case prep
- Thread starter hdbiker
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GarySTL
Member
Straight walled pistol cases are tumbled in a vibratory unit. They are then lightly sprayed with Hornady one shot case lube and run through my Dillon 650.
Rifle cases are tumbled, lubed with imperial sizing wax, sized, then set aside until needed.
Rifle cases are tumbled, lubed with imperial sizing wax, sized, then set aside until needed.
I wash mine in a solution of citric acid and Dawn soap in a bucket.
One teaspoon citric acid and a squirt of Dawn in a plastic bucket with about a gallon of hot water for 15 minutes. Stir them with a wooden spoon every couple minutes then rinse a couple of times with clean water. Put them on a flat surface in the sun until dry. It works better if you use a universal deprimmer so the solution can help clean the primmer pockets. If you are a clean primmer pocket freak like me, I usually go a head and run the primer pocket brush in them before I wash them. The pockets are as shiny as the brass after the wash. It does save the cost of a tumbler.
I use Lee sizing lube with a Q-tip for inside the case mouth and just a little dab on my finger to cover the case. After resizing I use a clean Q-tip to wipe out the neck. Since the Lee lube is water soluble a damp rag will clean the case and it will not contaminate powder if a little is left in the neck.
One teaspoon citric acid and a squirt of Dawn in a plastic bucket with about a gallon of hot water for 15 minutes. Stir them with a wooden spoon every couple minutes then rinse a couple of times with clean water. Put them on a flat surface in the sun until dry. It works better if you use a universal deprimmer so the solution can help clean the primmer pockets. If you are a clean primmer pocket freak like me, I usually go a head and run the primer pocket brush in them before I wash them. The pockets are as shiny as the brass after the wash. It does save the cost of a tumbler.
I use Lee sizing lube with a Q-tip for inside the case mouth and just a little dab on my finger to cover the case. After resizing I use a clean Q-tip to wipe out the neck. Since the Lee lube is water soluble a damp rag will clean the case and it will not contaminate powder if a little is left in the neck.
Steve2md
Member
I deprime with a Lee universal depriming die, then Wet tumble in ss pins. Then I lube the necks of rifle brass or just the first 3 of pistol (i use carbide dies). Size, trim to length, load. I remove mil crimp when processing new to me 5.56 and .308. Any new to me brass gets primer pockets uniformed as well as flash holes deburred/uniformed inside and out. It never gets messed with after that, as the ss pins clean primer pockets and flash holes for me
I generally tumble fired cases a while to get rid of range grime. Sometimes with rifle cases I deprime them first in part to determine if the primer pocket is getting too large.
Then resize the cases, flare the case mouth (handgun only), trim (rifle only), and tumble again to remove any lubricant used and polish the cases. Polishing is not necessary but I do like nice looking ammunition.
The cases then get stored away for a future reloading session whether on a single stage or progressive press.
Occasionally, I will wet tumble the cases with stainless pins instead of the second tumble step.
Then resize the cases, flare the case mouth (handgun only), trim (rifle only), and tumble again to remove any lubricant used and polish the cases. Polishing is not necessary but I do like nice looking ammunition.
The cases then get stored away for a future reloading session whether on a single stage or progressive press.
Occasionally, I will wet tumble the cases with stainless pins instead of the second tumble step.
vaalpens
Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2014
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- 2,618
I am new to reloading, still using singe stage press, but these are my stages for pistol cases:
With each stage the brass is basically processed and then transferred to another container. After these stages the cases are ready for powder.
- Tumble the cases, sort them by headstamp and inspect
- Decap, size and inspect
- Clean primer pocket and inside of case body with a brush, inspect, divide onto 50 count bags and label
- Once I know what bullets will be used, I flare, prime, inspect and add flare/primer information to label
With each stage the brass is basically processed and then transferred to another container. After these stages the cases are ready for powder.
Howard Roark
Member
For case trimming this is the best $90 that I've ever spent. Once it's set up it'll trim to length, inside and outside chamfer in one step.
http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm
http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm
dragon813gt
Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2011
- Messages
- 1,137
It really depends on what they're for. They all get tumbled first. Then there can be trimming, swaging, annealing and an ultrasonic cleaning involved. If it's a case conversion some processes can happen more than once. Non rimmed pistol cases are the easiest. Tumble and load.
spitballer
Member
My bottlenecks are sized from the outside so at the very least they need to have the carbon wiped offf the neck.
I don't think anyone has mentioned nu finish car polish? Half a teaspoon in walnut media in the vibe tumbler. Three hours.
For incredibly clean brass sonic clean with 50% vinegar for 24 mins. Be sure to do a neutralizing run with baking soda too. Then walnut/nufinish tumble. Brass shines brighter than new.
Trim rifle brass if required, they can grow .006" during sizing.
Rcbs lube pad on every other rifle brass, and draw a line with a #2 pencils inside every other other case neck. Champher inside of case mouth if not using boat tails to prevent bullet shaving.
Pistol brass requires no other prep than cleaning.
Edfardos
For incredibly clean brass sonic clean with 50% vinegar for 24 mins. Be sure to do a neutralizing run with baking soda too. Then walnut/nufinish tumble. Brass shines brighter than new.
Trim rifle brass if required, they can grow .006" during sizing.
Rcbs lube pad on every other rifle brass, and draw a line with a #2 pencils inside every other other case neck. Champher inside of case mouth if not using boat tails to prevent bullet shaving.
Pistol brass requires no other prep than cleaning.
Edfardos
Last edited:
I have a Hornady LnL....
In the beginning, I tried doing everything in one sitting Then I changed to this method,
Currently my only experience is Pistol
1) I tumble till fairly clean.
2) I de-prime, resize, and Prime...
Then I store till i'm ready to load
When ready to load,
1) I lube cases
2) then run through the press for the remaining stages
3) Once completed and spot measured.... I run through tumbler to finish the shine
In the beginning, I tried doing everything in one sitting Then I changed to this method,
Currently my only experience is Pistol
1) I tumble till fairly clean.
2) I de-prime, resize, and Prime...
Then I store till i'm ready to load
When ready to load,
1) I lube cases
2) then run through the press for the remaining stages
3) Once completed and spot measured.... I run through tumbler to finish the shine
Brass Cleaning Process
Here is my OCD cleaning habit:
1) Tumble brass in Walnut media for 30 min to 1 hour to prep for deprime.
2) De-prime and Resize (Dillon SDB)
3) Wash in SS media w/ drop of dish soap and Lemi-shine (1-3 hours)
4) Dry on food dehydrator or set in sun
5) Sort by head stamp and inspect and case guage
6) Tumble in Corn Cob Media for the really shiny look
* 1,6 - use a little brass polish
Then they are ready to reload.
That's my hobby and I am sticking to it.
Here is my OCD cleaning habit:
1) Tumble brass in Walnut media for 30 min to 1 hour to prep for deprime.
2) De-prime and Resize (Dillon SDB)
3) Wash in SS media w/ drop of dish soap and Lemi-shine (1-3 hours)
4) Dry on food dehydrator or set in sun
5) Sort by head stamp and inspect and case guage
6) Tumble in Corn Cob Media for the really shiny look
* 1,6 - use a little brass polish
Then they are ready to reload.
That's my hobby and I am sticking to it.
LiveLife
Member
I tell you, learn something new everyday!LeftyTSGC said:
If you think about it, it WAS designed to DRY things ...
Thanks!
B!ngoFuelUSN
Member
Step 1: I run the 'raw' cases (once shot or picked off the range floor - still primed) through the (Hornady 2-emitter) ultra-sound to get any dirt off that I wouldn't want to get in the decapper/re-shape. I use Hornady ultrasound fluid which has some citric in it. I run it about 20 mins.
Step 2: I decap or decap and reshape the cases,
Step 3: (if rifle brass or some high-performance/low-volume brass like .44 mag) I check the case length and grind to taste;
Step 4: clean the primer pockets and case interior(on a Lyman multi-station prep machine);
Step 5: back in the ultra-sound to clean the case of the brass grindings and clean out the crud in the now-empty primer pockets (20 mins). I use the Hornady cleaner this time as well;
Then let the reloading begin.
FWIW, I never had a vibratory cleaner, nor am I a very experienced in reloader. But I am very impressed with the Hornady ultrasound device. I had a lesser single-emitter device previously but the Hornady double emitter/all metal machine with water pre-heat seems really great. Maintains water temp, seems like lots of power, reasonable capacity. That said, it seems to work a lot better (or at least it LOOKS better) with the Hornday fluid.
B
Step 2: I decap or decap and reshape the cases,
Step 3: (if rifle brass or some high-performance/low-volume brass like .44 mag) I check the case length and grind to taste;
Step 4: clean the primer pockets and case interior(on a Lyman multi-station prep machine);
Step 5: back in the ultra-sound to clean the case of the brass grindings and clean out the crud in the now-empty primer pockets (20 mins). I use the Hornady cleaner this time as well;
Then let the reloading begin.
FWIW, I never had a vibratory cleaner, nor am I a very experienced in reloader. But I am very impressed with the Hornady ultrasound device. I had a lesser single-emitter device previously but the Hornady double emitter/all metal machine with water pre-heat seems really great. Maintains water temp, seems like lots of power, reasonable capacity. That said, it seems to work a lot better (or at least it LOOKS better) with the Hornday fluid.
B
I realized last winter, that i did not have enough sun during the day to dry brass, and my wife did not like me using her oven, so when Harbor Freight had a sale i bought one for $20, only takes about 30-45 min to dry a hugh load.I tell you, learn something new everyday!
If you think about it, it WAS designed to DRY things ...
Thanks!
GBExpat
Member
I am only reloading pistol ammo for now.hdbiker said:
I wipe each case prior to running it into the carbide resizer/decapper.
Wash the cases in a solution of Simple Green, rinse.
Soak the cases in a phosphoric acid solution (I suspect; IOSSO Case Cleaner) or citric acid solution that I mix-up myself, rinse, towel pre-dry.
Dry on a cookie sheet in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Run them in one of my vibratory case cleaners with corncob media, used dryer sheet pieces and bit'o'polish for as long as they require to be BRIGHT (usually 1-5 hours).
Chamfer the case mouths and swage the primer pockets if required (rarely).
They are now ready for me to prime.
gamestalker
member
I tumble to knock off any grit that may be present, then I lube, resize, trim, ream and chamfer, wipe off the exterior to remove most of the remaining lube, then I tumble them until nicely polished, clear the flash holes of media, prime, charge, and seat. Straight walled or bottle neck.
GS
GS
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