Cleaning Brass

[steverjo]

I know the reasons for cleaning brass and how to do it in a tumbler, but what about the inside of the casing...... Is there any need to clean the inside? And if so, how do you do it?

 

[bullseye308]

The tumbler will clean the inside of the case.

 

[MetalMan52]

Clean

I used to tumble my cases to clean them for a number of years but have now switched to an ultrasonic cleaner. It will clean the outside, inside and the primer pockets. They are amazing, no more sticking of media in the primer flash hole. I wish I would have found this method years ago.
Pat

 

[shotgunjoel]

Dumb question, I know it cleans the brass, but why do you need to clean your brass before you reload? I don't reload so I guess I'm a bit of an outsider.

 

[indiandave]

You will destroy the fine polish of your resizing die. Cleaned cases will be easier to work with and easier to handle. they also will be more attractive.

 

[jcwit]

Use carbide dies, mfg. uses diamonds to polish carbide. How are you going to scratch the inside of the dies, dirt isn't going to do it. It is possible to gall nickle or brass on the inside surface of the die and this will leave scratches on the brass, but the die is still fine. This galling is even more prominent with steel dies. I usually size then clean, been doing it this way for years, since the 60's, thousands and thosands, of rounds, 10,000 to 20,000 per year and no problems so far.

 

[kolob10]

The inside of the brass case will get some cleaning with a normal tumble or vibratory polisher. It is not necessary to clean the inside of the case except for the primer pocket ocassionally.

 

[possum]

i don't tumble my brass unless they are really dirty like, have been in the mud, or wet/ sandy etc.

 

[Walkalong]

I tumble all brass before it goes through my sizers, period, no matter what.

I run range brass over a nylon brush in a drill press before tumbling it to remove any dirt and other little beasties. Well pistol anyway. Rifle gets rinsed with a jet of water.

 

[MMCSRET]

I tumble before sizing. On rifle I tumble again to remove lube and on my Black powder cases I use a brush on the inside prior to setting primer.

 

[jason01s]

Cleaning Brass using sharpertek ultrasonic cleaner and solution

Use heated ultrasonic cleaner by Sharpertek and buy the R7-5 solution and or the 1220 solution. The r7-5 cleans the carbon and polishes the brass. The 1220 cleans the carbon and the cases but does not polish.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Once you seat the bullet nobody can see the inside. So why worry about the inside unless you have dirt, pebbles, spiders and grass in there...

 

[qajaq59]

Use carbide dies

They don't make carbide dies for bottle neck rifle cartridges.

 

[crashcarruthers]

They do make some bottle neck case dies, but you still have to lube the cases.

 

[jcwit]

You're right about the bottleneck cases. I was thinking of pistol brass.

Sorry