice shooter - nothing of consequence. I don't know of any bench rest shooters that don't clean their brass. In my reloading preparation, cleaning the brass is just one step in a process of reloading, inspection, fine tuning, and adjustments made in an attempt at finding better accuracy. Cleaning is just a good base to start with.

 

[cfullgraf]

Do not discount the psychological factor. If you are more pleased about your reloads because they are clean and shiny, you will shoot better.

Outside of real dirty cases causing functioning or operational problems, I do not think dirty cases would affect accuracy.

Clean cases are easier and better to handle when reloading.

 

[Squeeze]

Clean cases protect your dies

Clean cases are easier to inspect for any flaws, particularly at the neck.

Clean cases protect your dies. I use an ultrasonic cleaner before decapping and a tumbler to polish the cases before sizing, and I use a cotton swab with solvent to clean the sizing die before use.

Clean cases seal to your chamber better at the critical moment. I use a micro-fiber cloth by hand after loading.

Also, if you sort your cases by weight for some strange reason, you'll get more consistent results with clean cases.

For the record, I also sort my bullets by weight. Bullets labeled 55gr often turn out to be 54.9 or 55.1gr.

I haven't started sorting my primers by weight yet. But I've considered it...

 

[1066]

As Squeeze says, clean cases are much easier to inspect, a hair line crack is often difficult to see with sooty cases.

If you are wanting to clean the inside then wet tumbling with Stainless steel media is the way to go.

Here's my wet tumbling set-up using a rock polishing tumbler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyAkj-LzA8

 

[mdi]

Not to be too contrary, but, cleaning/polishing is 99% cosmetic. I reloaded 12 years before I got a tumbler. I inspect every case before I process it and I just kept a rag in my hand, slightly dampened with mineral spirits, and wiped each case as I looked at it. Nope, I didn't wear out any dies, and yep, I could spot any defects in the case. My cases were wiped off to remove any grit, oil, or gunk, and my ammo then was as accurate as any I have reloaded.

I started shooting at a range in '69 at the local police range. There were 3 or four guys that frequented the range and they shot a lot. Most of their targets were one hole results and I noticed that they picked up all their brass when they were done (mostly shooting 45 ACP 1911s). I also noticed all their brass was brown, not shiny, virgin looking brass. They were all reloaders and at that time shiny brass wasn't as "necessary" and recommended to new reloaders as it is today...

 

[moxie]

The main thing is just to get any crud off that will foul the sizing die. Rinsing in plain water will accomplish that. Anything else is just cosmetic, although fairly shiny brass does lend itself to easier inspection.

 

[1066]

I started shooting at a range in '69 at the local police range. ...

I remember those days too. Anyone wearing ear defenders or shooting glasses would have been laughed off the range and a rifle that could approach 1 moa was considered a rare thing.

It was many years before I paid much attention to primers, primer pockets, flash holes, neck tension, annealing etc. but then we weren't trying to hit a 5" F Class "V" bull at 1,000yds.

 

[ironworkerwill]

There is a situation where too clean and perfect in surface uniformity will become a problem. VarmintAl.com runs a stimulation of a perfectly slick chamber where odd things happen. If the brass is clean, not necessarily polished to remove all oxidation, it will not harm your dies.

 

[Hondo 60]

I tumble all of my spent brass for aesthetics more than any possible accuracy issue.
I know that I don't shoot well enough to be able to see any difference.

Of Course, As Always, YMMV

 

[gamestalker]

This is something that can be reduced y tuning the load, not by running excessive pressures, but by creating a more efficient burn. I commonly experience the same thing early on in the development process, but it always improves as I work up.

Also, some powders are more prone to this at the lower end of the charge table, usually the slower burners.

GS

 

[ironworkerwill]

This is something that can be reduced by tuning the load, not by running excessive pressures, but by creating a more efficient burn. I commonly experience the same thing early on in the development process, but it always improves as I work up.

Also, some powders are more prone to this at the lower end of the charge table, usually the slower burners.

That's very close to what my inital statment was GOING to be before I changed my mind. I don't want folks to misunderstand me saying the pressure needs to be increased(or possibly going with a faster burner) by increasing the load. Basically giving permisson to create a "extra heavy load".

 

[spitballer]

After several firings you may be getting discoloration of the neck from work hardening.