I have been cleaning some .38 Special cases using my Thumler's Tumbler. After about an hour of tumbling, the exterior of the cases are shiny clean. But when I wrap a clean cloth around a small allen wrench and twist it inside a cartridge, some black residue shows up on the cloth. Should the interior of cartridges be completely free of powder residue after tumbling? Thank you.
Case cleaning- how clean?
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crashcarruthers
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You will get replies all over the place on this question, but here is my take. If you can do a good inspection of the case to see any cracks or stress marks on a pistol case with a clean primer pocket you are good to go. I over clean, but I don't think it really improves safety or how accurate a pistol round is. I have reloaded for over twenty years and it kind of comes down to personal preference after you can safely inspect a case's integrity.
mkl
Member
The inside will never look as clean as the outside.
Don't worry about it, it does not hurt a thing.
As long as the outside is clean enough so that there is nothing left that will scratch the inside of your sizing die, you are fine.
Don't worry about it, it does not hurt a thing.
As long as the outside is clean enough so that there is nothing left that will scratch the inside of your sizing die, you are fine.
ReloaderFred
Member
As mentioned, it's a personal thing. I like my brass really shining bright, so I tumble it until it shines.
You'll never get the inside of the brass as clean as the outside, so don't worry about it. You're only going to soot it up again, anyway. Just make sure there aren't any spiders, vegetation, media, etc. stuck inside the cases before you run them through your sizing die.
Hope this helps.
Fred
You'll never get the inside of the brass as clean as the outside, so don't worry about it. You're only going to soot it up again, anyway. Just make sure there aren't any spiders, vegetation, media, etc. stuck inside the cases before you run them through your sizing die.
Hope this helps.
Fred
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dave from mesa
Member
+1 to ReloaderFred.
I do have a rock tumbler and if I use soap, water and these little pieces of steel that I got from a rock cleaning place they do come out shiny inside and out. What a PITA tho wash, rinse 2x let dry. Even here in AZ it takes a couple of days. Not worth the effort.
I do have a rock tumbler and if I use soap, water and these little pieces of steel that I got from a rock cleaning place they do come out shiny inside and out. What a PITA tho wash, rinse 2x let dry. Even here in AZ it takes a couple of days. Not worth the effort.
It doesn't take very long with my Thumler. After an hour of tumbling, I rinse cases in a colander, dry with a towel, and put on a baking sheet in the oven at 150 degrees for about 30 minutes. I'm not sure how fast or effective my method is compared to using a vibrating tumbler with media.
Here's a link to anyone interested in learning more about using a Thumler Tumbler.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/liquidcasecleaner/index.asp
Here's a link to anyone interested in learning more about using a Thumler Tumbler.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/liquidcasecleaner/index.asp
ReloaderFred
Member
I have two Thumler Ultra-Vibe 18 tumblers and one Berry's vibratory tumbler. I've made rotary tumblers in the past and I've found the vibratory type work better for me, since I do large volumes of brass. I often have all three tumblers running at the same time.
If I was doing lapidary work, then I would definately have a rotary tumbler again, but even being retired, I find it hard to have time for my primary hobbies.....
Hope this helps.
Fred
If I was doing lapidary work, then I would definately have a rotary tumbler again, but even being retired, I find it hard to have time for my primary hobbies.....
Hope this helps.
Fred
bullseye308
Member
You get a wool bore mop a caliber larger that needed and coat it with flitz then chuck it in a drill so you can really get the inside of the case........
^It was either that or "your cases are defective, send them to me for disposal"
Just kidding. Once through the tumbler will be fine and the bulk of the crap will be gone and OK to go on to the next step. You will not get everything out of the inside without way too much work that you will not benefit from.
^It was either that or "your cases are defective, send them to me for disposal"
Just kidding.
Once through the tumbler will be fine and the bulk of the crap will be gone and OK to go on to the next step. You will not get everything out of the inside without way too much work that you will not benefit from.Colonel K0rn
Member
Just curious, do you guys tumble with the spent primers in, or removed?
Marlin 45 carbine
Member
I always clean before decapping/sizeing myself. keeps grit from plugging the flash hole.
I have a vibratory for lots of cases and a Thumbler for when just say a few cases. less than 24 or so.
many times I chuck my rifle cases into the trim holder (Lee) and hit a lick w/steel wool as I trim to length/debur.
I do inspect evry 2-3 cases internally though, just in case.
I have a vibratory for lots of cases and a Thumbler for when just say a few cases. less than 24 or so.
many times I chuck my rifle cases into the trim holder (Lee) and hit a lick w/steel wool as I trim to length/debur.
I do inspect evry 2-3 cases internally though, just in case.
bullseye308
Member
I deprime and resize first then tumble. It is more work, but the tumbler mostly cleans the pockets for me. If I am doing small batches, I use the Lee decapper & base to deprime and use the decapper to unplug the flash holes. Doing large batches like the 7k 9mm I'm doing now, I use the decapper to unplug the flash holes after resizing. If the brass looks dirty, they get a bath first, then resized.
ReloaderFred
Member
Everything gets tumbled prior to sizing, since this is a cleaning process. Our range is built on the sand dunes of the coast and sand gets into everything, even though we cover it with gravel and ground wood chips.
By cleaning the brass first, you'll extend the life of your dies.
Hope this helps.
Fred
By cleaning the brass first, you'll extend the life of your dies.
Hope this helps.
Fred
I usually tumble brass after a shooting outing and then store the clean brass for my next reloading session. I segregate the brass by caliber, so the cleaning my take a couple of days - I typically run the tumbler for 3-4 hours for each load.
When I'm ready to reload I don't want to be fussing with the tumbler. IMHO, cleaning brass is reloading "prep", not a part of the reloading "operation".
When I'm ready to reload I don't want to be fussing with the tumbler. IMHO, cleaning brass is reloading "prep", not a part of the reloading "operation".
Colonel K0rn
Member
Thanks for the information Fred. It does make more sense to clean the cases so it would save the dies. Kinda a mixed bag of results on the cleaning with primer in/primer out though. I sense a poll coming up!
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